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ANNUAL REPORT

1951-201160 YEARS OF THE EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF NATIONAL ENGINEERING ASSOCIATIONS

Av. Roger Vandendriessche 18B-1150 BrusselsTel 00 32 2 639 03 90 Fax 00 32 2 639 03 99Email: [email protected]

www.feani.org

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FEANI NATIONAL MEMBERS

IE Engineers Ireland

IS VFI - Association of Chartered Engineers in IcelandTFI - The Icelandic Society of Engineers

IT CNI - Consiglio Nazionale Ingegneri

LU A.L.I. - Association Luxembourgeoise des Ingnieurs

MK IMI - Engineering Institution of Macedonia

MT COE - Chamber of Engineers

NL KIVI NIRIA - Koninklijk Instituut Van Ingenieurs

NO NITO - The Norwegian Society of Engineers and TechnologistsTEKNA The Norwegian Society of Chartered Scienti c and Academic Professionals

PL NOT - Polish Federation of Engineering Associations

PT Ordem Dos Engenheiros

RO AGIR - The General Association of Engineers in Romania

RU RUSEA Russian Union of Scienti c and Engineering Associations

SE SVERIGES INGENJRER - The Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers

RS SITS - Union of Engineers and Technicians of Serbia

SI ZDIT - Association of Societies of Engineers and Technicians

SK ZSVTS - Association of Slovak Scienti c and Technological Societies

AT IAV - sterreichischer Ingenieur-und Architekten-Verein

BE CIBIC - Comit des Ingnieurs Belges / Belgisch Ingenieurscomit

BG FNTS - Federation of Scienti c Technical Unions in Bulgaria

CH SIA - Swiss Society of Engineers and ArchitectsSTV/UTS - Swiss Engineering STV

CY CPEA - Cyprus Professional Engineers Association

CZ CSVTS - Czech Association of Scienti c and Technical SocietiesCKAIT- Czech Chamber of Chartered Engineers and Technicians

DE DVT - Deutscher Verband Technisch-Wissenschaftlicher Vereine

DK IDA - Ingenirforeningen I Danmark

EE EAE - Estonian Association of Engineers

ES IIE - Instituto de la Ingenieri de EspaaINITE - Instituto de Ingenieros Tcnicos de Espaa

FI UIL - The Union of Professional Engineers in FinlandTEK - The Finnish Association of Graduate Engineers

FR CNISF - Conseil National des Ingnieurs et des Scienti ques de France

UK EC - The Engineering Council

GR TCG - Technical Chamber of Greece

HR HIS - Croatian Engineers Association

HU Budapest University of Technology and Economics

www.feani.org

Published by: FEANIAv. Roger Vandendriessche 18B-1150 BrusselsTel 00 32 2 639 03 90 Fax 00 32 2 639 03 99Email: [email protected]

Responsible Editor:Dirk [email protected]

Graphic Design: De Visu Digital Document Design

PHOTO CREDITS:Page 28: image EU 2020 : European Commissionhttp://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/president/news/documents/pdf/20100303_1_en.pdfPage 31: image of the cover of New skills and jobs :http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/Files/3052_en.pdf

While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the material published in The ANNUAL REPORT 2011, neither the Federation, the publisher, nor their agents can accept any responsibility for the veracity of contributors articles or statements appearing in this publication and any views or opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. We do not accept responsibility for loss or damage to unsolicited contributions.This publication is protected by copyright. Articles may be freely reproduced for non-commercial purposes provided reference is given. 2012

Cover image :Mr Guy Verhofstadt / MEP and FEANI President Mr Lars Bytoft at the Bibliothque Solvay, identifying the scientists who took part at the 5th Solvay Conference in 1927 on Electrons and Protons : 17 of the 29 attendees became Nobel Prize winners, such as Albert Einstein and Marie Curie.

