[1] The primary goal of the ECER is the strengthening of pre-Christian religious traditions of Europe, emphasizing and fostering their ties with modern pagan movements.

It was attended by members from a number of neopagan organizations from Europe and North America, as well as observers from the academic field.

[3] The words "pagan" and "heathen" were rejected because of their perceived cultural associations with immorality, violence and backwardness.

"Indigenous" was seen as satisfactory on a linguistic level, but was voted down with regard to its established use by groups distinguished from European colonizers.

"Ethnic", the Greek equivalent to the Latin paganus in early Christian sources, was eventually agreed on.

The intention of a worldwide scope was "more of a dream than reality", as the congress mostly consisted of representatives of neopagan movements in Europe.