A group of doctors dedicated to the study and treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease felt the need to join efforts and share experiences, so a preliminary meeting was held on December 7, 2002, at which the decision to create the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Study Group (GEDII) was made. This project was made known through announcements in the "GE - Jornal Português de Gastrenterologia" and "Tempo de Medicina" and by sending an invitation to the Clinical Directors of all the non-specialized hospitals in the country, with a request that potential interested parties be informed. Dissemination through direct contact also played an important role. The concretization of the project was put into practice at a meeting held on March 22, 2003, in Curia. It was then considered that the Study Group should remain open to all interested parties, and the programming of activities was left to five coordinators (João Freitas, Jaime Ramos, Francisco Portela, João Pimentel, Fernando Magro). Dr. João Freitas was appointed to initiate contacts and represent Portugal at the European Crohn's and Colitis Organization (ECCO). GEDII remained with this status until April 2006, when it was transformed into a legal entity under private law, endowed with legal personality and governed by statutes published in Diário da República. In accordance with GEDII's Articles of Association, the group's first governing bodies were elected at a General Meeting held on July 8, 2006.