This policy applies to all activities organised for the news media during or in connection with the European Cancer Congress by third parties. It aims to ensure that information distributed to journalists concerning the meeting and research presented at it is accurate and is issued at the correct times, complying with any embargoes that may be in place.

All third parties are requested to adhere to this policy.

Third party press events

Companies or other organisations wishing to organise a news conference or any other event for the media during the Congress should send a request in writing to the Congress media consultants, Emma Mason and Mary Rice at [email protected]. It is not permitted to schedule press events, either on or off site, to coincide with key conference sessions (black-out times are listed below). Any media event must pertain to presentations being made to the Congress in oral or poster sessions. Reference to the Congress can only be made in connection with scientific presentations planned in the official programme of the meeting. This policy applies to any media event, regardless of whether it is held on or off site. The programme and invitations for any third party media event should be submitted to and agreed by the Congress media consultants before any invitations are sent out.

Third party press releases related to scientific presentations at the conference must be labelled clearly with the abstract number, time and date of presentation to the Congress, and submitted to, and agreed by the Congress media consultants at least seven days before they are issued to the media. Third party press releases relating to any abstracts that are being held back for publication online on the day of presentation to the Congress (i.e. those that form part of the official media programme or late breaking abstracts) must be embargoed to match the embargo on the Congress official press releases (further details below).

Studies that form part of the official ECCO media programme cannot be included by third parties in their own news briefings before the official ECCO news briefing.

Third party press materials are not permitted inside the official Press Room. A table or stand close to the official Press Room will be made available for companies to display a limited amount of such materials. No posters or banners from companies are permitted on or around the table or stand.

Third party media materials must not contain the logos of ECCO or any of its members (unless it is material from one of those members) and must not be presented in any way that could be construed as suggesting endorsement by the Congress, ECCO or any of its members.

ECCO and its media consultants do not make media lists available to third party organisations.

Blackout times:

• Friday 27 September: 16.00 – 21.00 hrs
• Saturday 28 September: 07.30 – 16.00 hrs
• Sunday 29 September: 07.30 – 14.30 hrs
• Monday 30 September: 07.30 – 11.00 hrs, 12.00 – 15.00 hrs
• Tuesday 1 October: 07.30 – 11.00 hrs

Organisations may not hold media events, either on or off site, during the defined “blackout” times.  Failure to comply may result in the withdrawal of facilities.

Embargo policy

Third parties are requested to abide by the Congress embargo policy. Should an embargo be broken, both the third party and the journalist concerned will be held responsible.

The majority of the Congress abstracts will go on line on the Congress web page on Thursday 12 September 10.00 hrs CEST, at: http://eccamsterdam2013.ecco-org.eu/ and can be reported from that time onwards. Any late breaking abstracts and abstracts that will form part of the media programme will not be published until 07.00 hrs CEST on the day they are to be presented to the Congress. Embargoes for releases on these abstracts must match those on the Congress official press releases. Press releases for late breaking abstracts that do not form part of the official ECCO media programme should be embargoed to a time no earlier than 07.00 hrs CEST on the day the abstracts are being presented. Please check with the media consultants about the embargo times for these releases.

Confidentiality policy

All abstracts accepted for presentation at the Congress are considered to be confidential from the time the abstract is submitted to the Congress until public release at the Congress. No information regarding abstracts should be issued until the time the abstracts are published online two weeks before the Congress or the day of their presentation at the Congress – whichever is earlier. If there is any breach of confidentiality, the abstract will no longer be eligible for inclusion in the Congress programme.

ECCO recognises that there are some instances when a publicly traded company is required to disclose data or other information from an abstract in advance of its public release at the meeting in order to satisfy requirements of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or a corresponding body in another country. In such a case, the abstract will still be eligible for inclusion in the Congress programme, but the company must contact the media consultants in advance to notify them that a press release is required in accordance with SEC regulations. Any such press release must be seen and approved by the media consultants prior to its release. It should contain the minimum amount of information required by the SEC, and should avoid including all the exact details and data contained within the Congress abstract. It should avoid discussing implications of the data for future research and/or clinical practice, and it should mention that full data will be presented at the Congress.

Filming and recording

• Filming and recording of Congress sessions is prohibited. 
• Filming will be permitted in a designated, general area of the Congress, but is subject to authorisation from the media consultants; please contact the media consultants for the location and further information. Filming in other areas, including the exhibition area, is strictly forbidden. Anyone found filming in these areas will be asked to leave the Congress.
• Photography (including pictures taken with mobile phones) will only be permitted in scientific sessions if the chair of each session has secured agreement from all the presenters at the start of the session. If any presenter objects to photography during his/her presentation, then photography will not be permitted. Slides must not be photographed under any circumstances. The chair will announce at the beginning of the session whether or not photography will be permitted. We request you abide by the decisions of the chairs of the scientific sessions.

If you have any questions, contact: Emma Mason or Mary Rice, ECCO media consultants, email: [email protected]

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