In 1974, solar physicists in Europe recognised the need for common meetings and the "European Solar Meeting Organising Committee" was created, with the first European Solar Physics Meeting organised in 1975. This meeting was attended by more than 200 solar physicists (a remarkable number for the time), and during the meeting it was decided to proceed with the creation of a Solar Physics Section (SPS) as part of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Division of the EPS.