This section serves as the main information hub regarding the ongoing legal transition of WFNS from the Netherlands to the Czech Republic.
For more than seventy years, WFNS has united neurosurgical societies around the world with a shared mission of advancing neurosurgery, education, research and patient care.
Today, WFNS is undertaking an important organisational step to ensure that this mission continues with long-term stability, transparency and effective governance for future generations.
Dear Colleagues,
Throughout its history, WFNS has continuously evolved to meet the needs of the global neurosurgical community. Today, we are undertaking an important organisational step that will help secure the future stability of our Federation. The proposed legal transition from the Netherlands to the Czech Republic reflects the practical reality of how WFNS operates today.
Since 2022, the WFNS Central Office has been successfully based in Prague, providing administrative support to member societies across the world and ensuring the smooth operation of the Federation. The transition is intended to align the Federation's legal structure with its operational structure while preserving the mission, values and governance principles that have guided WFNS for decades.
We understand that member societies may have questions regarding this process. Transparency is therefore our highest priority. Over the coming months, we will provide detailed information, explanatory materials, videos and opportunities for discussion to ensure that every member society can make informed decisions based on a complete understanding of the transition.
WFNS remains committed to its mission and to serving the global neurosurgical community.
Together, we are building the next chapter of our Federation.
Luis A. B. Borba, MD, PhD, FACS, IFAANS President World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies
This section serves as the main information hub regarding the ongoing legal and administrative transition of WFNS from the Netherlands to the Czech Republic. For more than seventy years, WFNS has united neurosurgical societies around the world with a shared mission of advancing neurosurgery, education, research and patient care. Today, WFNS is undertaking an important organisational step to ensure that this mission continues with long-term stability, transparency and effective governance for future generations. The proposed relocation of the Federation’s legal seat from the Netherlands to the Czech Republic was presented to and approved/reconfirmed by the WFNS Executive Committee during the WFNS Congress in Dubai. This transition is not a change of the WFNS mission. It is an administrative and legal step intended to make the legal structure of WFNS better aligned with the way the Federation already operates in practice today. The WFNS Central Office has been based in Prague since 2022 and provides daily administrative support to WFNS leadership, member societies, committees and ongoing activities. Transparency is our highest priority. WFNS understands that member societies may have questions, and this page will be updated regularly with explanatory materials, documents, answers and opportunities for discussion.
This section provides:
Please revisit this page regularly for updates, newly published materials and links to the online forms.
On 18 July 2026, the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies held its first Open Administrative Council Meeting in Prague, with participants joining both in person and online from around the world.
The meeting included updates on the transition of the WFNS legal seat to the Czech Republic, preparations for the WFNS 2027 World Congress in Bali, the WFNS Journal, and further steps to strengthen transparency, communication and cooperation across the Federation.
WFNS thanks all participants for their valuable contributions and engagement.
The tentative agenda is available as a supporting document.
The WFNS transition is a proposed administrative and legal relocation of the Federation’s legal seat from the Netherlands to the Czech Republic.
The proposed relocation is based on three main reasons:
No. According to the legal advice received from both Dutch and Czech legal counsel, a separate Executive Committee vote was not required in this particular situation.
A separate vote would have been required if WFNS had been making a discretionary decision to relocate its legal seat from one country to another while the national neurosurgical societies of both countries remained WFNS members.
This was not the case. Following the withdrawal of the relevant Dutch national society from its formal relationship with WFNS, maintaining the WFNS legal seat in the Netherlands became legally and administratively impracticable. The relocation to the Czech Republic therefore represents a necessary legal and administrative reorganisation intended to preserve the continuity and stability of WFNS, rather than a discretionary choice between two WFNS member countries.
The establishment of the WFNS headquarters in Prague formed part of the strategic measures discussed and approved by the WFNS Administrative Council on 27 April 2024. The proposed relocation of the legal seat and its constitutional and bylaws implications were subsequently presented to the WFNS Executive Committee in Dubai on 30 November 2025.
No. The proposed transition is not connected to any ongoing court proceedings.
Discussions about moving the WFNS legal seat to a more practical, cost-effective and operationally suitable location started before the SENEC-related dispute.
The relocation to the Czech Republic was decided on the basis of careful analysis of WFNS administrative needs, daily operations and long-term stability.
No. This is not a political change.
It is an administrative and legal change. The purpose is to support the long-term stability, continuity and efficiency of WFNS.
No. The mission of WFNS remains the same: to support neurosurgical societies worldwide and to improve neurosurgical care, education, training and research for the benefit of patients.