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Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 5

Chapter 4

Chapter 3

Chapter 6

CONTENTS

Introduction 03

Statement by the President 05

Statement by the Vice-President 07

Statement by the Treasurer 09

Statement by the Secretary General 11

FEANI and its 60th Anniversary 12

FEANI and the EU Parliament 18Public Hearing 18Dinner Debate 21

FEANI and the EU Commission 22Steering Group Meetings on the Professional Card 22Support to the Single Market Act 24Support to Education and Training 27

FEANI and Industry 30

FEANI and its Members 32FEANI Secretary Generals meeting 32News from the members 34European monitoring committee (EMC) 38

FEANI and other International Engineering Associations 40WFEO 40ENAEE 41BEST 42

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02 I FEANI Annual Report 2011 I

Maurice CROCHU / FEANI's rst Secretary General, 1951 - 1962


FEANI was founded in 1951, exactly 60 years ago. At the beginning of the 1960s, FEANI was convinced that the engineering profession in Europe could not be strengthened without mutual recognition of the professional quali cations provided by the numerous and diversi ed national systems of education and training. Thereafter, FEANI has constantly worked to set up a structure to facilitate such recognition.

The rst important achievement was in 1970 the establishment of the European Register of Higher Technical Professions. The development of industry and the evolution of education and training systems led, in the early eighties, to extensive revision of this Register, and in 1987 a new FEANI Register was intro-duced. The Register was then further developed and in 1992 the de nition of the registration processes and the principles of management of the Register were nalized. The objectives of the FEANI Register are to :

1. Facilitate the movement of practicing engineers inside and outside the FEANI area and to establish a framework of mutual recognition of quali ca-tions in order to enable engineers who wish to practice outside their country to carry with them a guarantee of competence.

INTRODUCTION

2. Provide information about the various formation systems of individual engineers for the bene t of prospective employers.

The FEANI Register is accompanied by the FEANI Index presenting the list of higher educational institu-tions recognized by each of its National Members and accepted by the General Assembly. In addition, a short description of the national education systems may be found in it. The FEANI Index is regularly updated and widely considered as a valuable source of information about the national engineering education systems and institutions listed in it. As all National Members have approved its text and supported its wording, the Index is an authority in its own eld.

With the Engineering Card, the professional card for engineers, FEANI has set in 2011 the next step in facilitating the recognition of professional quali ca-tions and removing barriers preventing the mobility of engineers. It is a card which is applied for voluntarily and of which the associated record can be retrieved in the respective National Engineering Register.

I FEANI Annual Report 2011 I 03



Lars BYTOFT / President of FEANI


In the years following the end of the Second World War, several international technical associations were established, amongst which FEANI. In June 1949, some 340 engineers met in Constance (Germany) for a congress on The Role of the Engineer in Modern Society. Amongst the motions which were adopted, one was that the participants jointly decided to pursue the task already begun by setting up an inter-national organization, temporarily limited to Europe, whose goal will be to strengthen the presence of engi-neers in every national and international movement of economic and social dimension. The motion bore fruit and FEANI was created in September 1951 by seven European countries : Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy and Luxemburg. Today FEANI is a European federation, registered under Belgian law, with 32 full-member countries. Its representation for the engineering profession has been recognized by the European Commission by declaration of 10 March 1994. It is my pleasure to present the rst FEANI Annual Report, exactly on the 60th Anniversary of our Organization.

Our major goal is to af rm the professional identity of the engineers in Europe by ensuring that professional quali cations of engineers of the member countries, are acknowledged in Europe and worldwide, by asserting the status, role and responsibility of engi-

neers in society and by safeguarding and promoting the professional interests of engineers. Especially the issue of facilitating their free movement within Europe and worldwide has been high on the agenda in 2011. While respecting the spirit of freedom and creativity that has prevailed since its establishment, FEANI continued to strive for a single voice for the engineering profession in Europe, in developing a working cooperation with other international orga-nizations concerned with engineering matters, and in representing the engineers of Europe in inter-national organizations and other decision-making bodies. With the engagement of a new Secretary General at the end of 2010, we launched a fresh set of corporate initiatives, designed to promote stronger organizational ties and the European dissemination of our Organization. It enabled us to attract a great deal of public attention. Despite the pressure brought on by a heavy workload and tight resources, staff continued to perform their duties with profession-alism and dedication. As a result this report focuses on our commitment to be recognized as the authori-tative voice of European Engineers Membership Associations and how this has been transformed into concrete actions and events. I am con dent that our Organization will continue to prosper and hope that you will take a few minutes to peruse the information that we have gathered herewith.

