The objective of the Euro-Mediterranean Council for Burns and Fire Disasters (MBC) is to involve the surgical, scientific and intellectual forces of all the Mediterranean countries in an open exchange of opinion and action in order to analyse common themes, analogies and contrasts in the fields of prevention, treatment and functional recovery of burns and in fire disasters. The MBC strives to create a permanent dialogue on burns and fire disasters, a forum for the study and evaluation of the actual situations in the various individual countries, to promote permanent contacts and comparisons with regard to clinical, therapeutic, scientific, didactic and nursing problems, and to endeavour to eliminate any gaps that may exist. The MBC is considered not only as a "league" and "pact" or "alliance" willing to offer its experience, cooperation and medical expertise in any area of the Mediterranean. It is a "Council" of kindred professionals, and one of its main benefits is undoubtedly in bringing together the various peoples and surgeons of the Mediterranean, and promoting close ties of friendship between its members as well as specialists further afield.

The operating instruments of the Council are:

• specialists in the Member Countries, who are entrusted with the task of formulating common programmes of study, research and treatment in the field of burns;
• young physicians, paramedical staff and technicians participating in interchanges between existing structures;
• meetings, which constitute a continuous comparison of what has been done, is being done, and remains to be done;
• collaboration with the World Health Organization and the United Nations;
• collaboration with specialists of other countries and other related disciplines;
• a Coordination Centre for the Council's institutional activities.

With the International Fire and Burns Meeting, held in Palermo from 18th to 20th June 1987, the Council's activity entered the operational phase.