European SETAC Conference to be Held at MECC Maastricht in 2026

MECC Maastricht will be hosting the 36th edition of the annual European conference of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) from 16-21 May 2026.

The conference offers a forum for collaboration and knowledge exchange between environmental professionals and covers a broad spectrum of multidisciplinary topics. In the past, the European event has been held in cities such as Copenhagen, Dublin and Seville, and in 2025 it will take place in Vienna. 2,600 participants are expected to attend the event in Maastricht in May 2026.

Last week, the contract was signed by Bart Bosveld, Global Executive Director of SETAC and Frank Mimpen, MECC Maastricht Commercial Director. SETAC is a global, nonprofit professional organisation consisting of approximately 16,000 individuals and institutions in more than 90 countries. Their work involves the study, analysis and resolution of environmental problems, the management and regulation of natural resources, research and development, and environmental education.
 

From left to right: Bart Bosveld – SETAC Global Executive Director, Ingrid Grimbergen – Maastricht Convention Bureau Marketing Manager, Frank Mimpen – MECC Maastricht Commercial Director, Sandra van den Berk – MECC Maastricht Business Development Manager, Barbara Koelman – SETAC Europe Meeting Manager and Jurgen Moors – Maastricht Convention Bureau Managing Director.

The association has more than 20,000 members worldwide. SETAC’s global meetings are held annually in May in Europe, in November in North America and every two years in the Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America regions. SETAC also provides periodic support to the Young Environmental Scientist Meeting (YES) events held around the world. The annual European meetings are organised by Brussels-based SETAC Europe, in cooperation with a voluntary programme committee composed of the association’s members.

Barbara Koelman, SETAC Europe Meeting Manager said: "It’s a great feeling to see how motivated the city of Maastricht, the Maastricht Convention Bureau and MECC Maastricht are to welcome our event in 2026. The personal touch, the city’s many assets such as its compactness and hospitality, and the modern, sustainable convention centre all make it clear that both the venue and the city truly embrace the meeting."

Legacy UFI Conference in Maastricht region

After the 2023 European Conference of UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, the organisation aimed to leave a long-term impact in the Maastricht region.

For UFI, MECC Maastricht and Maastricht Convention Bureau established a collaboration with students Event Management of the local Zuyd University Applied Sciences.

Now UFI is working with these students for the second year in a row, sharing expert knowledge and challenging them to excel.

Just another example on how international conferences like UFI's are able to contribute to positive social impact.