On 8 September, at the invitation of the CAI, the presidents or vice-presidents and managing directors of the CAA member associations met at this year's general meeting in the "Museo Nazionale della montagna" on the Kapuzinerberg in Turin. The day before, the Alpine Convention and the role of the CAA as its observer had already been the subject of a lively discussion. The CAA had previously questioned its member associations about this in detail and had now presented the results. A work programme is now to be developed from the proposals contained therein.
The representatives of the member associations also adopted new, joint recommendations "Safe Bouldering Indoor" as well as updates to the recommendations on safe ski touring, alpine tours, via ferratas and mountain hiking proposed by the Mountaineering Commission. The political climate demands and the climate change strategy of the CAA were revised and adopted. After 8 years, Franco Capraro's second term of office on the CAA's Executive Board ended: he was discharged with warm thanks. His successor was Antonio Zambon, long-serving mayor of Budoia, who in 1997 was a founding member of the Alliance in the Alps network of municipalities for the implementation of the Alpine Convention at municipal level. The two auditors Gislar Sulzenbacher (AVS) and Alois Schnider (LAV) were elected for a second term of office.

In addition to the exchange of representatives of the member associations about their respective current main focuses of work and projects, this time one focus of the meeting was on the discussion and partial revision of the recommendations on various mountain sports adopted in recent years. New joint recommendations have also been developed for bouldering. Other topics included a poster "Safe indoor climbing" and the cooperation with MountainSafety.info.

From 26-28 April 2018, the CAA Commission for Nature Protection and Alpine Spatial Planning (KONSAR) met in Bern at the invitation of the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC).

This year, the exchange on current activities of CAA member associations in the field of nature conservation was at the centre of the agenda: topics such as the increasing pressure to develop through tourism and energy, motorised leisure traffic, but also the designation of quiet game zones as well as the handling of wild animals or projects for the protection of biodiversity concern most of the Alpine associations. The Commission also discussed updating the common positions on climate change. Information was also provided on the current self-reflection process at the Alpine Convention. On Saturday morning, the group went on a guided excursion with specialist forestry information in the Gantrisch Nature Park.  

On September 16^th the presidents and directors of the CAA member associations met for the General assembly 2017 in Malbun/Liechtenstein, following the invitation of the Alpine Club Liechtenstein.

Following the agenda the delegates approved different papers:

• 10 recommendations "Safe climbing (Indoor)", prepared by the CAA commission of mountaineering, training and safety.
• Revisions of the positions concerning Via ferratas and the value of landscape, updated on initiative of the commission of nature protection and alpine spatial planning.
• A new position concerning Pedelecs/E-Bikes, which was developed jointly by the three CAA commissions.

Furthermore was decided about the cost sharing for the development of a CEN standard for material ropeways with limited passenger transportation which is in preparation by an international commission under participation of the German Alpine Club (DAV).

Regarding the online reservation system, for which the CAA made a start-up financing, the current state of the project was reported. The extended system is successfully in use in about 200 SAC, DAV, ÖAV and AVS huts. CAI and PZS are interested in the system, too.

The issues Alpine Convention and Macro-regional strategy for the Alps (EUSAlP) this time were discussed rather shortly, but the importance of the CAA as observer of the Alpine Convention was stressed. But it was also critically noted that not only the NGOs, but also the Alpine Convention has little influence in the framework of EUSALP.

Since already on the day before was discussed comprehensively about the future of the CAA after the planned foundation of the european mountaineering association EUMA, during the General assembly was made only a summary of this discussion. The CAA in the short term should further exist as indipendent organisation and concentrate on the Alpine Convention and the commissions.

As usual the reports and annual plannings of the board and the commissions as well as annual accounts and budget were approved.

Oskar Wörz (ÖAV), CAA-Vicepresident, stepped down from his office for personal reasons. Georg Simeoni (AVS), longstanding chairman of the CAA commission of huts and trails, was elected for the board. Before, Miro Erzen (PZS), dismissed from the board after three years, because he took over the chairmanship of the commission of huts and trails. Wörz was discharged by the delegates with hearty thanks.

