In recent years, the field of contact dermatitis has gained significant importance in dermatology. The variety of exogenous, environmentally caused dermatoses has undoubtedly expanded over the past few decades due to the increasing number of potentially toxic chemicals, changes in lifestyle, and greater life expectancy in industrialized societies. The value of international cooperation in this field has long been recognized and acted upon by the International Contact Dermatitis Research Group (ICDRG). By 1975, the international journal Contact Dermatitis had been founded under the editorship of C. D. Calnan. Thanks largely to the ICDRG and Contact Dermatitis, by 1986, there were enough additional dermatologists and scientists with a special interest in this area to form the European Environmental and Contact Dermatitis Research Group (EECDRG). Within two years, they had been established.