ESO's Governing Bodies

ESO's ruling body is its Council, which delegates day to day responsibility to the Executive under ESO's Director General. Other governing bodies of ESO are: the Finance Committee (FC), the Scientific Technical Committee (STC), the Observing Programmes Committee (OPC) and the Users Committee (UC).

Information about the meeting dates of the various committees is available via the meetings calender below. Please note that in most cases committees documents have restricted access and are password protected.

ESO procedures (password protected):

 
ESO Privacy Notice for the Recoding of Meetings (password protected):

Council and Committee Meetings in 2026

Council Cou 173 (extraordinary): 10 March Cou 174: 9-10 June Cou 175: 1-2 Dec  
Committee of Council CoC 108: 10-11 March CoC 109: 6-7 Oct    
Finance Committee FC 178: 6-7 May FC 179 (extraordinary): 22 September FC 180: 3-4 Nov

 
Scientific Technical Committee STC 108: 20-21 Apr STC 109: 21-22 Oct    
  • European Science Advisory Committee
 ESAC: ESAC:    
  • ELT Subcommittee (ESC)
 ESC: ESC:    
  • La Silla Paranal Committee
 LSP: LSP:    
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 118: 26-27 Nov      
Users Committee UC: 27-28 Apr      
ELT Management Advisory Committee (EMAC)        

Council and Committee Meetings in 2025

Council Cou 169 (extraordinary): 5 March Cou 170: 3-4 June Cou 171 (extraordinary): 6-8 Oct Cou 172: 2-3 Dec
Committee of Council CoC 106: 4-5 Mar CoC 107: 9 Oct    
Finance Committee FC 175: 6-7 May FC 176 (extraordinary): 26 September FC 177: 10-11 Nov

 
Scientific Technical Committee STC 106: 24-25 Apr STC 107: 22-23 Oct    
ESAC: 21 Feb ESAC: 13-14 Oct    
ESC: 2-3 Apr ESC: 13 Oct    
LSP: 3-4 Apr LSP: 16-17 Oct    
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 116: 22 May OPC 117: 27-28 Nov    
Users Committee UC: 28-29 Apr      
ELT Management Advisory Committee (EMAC) EMAC 11: 22-23 Jan EMAC 12: 19-21 Nov    

Council and Committee Meetings in 2024

Council Cou 166 (extraordinary): 6 March Cou 167: 4-5 June Cou 168: 3-4 Dec  
Committee of Council CoC 104: 5-6 Mar CoC 105: 8-9 Oct    
Finance Committee FC 172: 7-8 May FC 173 (extraordinary): 24 September FC 174: 5-6 Nov

 
Scientific Technical Committee STC 104: 23-24 Apr STC 105: 22-23 Oct    
ESAC: 29 Feb ESAC: 8-9 Oct    
ESC: 9-10 Apr ESC: 14-15 Oct      
LSP: 18-19 Apr LSP:  10-11 Oct    
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 114: 21-22 May OPC 115: 19 Nov
    
Users Committee UC: 25-26 Apr      
ELT Management Advisory Committee (EMAC)        

Council and Committee Meetings in 2023

Council Cou 163: 6-7 June Cou 164 (extraordinary): 10 Oct Cou 165: 6-7 Dec  
Committee of Council CoC 102: 7-8 Mar CoC 103: 10-11 Oct    
Finance Committee FC 169: 3-4 May
 FC 170 (extraordinary): 21 Sep
 FC 171: 7-8 Nov

 
Scientific Technical Committee STC 102: 17-18 April STC 103: 24-25 Oct    
ESAC: 7 March ESAC: 18-19 Sept    
ESC: 3-4 April
 ESC: 19-20 Oct    
LSP: 27-28 March LSP: 23 Oct    
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 112: 23-24 May
 OPC 113: 21 Nov
    
Users Committee UC: 20-21 Apr      
ELT Management Advisory Committee (EMAC) EMAC 10: 30-31 Oct      

Council and Committee Meetings in 2022

Council Cou 159 (extraordinary): 8 Mar Cou 160: 7-8 Jun Cou 161 (extraordinary): 4 Oct Cou 162: 6-7 Dec
Committee of Council CoC 100: 8-9 Mar CoC 101: 4 Oct    
Finance Committee FC 166: 3-4 May
 FC 167 (extraordinary): 20 Sep
 FC 168: 7-8 Nov (Chile)

 
Scientific Technical Committee STC 100: 26-27 Apr STC 101: 25-26 Oct    
ESAC: 7-9 Feb ESAC: 15 Sept    
ESC: 5-6 Apr ESC: 19-20 Oct    
LSP: 12-13 Apr LSP: 17-18 Oct    
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 110: 24-25 May
 OPC 111: 23 Nov    
Users Committee UC 46: 28-29 Apr      
ELT Management Advisory Committee (EMAC) EMAC 09: 21-23 Nov      