Annual meeting of the CAA commissions of Mountaineering and Huts and trails

The CAA commission of mountaineering met on June, 8+9, on invitation of the SAC in Berne (CH). Under the chair of Michael Larcher (ÖAV) it developed 10 recommendations for Climbing (indoor). Besides the commission focused on the intensive exchange about activities and projects of the associations and discussed about an emergency hotline as well as with the topic "short rope".

Furthermore the commission spoke about the draft of the position "Pedelecs/E-bikes" and sent it afterwards with comments to the hut commission. The hut commission met on June, 19+20, on the Höllentalanger hut (D).
The changed and adapted draft now -after a further editing- will be sent to the board and the General assembly. In this case for the first time a position has been developed by all the three expert commissions.

The hut commission additionally had an exchange about the current state of the Online reservation system for huts, about the usage of the tool of the project "Energy efficiency on mountain huts" and about the state concerning a CEN standard for material ropeways. About the presentation of barrierfree accessability in tour portals was discussed, too. A successor for the - after two terms of office - leaving chairman Georg Simeoni still wasn't found, this will be organised within the next weeks.

Annual meeting of the CAA commission of nature protection and alpine spatial planning in Bolzano

On invitation of AVS the commission of nature protection and alpine spatial planning (KONSAR) met in Bolzano on April, 21-23. 
Under the chair of Marie-Laure Tanon (FFCAM) the comission discussed in detail about updates of the common positions on climate change, the value of landscape and via ferratas. The latter will be finished in the follow-up. Furthermore the commission dealt with the draft of a position concerning mountainbiking with pedelecs which will be dicussed afterwards also by the other two CAA commissions.  Besides, as always the exchange about the numerous nature protection activities of the CAA associations was an important agenda point, as well as the information about the current news of the Alpine Convention and EUSALP and the planned foundation of the european mountaineering association EUMA.
The programme of the meeting concluded on sunday morning with an excursion to the lakes of Montiggl with expert explanations about the special mixed forest.

On September 17^th the delegates of the CAA’s member associations – presidents and directors – met for the General assembly 2016 in Innsbruck, following the invitation of the Austrian Alpine Club.

The delegates approved a recommendation concerning belay devices for sport climbing, which the commission for mountaineering had prepared before, as well as a common position concerning artificial snow making, developed by the commission for nature protection and alpine spatial planning.

Regarding the online reservation system, for which the CAA made a start-up financing, the current state of the project was reported. The extended system is ready for operation since July 2016 and already in use in numerous SAC, DAV and ÖAV huts. The development of an e-payment solution is progressing. At the moment the system is in possession of SAC, DAV, ÖAV and AVS. Further associations can take it over and adapt it later.

For the use of the tool developed in the framework of the CAA project “Energy efficiency on mountain huts” a training course for persons responsible for huts was already held, in order to ensure a practical application of the tool, which allows an assessment of building and restoration measures.

The issues Alpine Convention, Alpweek 2016 and Macro-regional strategy for the Alps (EUSLAP) were discussed in the presence of the General Secretary of the Alpine Convention, who stressed the importance of the alpine associations and the CAA as observer of the Alpine Convention. He presented the programme of the forthcoming Alpine Conference in Grassau/Bavaria and gave a preview of the plans of the following Austrian Presidency 2017/18.

The longstanding treasurer in the CAA board, Gianna Rauch, stepped down from the office on her own request and was discharged by the delegates with hearty thanks. She was succeeded by Heinz Frei, member of the SAC’s central board, who was elected unanimously.

On the day before the delegates had discussed separately about the current challenges of the alpine associations in the CAA which was intended as contribution to an exchange of experiences and to understand each other better.

Furthermore, the General Assembly discussed in detail the foundation of a European Mountaineering Association, which most of the participants consider necessary. However, there are still different ideas about the shape of such an association.

As usual the reports and annual plannings of the board and the commissions as well as annual accounts and budget were approved.

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