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT




Dr Rafael FERNANDEZ ALLER / Vice-President of FEANI



FEANI has a history of more than sixty years in the advocacy of European engineers, especially at the EU level. FEANI has developed in recent years three main pillars for accomplishing its mission internationally in an increasingly globalized world.

The three pillars are:

To facilitate the mobility of European engineers in the EU through the Engineering Card

To encourage the academic preparation of engi-neers through its active participation (as well as of some of the national members) in ENAEE, the European Network for the Accreditation of the Engineering Education, with the objective of establishing Accreditation Agencies in the different FEANI member countries. The ultimate goal is to develop the voluntary accreditation of training programs for engineers in Universities and Technical Schools through the EUR-ACE system, recognized by the EU.

To increase the visibility of FEANI for which - amongst other communication initiatives - it is fundamental to consolidate the ongoing effort to be an important stakeholder for the European

Parliament and the European Commission, as well as for other international institutions and organizations such as the WFEO. FEANI is considered as a reference advisory body in many policy areas, not only related to professional or academic issues, but also with regard to technical topics, socio-economic problems, research and innovation.

It is a continuing effort for FEANI to develop these pillars through its national members on a widespread basis, implying that most member countries should establish an ENAEE Accreditation Agency as well as a National Register Committee for the implemen-tation of the Engineering Card. In both cases shall they act with the approval of the relevant competent authorities.

Finally, it is imperative and a priority for the FEANI national members to provide adequate information to their national engineering associations about the FEANI strategy and the many different actions and activities that are developed by FEANI. In this way individual engineers in each country should be suf ciently informed of what FEANI stands for. The promotion of the required visibility of FEANI must not only be restricted to Brussels, but should especially be widened through its member countries.

STATEMENT BY THE VICE-PRESIDENT



Peter REICHEL / Treasurer



With total revenues of EUR 543.750,00 and expenses of EUR 613.000,00 for the year 2011, a negative result of some EUR 70.000,00 was obtained. This difference was caused by depreciating non-paid membership fees from the past two years. In doing so, the situation from the past was cleaned up. Nonetheless, the nancial situation of FEANI is stable and healthy.

The core activities of FEANI were mainly nanced by the income of membership fees and the FEANI Index. With this funding the Organization is in the position to cover all operating costs of the Brussels of ce. The FEANI General Assembly 2011 in Geneva agreed to a communication initiative over the next three years to increase the awareness and visibility of FEANI. Beyond these activities FEANI needs its own sourcing coming from its 32 members, from its products (EUR ING and Engineering Card), from partners or from EU-funding.

As membership fees will be the basic funding also in the future, the current system of shares should be gradually replaced by a new scheme based on objec-tive and more applicable criteria. The introduction of the Engineering Card should also bring additional funds to ensure FEANIs nancial basis. With such a solid funding FEANI can continue to provide its members with attractive services and strengthen its successful public affairs work to the bene t of the engineering profession.

Over the past two years a sound nancial reporting format has been established to provide more detailed breakdowns of expenditure, including a provision for bad debtors. This clear and intelligent reporting, including regular forecasts, constitute - together with the implementation of approved corporate governance rules -, the basis of a transparent reporting structure and ful ls the requirements of a responsible handling of the corporate funds by the Secretary General and the Executive Board.

STATEMENT BY THE TREASURER




Dirk G. BOCHAR / FEANI Secretary General


STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL

In 2011 the daily management of the FEANI Organization got into a different gear. We modi ed slightly the way things were traditionally done by revisiting our organizational and operational model. The goal was to perform more and better with less resources providing members with more bang for their buck. As a result, we spent much time investing and executing the inspiring tasks which our members are entitled to receive. Amongst the most important we mention :

the modernization of our INDEX database and the investment in new corporate hard- and software

the review of our constitutional documents such as statutes and bylaws

the strategic planning and the development of a position paper on Innovation

the integration of our committee on continued professional development (CPD) into the European Monitoring Committee

the continued publication of the FEANI News and the construction of a new, interactive website which reaches out to a broader audience and beyond our member countries

the liaison with EU government structures at levels of Parliament and Commission and the continued networking with other professions

the publications in different related magazines and the set up of a structure to systematically inform our members with the hottest European news on education, professional quali cations, mobility, etc.