Council and Committee Meetings in 2021

Council Cou 156: 8-9 Jun Cou 157 (extraordinary): 27 Sep
 Cou 158: 7-8 Dec  
Committee of Council CoC 98: 3-4 Mar CoC 99: 27-28 Sep    
Finance Committee FC 163: 4-5 May FC 164 (extraordinary): 20 Sep FC 165: 9-10 Nov

 
Scientific Technical Committee STC 98: 29-30 Apr STC 99: 25-27 Oct    
ESAC: 22 Feb ESAC: 29 Sept (09:00-12:30 CEST), 1 Oct (09:00-13:00 CEST)    
ESC: 19-20 Apr ESC: 18-19 Oct    
LSP: 19-20 Apr LSP: 20-21 Oct (14:00-17:00 CEST)    
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 108: 1-2 June OPC 109: 23-24 Nov    
Users Committee UC 45: 27-28 Apr      
ELT Management Advisory Committee (EMAC) EMAC 08: 4-5 Nov      

Council and Committee Meetings in 2020

Council Cou 153: (extraordinary): 4 Mar Cou 154: 9-10 Jun
 Cou 155: 1-2 Dec  
Committee of Council CoC 96: 3-4 Mar CoC 97: 5-6 Oct    
Finance Committee FC 159 (extraordinary): 18 Feb FC 160: 12-13 May FC 161 (extraordinary): 15 Sep

FC 162: 10-11 Nov   
Scientific Technical Committee STC 95: 16-17 Apr STC 96 (extraordinary): 2 Oct STC 97: 27-28 Oct  
ESAC: 20 Feb ESAC: 30 Sept    
ESC: 3 Apr ESC: 12-13 Oct    
LSP: 14-15 Apr LSP: 19-20 Oct    
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 106: 29-30 June OPC 107: suspended    
Users Committee UC 44: 29-30 Apr      
ELT Management Advisory Committee (EMAC) EMAC 07: 19-20 Oct      

Council and Committee Meetings in 2019

Council Cou 150: 4-5 Jun Cou 151 (extraordinary): 9 Oct Cou 152: 3-4 Dec
  
Committee of Council CoC 94: 5-6 Mar CoC 95: 8-9 Oct    
Finance Committee 155 FC (extraordinary): 19 Feb 156 FC: 7-8 May 157 FC (extraordinary):
17 Sep
 158 FC: 4-5 Nov
Scientific Technical Committee STC 93: 2-3 May STC 94: 22-23 Oct    
ESAC: 15 Feb ESAC: 9-10 Oct    
ESC: 12 Apr ESC: 14 Oct    
LSP: 26 Apr LSP: 17 Oct    
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 104: 14-16 May OPC 105: 19-21 Nov    
Users Committee UC 43: 29-30 Apr      
ELT Management Advisory Committee (EMAC) EMAC 06: 18-19 Nov      

Council and Committee Meetings in 2018

Council Cou 146 (extraordinary): 7 Mar
 Cou 147: 5-6 Jun Cou 148 (extraordinary): 10 Oct
 Cou 149: 4-5 Dec
Committee of Council CoC 92: 6-7 Mar CoC 93: 10-11 Oct    
Finance Committee 151 FC (extraordinary): 20 Feb 152 FC: 8-9 May   153 FC (extraordinary): 21 Sep 154 FC: 6-7 Nov
Scientific Technical Committee STC 91: 24-25 Apr STC 92: 23-24 Oct    
ESAC: 19 Feb ESAC: 19-20 Sept    
ESC: 11 Apr ESC: 17 Oct    
LSP: 23 Apr LSP: 22 Oct    
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 102: 22-24 May OPC 103: 20-22 Nov    
Users Committee UC 42: 26-27 Apr      

Council and Committee Meetings in 2017

Council Cou 142: 31 May-1 Jun Cou 143 (extraordinary): 6 Jul Cou 144 (extraordinary): 10 Oct
 Cou-145: 6-7 Dec
Committee of Council CoC 90: 7-8 Mar CoC 91: 10-11 Oct    
Finance Committee 148 FC 3-4 May 149 FC (extraordinary) 19 Sep 150 FC 6-7 Nov  
Scientific Technical Committee STC 89: 23-24 Apr STC 90: 24-25 Oct
    
ESAC: 17 Feb ESAC: 20-21 Sept    
ESC: 28 March ESC: 12 Oct    
LSP: 3 Apr LSP: 23 Oct    
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 100: 16-18 May OPC 101: 14-16 Nov    
Users Committee UC 41: 9-10 May      

Council and Committee Meetings in 2016

Council Cou 138: 7-8 Jun Cou 139 (extraordinary): 7 Oct Cou 140 (extraordinary): 3 Nov Cou 141: 7-8 Dec
Committee of Council CoC 88: 2-3 Mar
 CoC 89: 6-7 Oct    
Finance Committee 144 FC (extraordinary): 3 Feb   145 FC: 3-4 May 146 FC (extraordinary): 27 Sep 147 FC: 8-9 Nov (Chile)
Scientific Technical Committee STC 87: 26-27 Apr STC 88: 25-26 Oct    
ESAC: 2 Feb ESAC: 29-30 Sept    
ESC: 25 Apr ESC: 18 Oct    
LSP: 25 Apr LSP: 24 Oct    
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 98: 18-20 May OPC 99: 15-17 Nov    
Users Committee UC 40: 18-19 Apr      

