1. Definitions/Types of Meetings

1.1. Local Meetings
These are meetings which are organized by an IEEE Section and which are only brought to the attention of members of the IEEE Section concerned. Speak-ers may be invited from outside the geographical bounds of the section. No action or endorsement by AdCom is needed.

1.2. Regional Meetings
These are meetings which are planned and for which financial responsibility is assumed by an IEEE Region. Calls for papers and announcements seeking attendance should be sent to those residing inside the Region. Attendance is expected primarily from with-in that Region. Proposals for regional meetings shall be submitted to the AdCom for its approval.

1.3. National Meetings
These are meetings for which calls for papers and announcements are sent to all members belonging to the sponsoring IEEE Society. Oversight of financial responsibility is channelled through assigned to a national committee. Proposals for national meetings shall be submitted to the AdCom for approval. IEEE Execu-tive Committee approval is needed for both Regional and National meetings.

2. Type of Endorsement

The general guidelines for the endorsement of conferences by the EMBS will be as laid out in the IEEE Conference Organizers Manual.

2.1. Cooperation
The Society provides publicity through announcements in its Magazine and other appropriate publica-tions and permits use of all or part of the Society Mailing Lists at the conference's expense. Cooperation of the Society and its constituent entities with any of the meetings cited in policy state-ment A implies that it will encourage its members to take part on an individual basis, through the contribution of papers for the technical program and attendance at technical sessions. The Society may supply mailing address labels of its membership at standard IEEE cost for such service. The Society will publicize the event through notices in its publication (i.e. TRANSACTIONS, Magazine, bulletins). When the Society is mentioned in publicity issued by others for the event, the appropriate form to be used by the issuers shall be: "In cooperation with IEEE EMBS".

2.2. Participation
The Society shall provides the above cooperation in publicity, as well as representatives to be appointed to the technical program committees of the meeting.

2.3. Co-Sponsorship or Sponsorship
The Society shall provide cooperation in publicity, as well as representation on the technical program committee, and shall assume an appropriate share of admi-nistrative and financial responsibility. The Society shall be provided appropriate membership on the conference technical program committee, to help plan the technical program and to assist with the review and acceptance of contributed papers, procurement of special invited papers, and organization of panel discussions.

As appropriate and negotiated with the other cosponsor(s), the Society shall assume full fiscal and administrative responsibility for post-conference sales of the conference publications through the IEEE Book Broker Program. This will include the obliga-tion of obtaining an assignment of an IEEE catalog number, leading to indexing of the conference publication, participation in the IEEE Book Broker Program, with listing the IEEE Master Meet-ing Schedule and other related procedures, including budgetary reviews. In addition to the financial implications above, the Society may share administrative and financial responsibilities, including a share of any net surplus or deficit resulting from the conference. Under such conditions, the Society shall have appropriate representation on the conference organizing committee. For any degree of co-spo-nsorship, the appropriate form for publicity referring to IEEE shall be "Cosponsored by IEEE EMBS".

3. Boundaries

Sections have geographical boundaries and Groups/Societies have technical boundaries. A section or Group/Society is free to organize any sort of symposia or conference desired insofar as it remains within the prescribed boundaries. If the Section or Group/Society desires to extend these boundaries, special coordination and approval would be necessary.

4. Non-discrimination

When a non-IEEE organization, e.g. a university, is primary sponsor of a meeting or conference and applies to the Society for endorsement, the policy described in the previous paragraph shall apply. IEEE entities and their members wishing to participate shall be accorded treatment no different from that accorded members of the non-IEEE spon-soring entity.

5. Topics

5.1 Topics for Local Meetings may be either general or specialized.

5.2 Topics for Regional Meetings shall be in conformity with agreements made with the various organizations with which IEEE is affiliated.

5.3 Topics for National Meetings may be either general or specialized and must be in con-formity with agreements which IEEE has established among its consti-tuent entities or with other societies or organizations.

6. Policy

The Society may support national meet-ings which are judged by its ExCom not to be in direct conflict with the Society's Annual Conference, or are general meetings which are local in character or confined to a limited region.

7. Procedures

Applications for sponsorship or co-sponsorship of a meeting organized primarily by any local, regional or national group wishing to sponsor a meeting on some phase of engineering in medi-cine and biology shall be submitted in writing to the AdCom and presented in person at least one year in advance of the meeting before commitments for time and speakers have been made. Applications for cooperation or participation shall be submitted in writing to the President at least six months in advance of the meeting. The application shall include a short statement on each of the following: