Ensuring Continuity. Building the Future.
WFNS has united neurosurgical societies around the world for more than seventy years.
Today, WFNS is adapting its legal and administrative structure to support the long-term stability and future work of the Federation.
From a practical point of view, WFNS is moving its legal and administrative home from the Netherlands to the Czech Republic.
Because this process involves two countries and two different legal systems, it cannot be completed simply by changing an address. A number of formal legal and membership steps are therefore required.
The mission of WFNS does not change. Our global community, scientific cooperation, education and international activities continue.
Dear Colleagues,
WFNS has continuously evolved throughout its history to meet the needs of the global neurosurgical community.
Today, we are taking an important organisational step to provide the Federation with a clear and stable legal and administrative structure for the future.
The WFNS Central Office has been successfully based in Prague since 2022 and provides daily support to our Member Societies, leadership, committees and international activities.
The transition from the Netherlands to the Czech Republic involves formal legal steps because the two countries have different legal systems. However, the purpose is straightforward: to align the legal structure of WFNS with the way the Federation already operates in practice today.
We understand that Member Societies may have questions. Transparency and clear communication are therefore essential throughout this process.
This Transition Information Centre brings together the explanations, documents, legal information and updates that Member Societies need.
WFNS remains committed to its global mission and to serving the neurosurgical community worldwide.
Together, we are building the next chapter of WFNS.
WFNS is moving its legal and administrative structure from the Netherlands to the Czech Republic.As part of this process, Member Societies terminate their membership in the Dutch WFNS entity and separately apply for membership in the Czech WFNS entity.
WFNS remains one global neurosurgical community.Its mission, international cooperation, education, scientific activities and support for Member Societies continue.
Because the process involves two separately registered legal entities in two different countries.One document ends the Dutch membership relationship. The second starts the Czech membership relationship.
Review the information, confirm your Society details and complete the documents provided by the WFNS Central Office.
This document concerns your Society’s membership in the WFNS association incorporated under Dutch law.By signing it, your Society formally terminates this membership relationship.
This is a separate application for membership in the newly established Czech WFNS association.By signing it, your Society confirms that it wishes to become a member of WORLD FEDERATION OF NEUROSURGICAL SOCIETIES z.s.
These are two separate membership steps.
The documents do not contain a provision under which the signing Member Society agrees to assume debts, claims, judgments, costs or other liabilities of the Dutch WFNS entity.
WFNS is a global federation with Member Societies operating under many different national legal systems.
When an international organisation changes the country in which its legal structure is based, the process can be more complex than moving an office or changing a postal address.
This is why the WFNS transition requires formal legal and membership steps.
The purpose is not to create a different Federation. The purpose is to provide WFNS with a clear and sustainable legal structure so that it can continue its work worldwide.
On 18 July 2026, WFNS held an Open Administrative Council Meeting in Prague, with participants joining both in person and online from around the world.
The meeting provided an opportunity to openly discuss the WFNS transition, ask questions and review the next steps together with the Federation’s leadership.
The meeting was an important part of WFNS’s commitment to transparency, open discussion and communication with its global community.
Watch the discussion and presentations from the Open Administrative Council Meeting.
Watch the discussion and presentations from the Open Administrative Council Meeting held in Prague on 18 July 2026.
We will provide you with the recording file/link.
We understand that Member Societies may have legal questions before completing the transition documents.
WFNS does not want Member Societies to rely only on explanations from the Central Office.
We have therefore requested formal written clarification from both Dutch and Czech legal counsel concerning the legal position of Member Societies and the transition process.
The approved legal statements will be published here.
Formal statement from Dutch legal counsel.
Formal statement from Czech legal counsel.
The legal steps may look technical, but the purpose is simple: to give WFNS a clear and stable legal structure so that the Federation can continue its work worldwide.
We want every Member Society to understand the process, know exactly what it is signing and have access to reliable information.
Every Member Society should feel comfortable asking questions before signing.
Administrative questions will be answered directly by the Central Office.Questions requiring legal clarification will be referred to the appropriate WFNS legal adviser.