Members, more rigorously than in the past, desire a return on investment and therefore it is required to continue making the association future oriented and proactive, whilst listening to and learning from our stakeholders. I am con dent that for the years to come, FEANI can rely on their loyalty, their vision and their commitment to drive the common agenda forward. Seeking their input will be vital to set the path and to ensure FEANIs continued relevance.



FEANI AND ITS 60THANNIVERSARY

This is how Mr Lars Bytoft, President of FEANI, opened FEANIs New Years Reception and 60th Birthday Dinner on 31 January 2012.

The European Engineers Federation (FEANI) could hardly have chosen a better place in Brussels to cele-brate its anniversary. The room, almost exactly 100 years ago, gathered people such as Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Max Planck and other intellectuals for a major physics conference. FEANI is today by far the largest European federation of professional engi-neers and has established strong links with European institutions, industry and the academic world. FEANI as a forum of European engineers, is conscious of their diversity, but at the same time eager to speak with one voice. The FEANI members are the national engineering bodies from 32 European countries which enables FEANI to speak on behalf of the entire European engineering profession : a quality of cially recognized by the European Commission in a decla-ration dated 10 March 1994 recommending FEANI as an excellent example of self-regulation by a profes-sion. FEANI achieved this through the provision of the EUR ING-title to engineers, one of the major achievements FEANI accomplished over its 60 years of history. FEANI also has consultative status with the

Dear ladies and gentlemen, dear FEANI national members, dear members of the European Parliament, dear associates and friends, it is a pleasure for me - as President of FEANI - to welcome you all today, to the prestigious Bibliothque Solvay.

United Nations Educational, Scienti c and Cultural Organization, UNESCO and is also a founding member of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), whose Immediate Past President, Mrs Maria Pietro-Laffargue, also attended the dinner.

At the beginning of the 1960s, FEANI was convinced that the engineering profession in Europe could not be strengthened without mutual recognition of the professional quali cations provided by the numerous and diversi ed national systems of education and training. Thereafter, FEANI has constantly worked to set up structures to facilitate such recognition. The most recent event of that nature has certainly been the involvement in the European Commissions Steering Group on the Professional Card in the course of 2011, under the auspices of Mr Jrgen Tiedje, who also attended the dinner. Mr Bytoft went on to say that FEANI had developed over the last years the professional card for engineers and referred to the professional card being integrated in the refreshed Directive 2005/36 on the recognition of professional quali cations. FEANI members in Germany and the Netherlands have started issuing the Engineering Card in line with the Directives Legislative Proposal since a number of months. More countries will follow in


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tial inventions in history have been thought of, tested and built on this continent. The steam locomotive, the jet engine, radar, penicillin, the electron micro-scope, the Millau Viaduct, the Channel Tunnel and, of course, the greatest scienti c experiment of all time, the Large Hadron Collider - all of these engi-neering feats came from, or exist in, Europe - and all have had an enormous impact on the history of humankind. She went on to say that in recent years and in the coming decades, engineering in Europe will come under increasing pressure, as other coun-tries and economic zones continue to churn out more and more graduates and seek to enhance their roles in research and innovation, eventually being able to surpass the EUs Member States. That is why she believed professional mobility in Europe is so incred-ibly important. Not only can we seek to maintain our comparative advantage with emerging powers like China and India, we will improve the Single Market, develop more flexible labor markets and encourage the cross-border provision of services. Indeed, in 21st century Europe, providing services or gaining employment in another Member State is a clear demonstration of how EU citizens can play an active role in the Single Market. According to MEP E. McClarkin we should aim to encourage Member States to regulate profes-

the course of 2012. FEANI therefore hopes that it could serve - and assist - the EU Commission when it looks for pilot-projects on the implementation, manage-ment, administration, etc. of such a Professional Card. Many societal subjects have been addressed by FEANI over the years: the environment, evolution of tech-nologies, education and training, technology transfer, innovation, continued professional development, the status of engineers and technicians in Europe and worldwide, their mobility and the transparency in their quali cations. FEANI has proven to be visibly active in all the matters of interest for the engineering commu-nity and will continue to do so.

