2002 Annual Report of the Board to the General Assembly
2002 saw the further development of EurEta as a truly a pan-European professional body with links not only throughout Europe, but also across the world. Among the main aims of the Association are the continued enhancement of the international recognition and standing of higher engineering and technical professionals and the provision of support services for these individuals. The Board reiterated the vision of EurEta, which is to be an organisation facilitating learning, development, employment, representation, recognition and free movement in the engineering profession.
At the end of 2002 there were 1 582 EurEta registrants, an increase of 226 over the previous year. The numbers registered from each country and through the International Section, with the 2001 figures given in brackets, are as follows: Belgium 26 (35), Denmark 5 (5), Finland 161 (148), Italy 710 (603), Sweden 28 (24), Switzerland 604 (512), International 48 (14). The Board are still working to raise the profile of EurEta among organisations and individual engineers in order to increase the number of registrants. Individuals who, for whatever reason, are unable to register through a National Member are encouraged to apply for registration through the International Section.
An issue of great importance for EurEta and those it represents is the proposal from the European Commission for a new Directive on the Professions, into which the existing general and sectoral Directives will be subsumed. The Board believe that it is vital for EurEta�s views on the proposal to be made clear to the key decision-makers within the European Union and, to this end, have maintained close contact with the relevant Directorates General, in particular the Directorate General for the Internal Market. The Association has also been represented at a number of meetings held to discuss the Directive.
Raffaele Gulizia, EurEta�s Vice President, attended and made contributions to both a workshop entitled Reforming professions in Europe, held in Pomezia in September, and a hearing on recognition of professional qualifications, organised by the European Parliament�s Committee on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market, held in Brussels in October. Raffaele Gulizia has established valuable links with Italian Members of the European Parliament, and representatives of EurEta were pleased to have had the opportunity during the General Assembly in Rome last June of meeting, and making their views on the proposed Directive known to, Stefano Zappal�, the European Commission�s Rapporteur for the Directive. Board member Harald Schulte attended a meeting in Brussels in December, during which the concept of levels, as defined in the proposed Directive, was discussed and the Board are giving careful thought to the levels as they relate to EurEta registrants. They will also be assessing them in the light of the system of levels operated by the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED). Lennart Alfredsson, Chairman of the Registration Committee, attended a meeting to discuss the Directive held in Brussels last June and organised by the European Council for the Liberal Professions (CEPLIS).
EurEta�s input to the discussions on the proposed new Directive are influenced by the many changes taking place to engineering formation systems across Europe. These in turn affect the national descriptions of EurEta Registered Engineer last updated in 1987 and the Board are reviewing the list of Approved National Formations and still considering whether the Association�s registrants would benefit from the introduction of a two-tier registration system. Because of the number of issues needing to be considered in respect of registration levels and requirements, the Board authorised the setting up of a small Working Group, under the Chairmanship of Lennart Alfredsson, to review the whole situation. Lennart Alfredsson also continues to chair the Registration Committee, which carries out by e-mail and post much of its important work of adjudicating upon applications for registration both via National Members and through the International Section. Both the Board and the Registration Committee express their grateful thanks to the Swiss National Committee for their support in the processing of applications through the International Section.
The Association continues to maintain links with a number of European and international organisations, including the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) and the International Association for Continuing Engineering Education (IACEE). The Board are investigating the possible benefits of forming closer links with the European Council for the Liberal Professions (CEPLIS). The relationship between EurEta and the European Federation of National Engineering Associations (FEANI) has not been close this year. Each organisation has been focusing on its own approach to the engineering profession in Europe, and views about whether closer links should be established are mixed. Both EurEta and FEANI are drafting proposals for a common platform for engineers within the context of the new Directive and it is likely that at some stage the European Commission will call for a united approach to this matter.