The proposed transition does not change the purpose of WFNS.
No.
The Constitution and Bylaws, as well as the rights and obligations of WFNS member societies, are not changing. They remain the same and reflect the existing Constitution and Bylaws previously applicable under the Dutch legal entity.
The updated documents, including the WFNS Bylaws – Consolidated Version, will be available here soon for review. The consolidated version will reflect the amendments approved by the Executive Committee on 30 November 2025 in Dubai.
No practical change is expected for member societies.
Member societies will remain part of WFNS. Their role, participation and relationship with the Federation should continue as before.
The transition is intended to make the Federation’s administration more stable and efficient, not to create new burdens for member societies.
No change in membership fees is expected as a direct result of the transition.
If any financial or administrative updates become necessary in the future, they will be communicated clearly and transparently.
Yes. WFNS will remain a global federation serving neurosurgical societies worldwide.
The legal seat may change, but the international nature, mission and global responsibility of WFNS remain unchanged.
Prague is already the operational centre of WFNS administration.
The WFNS Central Office is based in Prague and provides daily support to the Federation, its leadership, committees and member societies. The Czech Republic therefore provides a practical and efficient administrative environment for the Federation’s future operation.
The WFNS Central Office provides administrative support to WFNS leadership, member societies and committees.
Its role includes communication, coordination, documentation, support for meetings, member society communication and follow-up on administrative processes.
The Central Office does not replace the decision-making role of WFNS bodies. It supports the process administratively and helps ensure that communication and documentation are clear, consistent and traceable.
WFNS will provide information through several channels, including this Transition Information Centre, official emails, explanatory documents, video messages, webinar recordings, direct communication with member societies and Open AC Meeting updates.
The aim is to make sure that all member societies receive clear, understandable and reliable information.
Yes. Questions are welcome.
The transition process should be transparent and understandable. Member societies are encouraged to raise questions so that concerns can be addressed clearly and directly.
The Open AC Meeting in Prague is an opportunity to provide information and discussion about the transition process, the SENEC issue and the next administrative steps of WFNS.
The meeting is intended to be open to AC Members, EC delegates, Second Vice-Presidents and Committee Chairs.
The meeting will include presentations and an open discussion.
To help ensure a smooth and efficient transition, each member society will be asked to provide or confirm its current official details.
This information is needed so that the WFNS Central Office can prepare the necessary documentation correctly and send it to the appropriate authorised representatives.
Member societies will be asked to confirm:
A dedicated online form will be available for this purpose.
The information submitted through this form will help the WFNS Central Office prepare the next steps and avoid unnecessary delays.
After your society submits or confirms its details, the WFNS Central Office will review the information.
If the information is complete, the required documents will be prepared and sent for signature via DocuSign to the email addresses provided for the authorised representatives.
The DocuSign request will be sent within the following days.
If any information is missing or unclear, the WFNS Central Office may contact your society to request clarification before sending the documents.
In simple terms:
This process is intended to be simple, transparent and as smooth as possible for all member societies.
Further information, documents and updates will be published step by step.
WFNS will continue to communicate with member societies and provide additional explanations before any formal decisions are required.
WFNS has a long history and a strong global mission. Organisational structures sometimes need to be adjusted so that the Federation can continue to serve its members effectively in a changing world.
Change should not be understood as a loss of tradition. On the contrary, this proposed transition is intended to protect continuity, strengthen stability and help WFNS move forward responsibly.
The WFNS Central Office is committed to supporting this process professionally, carefully and transparently. At the same time, we understand that WFNS is not only an administrative structure. It is a global community built on cooperation, trust, education and shared responsibility.
Our goal is to support the main mission of WFNS with professionalism, clarity and dedication.
Transparency remains our highest priority.
This section will provide supporting materials related to the WFNS transition process.
The materials will be published step by step and may include explanatory documents, official letters, video messages, webinar recordings and other resources approved for publication.
WFNS shares an update regarding the current situation concerning SENEC and the transfer of the WFNS legal entity from the Netherlands to the Czech Republic.
The update is presented in a fireside chat hosted by Prof. Francesco Tomasello, with WFNS President Prof. Luis Borba and WFNS President-Elect Prof. Kenan Arnautovic as guests.
The discussion provides further clarification on the background, current status and next steps of the process.
WFNS Bylaws – reflecting amendments approved on 30 November 2025, Dubai, will be available soon for review.
Additional supporting documents and resources will be added to this section once approved for publication.