Representatives from all of ECMWF’s Member States used the occasion of the first Council meeting of 2016 to raise the flag of ECMWF’s newest member, Croatia.
Opening the ceremony on 30 June, Council President Gerhard Adrian reminded those present of the importance of collaboration between national meteorological services. Dr Nataša Strelec Mahović, the Director of Croatia’s Meteorological and Hydrological Service, stressed the “vital importance” of full membership for the country. Croatia became a Member State on 1 January 2016, having had a formal co-operation agreement with the Centre since December 1995.