In October the Finnish National Member held its annual TeRaKo seminar in Tallinn, Estonia and both Urs Keller, the President of EurEta, and Graham Guest, the Association�s Secretary-General, were pleased to have been invited to make a presentation about EurEta, including its views on the proposed new Directive. In November Urs Keller, at the invitation of the Hungarian National Member in Development, attended the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Pusk�s Tivadar Telecommunications Technical High School in Budapset. He made speeches at both the School and the telecommunications company, Mat�v. Whilst in Hungary Urs Keller made important contacts with individuals from other central and eastern European countries and some of these contacts have been invited to attend the 2003 General Assembly. Similarly contacts are being pursued in the Baltic states by Lennart Alfredsson and Board member Timo Nieminen.
The Board hope to be able to attract during the coming year more National Members, National Members in Development and Supporting Members from across Europe, including those countries which will accede to the European Union in 2004. At present the membership situation is as follows: There are National Members in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland, and National Members in Development in Belgium and Hungary. There are five Supporting Members, one in Austria: Technologenverband Wien, one in Cyprus: Higher Technical Institute, and three in the United Kingdom: EMTA - the National Training Organisation for Engineering Manufacture, Engineering Council (UK), and Prospect - the trade union for engineers and managers.
During 2002 the Board met in February in Baden and in December London, where they were kindly hosted by both the Engineering Council (UK) and EMTA. Meetings of the Board, the Registration Committee and the General Assembly took place in June in Rome and those attending the meetings experienced the excellent hospitality of the Italian National Member.
At last year�s General Assembly Brian Mott was co-opted onto the Board for a further year from January 2003. There were elections to the Registration Committee, with Roger Daellenbach and Veikko Vornanen being elected to serve for four years and Lennart Alfredsson and Erik Jensen being re-elected for a further four years. Christian Sieber resigned from the Registration Committee. Erkki Husu resigned from both the Board and the Registration Committee because of ill-health, and the best wishes of all his colleagues have been conveyed to him for his invaluable work on behalf of EurEta since its inception. It was agreed at the last General Assembly that, in order to reduce travelling expenses, in future one Lay Auditor should be a person working within easy travelling distance of the Treasurer and the other should be from the country hosting the General Assembly. As a result Eva Wendt of Sweden was elected and Karsten Skyum Pedersen of Denmark re-elected for 2003. The General Assembly thanked Urs Eichhorn for his work as a previous Lay Auditor.
EurEta�s banking is now firmly based in Sweden under the watchful eye of the Treasurer, G�ran Orup. Thanks to his prudent control, and the careful use of resources, the Association remains in a healthy financial state. It is the Board�s aim to increase EurEta�s income as much as possible to allow it to expand more rapidly. The Association continues to operate very effectively as a virtual organisation, making good use of e-mail for most communications, and all members of the Board have been active in various roles throughout the year.
At present registration, European and international recognition, and free movement throughout Europe are key benefits offered by EurEta, but the Board will also be looking during 2003 at the provision of additional services. Throughout 2002 improvements were made to the Association�s website and those who have not done so recently are invited to explore it at www.eureta.org. Also National Members, National Members in Development and Supporting Members are urged to make use of the website as a platform for their policies and activities, with appropriate links to their own organisations. Articles about EurEta continue to appear from time to time in various publications and on other organisations� websites and all members are asked to publicise the Association as much as possible. The three leaflets entitled respectively About EurEta: General Information, Supporting EurEta, and Continuing Professional Development are now available for downloading from the website.
The Board remain sensitive to the varying needs of engineers in the different countries of Europe and they once again look forward playing their part in responding to these needs in collaboration with the Association�s key stakeholders - National Members, National Members in Development, and Supporting Members � as well as with other like-minded organisations. They are firmly committed to promoting EurEta as the pan-European body representing practically-oriented engineers whose formation has a firm intellectual base. This approach is especially important against the background of the proposed new EU Directive on the Professions and requires also the commitment of all those with an interest in the future success of the Association.
GG/25.1.03