Council and Committee Meetings in 2015

Council Cou 134 (extraordinary): 4 Mar
 Cou 135: 10-11 Jun
 Cou 136 (extraordinary) : 8 Oct
 Cou 137 - 8-9 Dec
Committee of Council CoC 86: 3-4 Mar CoC 87: 7-8 Oct    
Finance Committee 141 FC: 12-13 May 142 (Extraordinary) FC: 30 Sep 143 FC: 3-4 Nov  
Scientific Technical Committee STC 85: 21-22 Apr STC 86: 20-21 Oct    
ESAC: 29 Jan ESAC: 22 Sep
    
ESC: 20 Apr ESC: 19 Oct    
LSP: 20 Apr LSP: 19 Oct    
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 96: 19-21 May OPC 97: 17-19 Nov    
Users Committee UC 39: 27-28 Apr      

Council and Committee Meetings in 2014

Council Cou 130 (extraordinary): 5 Mar Cou 131: 3-4 Jun Cou 132 (extraordinary): 8 Oct Cou 133: 3-4 Dec
Committee of Council CoC 84: 4-5 Mar CoC 85: 7-8 Oct
Finance Committee 138 FC: 6-7 May 139 FC (extraordinary): 16 Sep
 140 FC: 4-5 Nov
Scientific Technical Committee STC 82: 8-9 Apr STC 83 (extraordinary): 19 Sep
 STC 84: 21-22 Oct
ESAC: 7 Apr ESAC: 20 Oct  
ESC: 7 Apr ESC: 20 Oct  
LSP: 7 Apr LSP: 20 Oct  
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 94: 19-22 May OPC 95: 18-20 Nov  
Users Committee UC 38: 10-11 Apr  

Council and Committee Meetings in 2013

Council Cou 127 (extraordinary): 12 Mar Cou 128: 5-6 Jun Cou 129: 4-5 Dec
Committee of Council CoC 82: 11-12 Mar CoC 83: 9-10 Oct
Finance Committee FC 135: 7-8 May FC 136: 7 Oct
 FC 137: 6-7 Nov (Chile)
Scientific Technical Committee STC 80: 23-24 Apr STC 81: 22-23 Oct  
ESAC: 22 Apr ESAC: 21 Oct  
ESC: 21 Oct    
LSP: 22 Apr LSP: 21 Oct  
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 92: 21-24 May OPC 93: 18-21 Nov
  
Users Committee UC 37: 25-26 Apr  

Council and Committee Meetings in 2012

Council Cou 125: 11-12 Jun
 Cou 126: 4-5 Dec
Committee of Council CoC 80:  6-7 Mar CoC 81: 10-11 Oct  
Finance Committee FC 133: 8-9 May FC 134: 6-7 Nov
  
Scientific Technical Committee STC 78:  17 -18 Apr STC 79: 23-24 Oct
  
   European Science Advisory Committee ESAC: 16 April ESAC: 22 October
   E-ELT Science and Engineering Committee ESE: 28-29 June  
   La Silla Paranal Committee LSP: 16 April LSP(E): 22 October
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 90: 21 - 25 May
 OPC 91: 19-22 Nov
  
Users Committee UC 36: 23-24 Apr  

Overview of Previous Meetings

Council Cou 105, Cou 107, Cou 108, Cou 109, Cou 110, Cou 111, Cou 112, Cou 113, Cou 114, Cou 115, Cou 116, Cou 117, Cou 118, Cou 119, Cou 120, Cou 121, Cou 122, Cou 123, Cou 124
Committee of Council  
Finance Committee FC 119, FC 120, FC 121, FC 122, FC 123, FC 124, FC 125, FC 126, FC 127, FC 128th, FC 129, FC 130, FC 131, FC 132
Scientific Technical Committee STC 56, STC 57, STC 58, STC 59, STC 60, STC 61, STC 62, STC 63, STC 64, STC 65, STC 66, STC 67, STC 68, STC 69, STC 70, STC 71, STC 72, STC 73, STC 74, STC 75, STC 76, STC 77
Observing Programmes Committee OPC 74, OPC 75, OPC 76, OPC 77, OPC 78, OPC 79, OPC 80, OPC 81, OPC 82, OPC 83, OPC 84, OPC 85, OPC 86, OPC 87, OPC 88, OPC 89, OPC 90, OPC 91, OPC 92, OPC93, OPC94, OPC95, OPC96, OPC97, OPC98, OPC99, OPC100, OPC101, OPC102, OPC103, OPC 104, OPC 105, OPC 106, OPC108, OPC109, OPC110, OPC111, OPC112
Users Committee UC 26, UC27, UC 28, UC29, UC 30, UC31, UC32, UC 33, UC 34, UC 35, UC 36