From the Chess archiv of Chess-Results.com: Article: 895 from 14.12.1998, Category International

Newsletter to all European Chess Federations (14.12.98 von Prof. K. Jungwirth)

FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DES ÉCHECS PROF. KURT JUNGWIRTH, CONTINENTAL PRESIDENT OF EUROPE

Graz, 14.12.1998

To all European Chess Federations

Dear chess friends,

 Following a good tradition, at the end of the year I am sending my best greetings and

wishes to chess in Europe. First of all let me say thanks to many of you for coming to my country. The Austrian Chess Federation was not only pleased to welcome many guests at numerous opens, also held to great FIDE events in 1998. The European Youth Championship 10-18 in Mureck with 510 players from 43 federations were particularly successful. Participation showed the absolute need to keep the age groups in youth events as they are. A strong basis of the chess pyramid is good for our future. On the other hand the World Senior Championship in Grieskirchen was also very well received by 219 participants from 35 federations.

Personally I am proud that Europe is the first continent to have achieved autonomy within FIDE. Rolf Littorin, the founder of the European Chess Union, and myself have been struggling for a long while for this idea. Before the FIDE Congress 1998 Werner Stubenvoll and myself were only a team of two for dealing with the most urgent continental matters. Now there are statutes recognised by FIDE, there is a team of seven with a treasurer and a budget, there is an office: nothing can prevent European chess from blossoming and flourishing.

Let me repeat the most important items ECU will have to deal with.

The FIDE calendar must kept in order to secure the regularity of events on the continent.

Werner Stubenvoll once more was extremely busy to organise the European Club Cup 1998. The task is to difficult that it is worthwhile considering the possibility of having Swiss event in one place instead of the current system.

There should be enough interest to create a European Champions League for 8 or 10 clubs according to the system of promotion and relegation which is on the table since Elista. The participating clubs would save money and would not need more time compared to the Club Cup.

It will be easy to launch a European Seniors Championship without having serious calendar problems.

A real problem is the European Individual Championship. It is absurd that every sport hat European Champions except Chess. A proposal elaborated by Werner Stubenvoll was already circulated. Any format for such a attractive event should be discussed with potential organisers.

It is obvious that the Chess in Schools movement deserves all our interest.

We also have to attach more importance to woman's' chess against well known prejudices. I hope the European Club Cup for Woman which we have created will have more and more success.

We shall have to look carefully into finances. FIDE is very expensive, federations cannot bear additional fees for ECU. However, taking into consideration the multiple tasks of the continent it must be possible to achieve a fairer sharing of revenues between ECU and FIDE. The 20 percent solution is only a timid beginning.

 Let me wish to all of you merry Christmas and a happy new year, good health and nice chess! 

Prof. Kurt Jungwirth m.p.