In 2026 we celebrate the 20th year of the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) as the voice of endocrinology. We feel proud of how far we have come since 2006 and the many accomplishments of the Society over the last 20 years. However the history of endocrinology in Europe, which let to the formation of ESE, goes back considerably further.
The early years
Historically, a close collaboration existed between the Scandinavian (Danish, Swedish and Norwegian), Finnish, German, Dutch and Swiss Endocrine Societies. This organisation was named the ‘Committee of the Acta Endocrinologica Countries’ (CAEC). CAEC founded the first European endocrine journal, which was named Acta Endocrinologica (Copenhagen), in June 1948. CAEC also organised the Acta Endocrinologica Congresses, the first of which (otherwise known as the 3rd Scandinavian Endocrine Meeting) took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 22–25 August 1954.
The idea of a pan-European organisation gradually developed, with discussions between the members of various national societies. In 1984, Professor Alberto Oriel-Bosch from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, put forward a proposal that the Spanish, Italian and British societies should hold a European Congress of Endocrinology in Barcelona as a first step towards forming a European Society of Endocrinology. Further meetings were held in 1984 in Barcelona and Quebec which considered that the formation of a society would considerably strengthen European endocrinology. Proposals were developed and agreed with representatives of the European Societies at a meeting in Helsinki in August 1985 and the European Federation of Endocrine Societies (EFES) was formed and an Executive Committee elected.
In 1987 the first European Congress of Endocrinology (ECE) was held in Copenhagen. It was here that the European Federation of Endocrine Societies (EFES) was inaugurated. John Fredrik Dymling from Malmö, Sweden, was the first President of EFES. The other members of the Executive Committee were Christian Binder, Jean Crabbe, Maciej Gembicki, Bela Halasz, Luciano Martini, Térèse Lemarchand-Beraud, René Mornex and Peter Scriba.
The ECE was held about every four years until 1998 when it was held biennially; from 2006 onwards it was held on an annual basis.
Acta Endocrinologica (Copenhagen) became the official journal of EFES in 1993. In 1994, it was renamed European Journal of Endocrinology (EJE).
In 1994, the first clinical course was held, in Aiguablava, Spain. In 1996 a new format of regional courses orientated towards endocrinologists in a specific country started in Romania. These courses were an ideal place for continuous medical education, exchange of ideas and, more importantly, interaction between endocrinologists from several European countries.
Following a careful consultation process, it was decided at the ECE 2005 in Gothenburg, that EFES would be dissolved and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) would be created. The ECE in Gothenburg was the final ECE held under EFES. From this point forward ECE was held on an annual basis, under the auspices of ESE.
- ESE established itself as an individual membership society in January 2006.
- The first ESE Newsletter was sent to members in Spring 2006.
- Professor Steven Lamberts from Rotterdam, The Netherlands, was the first President of ESE.
- The 8th European Congress of Endocrinology was held in Glasgow on 1–5 April 2006 alongside the UK Society for Endocrinology’s annual BES meeting.
- The Society acquired its first individual members (375 members).
- ECE 2010 was the first Congress run by ESE itself rather than the national society.
- EYES was founded (2011) to support early-career investigators
- ESE Council of Affiliated Societies (ECAS) was formed (2013) to strengthen the relationship between ESE and the European National Affiliated Societies.
- The ESE Clinical Practice Guideline programme was launched.
- ESE’s lead journal, European Journal of Endocrinology, developed as a highly competitive international journal.
- ESE and the UK Society for Endocrinology launched the open access journal Endocrine Connections (2012).
- ESE's Nurses Working Group was established (2013)
- ESE started the recruitment of its own professional team, starting with the Chief Executive Officer, Helen Gregson in 2016.
- ESE organised its activities into eight Focus Areas.
- Launch of the first ESE Recommended Curriculum of Specialisation in Clinical Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism.
- In 2017 ESE went through a full rebrand, with a modern new logo and website.
- By the end of 2018, ESE had four full-time employees.
- ESE developed a strong policy and advocacy strategy, and initiated a key project, the 'Mapping Endocrinology in Europe' survey (2018/19) as a basis for developing ESE's first White Paper.
- The first ESE White Paper was launched: Hormones in European Health Policies – How endocrinologists can contribute to a healthier Europe, providing a European endocrinology policy focus around the areas of obesity, rare endocrine diseases, endocrine cancer, and endocrine disruptors.
- ESE’s activities, committees and task forces grew.
- ESE membership exceeded 5000 for the first time, with total membership through representation by the National Affiliated Societies and the ESE Advocacy Representation Scheme (EARS) over 22 000.
- The COVID-19 pandemic forced ESE to hold its annual congress online in 2020 and 2021, with excellent participation and success.
- The European Journal of Endocrinology achieved a 2021 Journal Impact Factor of 6.558, and a significant increase in its Five-Year Impact Factor from 6.341 to 6.805.
- ECE in 2022 took place as a hybrid event with over 4000 attendees.
- During this event in Milan, the first ‘European Hormone Day’ took place on 23 May, supported by the publication of ‘The Milano Declaration - Recognising the key roles in hormones in European health’ endorsed by nine MEPs as well as other key societies and organisations.
- The European Women in Endocrinology (EUWIN) group was also launched at ECE 2022.
- At the end of 2023 the majority of ESE operational activities were brought in-house and the ESE team grew to 20 members staff.
- The first ‘World Hormone Day’ took place on 24 April 2025 a well as the first Joint Congress of ESE and ESPE (European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology) 2025 - Connecting Endocrinology Across the Life Course.
- ESE's individual membership and partner organisation memberships have grown substantially since the Society began in 2006, and ESE now has 4,810 individual Members, 50 National Partner Society Members, 30 Patient Advocacy Group Members, 16 Specialist Partner Society Members, 10 Associate Partner Society Members, and 11 Corporate Members (as of May 2025).
Watch this space during 2026 as we will be adding our 20th year celebrations as well as other key activities to this page!
We recognise the huge contributions from our former and current Presidents
- John Fredrik Dymling (EFES President (1986+)
- René Mornex (EFES President 1990-1994)
- Luciano Martini (EFES President 1994-1998)
- Felipe Casanueva (EFES President 1998-2001)
- John Wass, UK (EFES President 2001-2003)
- Steven Lamberts, Netherlands (EFES President 2003-2006, ESE President 2006-2007)
- Eberhard Nieschlag, Germany (ESE President 2007-2011)
- Philippe Bouchard, France (ESE President 2011-2015)
- AJ van der Lely, Netherlands (ESE President 2015-2019)
- Andrea Giustina, Italy (ESE President 2019-2021)
- Martin Reincke, Germany (ESE President 2021-2023)
- Jérôme Bertherat, France (ESE President 2023-2025)
- Wiebke Arlt, United Kingdom (ESE President 2025-2027)