About the role of engineers in society and in todays turbulent Europe, MEP Ms Emma McClarkin then took the oor and stated that in the 21st century, the European economy is, quite literally, built on engineering. From aeronautics, through health-care, communications and mining, engineers play a vital role in innovation, research and in enhancing Europes global economic activity. She pointed out that, throughout the centuries, it has been the genius and originality of engineers that transformed our economies, our societies and our understanding of the world. Some of the greatest and most in uen-


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sions in a more proportionate manner, with a view to reducing the total number of regulated professions in the EU, setting aside the health care sector, in order to assist professionals and to achieve the objectives of professional mobility. MEP E. McClarkin had the privilege of issuing an Internal Market Committee report on modernizing the professional quali cations before the Commissions proposals were announced. She was very pleased to see that the Commission had taken on many of the views and suggestions made by the Parliament, and she thanked Mr Jrgen Tiedje for his hard work and cooperation in this regard. She also referred to having had the pleasure of working with MEP Mrs B. Vergnaud, who equally attended the dinner. MEP B. Vergnaud will be rapporteur for the IMCO report on the Commissions proposals. MEP E. McClarkin then asked all attendees to raise their

glasses and to join her in a toast for the New Year and for this special FEANI birthday.

Key-note address of the evening was given by MEP Mr Guy Verhofstadt, who changed the subject matter slightly. He referred to the 730 days it took the coun-tries of the Euro zone to face the most threatening nancial crisis within living memory. The depth and size of the euro crisis are well known. Member States of the euro area piled up public debts above an acceptable 60% of their GNP for a staggering 2300 billion. Accumulated overall public debt of the ve most concerned Member States within the euro zone Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain is worth 3100 billion, while most Member States tolerated annual scal de cits far below an acceptable -3% of their GNP. MEP G. Verhofstadt stated that if we want to

We will need engineers, more than ever, for their sense of innovation and creativity.

Emma McCLARKIN / Member of European Parliament


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save the euro - the most visible guarantee of nancial stability within the euro zone - we all should return to nancial and budgetary discipline. A common currency cannot stand unless Member States holding their public debts below the 60% threshold and their scal de cits above the -3% of their GNP.

Speaking to engineers, he referred to the scal and economic federal union he had in mind. Since many years economic governance is in the air. But even the sixpack of legislative measures, adopted in September 2011, does not install economic governance at the euro zone-level. An economic union wants the econ-omies of the euro area to be replaced by one euro zone-economy. This target is far from being achieved. It implies a much more integrated and more active euro zone-economy, led by one euro zone-minister of Economics. An economic union is all about economic integration. If the euro is to survive and our economies are willing to restart, such an economic integration is an absolute necessity.

Next to budgetary discipline and austerity-measures we urgently need a European action and investment plan which should focus on integrated European infra-structure networks in the areas of transport, energy, information & communication technologies, research and development. Networks, paving a European way



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Dirk G. BOCHAR / FEANI Secretary General Guy VERHOFSTADT / Member of European Parliament, Leader of the ALDE group

towards non-fossile economies. Both paths austerity measures and investments do not contradict one another. Its up to the Member States to safe their budgets and to master their debts. But its up to the Union to act and to invest. Needless to say that the Union in this case must nd more means than the poor 1% of the Unions GNP in the EUs treasury. In the USA about 30% of the countrys GNP goes to the federal level. In the present circumstances supple-mentary means for the EU can not come from the Member States. Therefore we should go for other sources. For instance to be found by a European nancial transaction tax, the euro-wide issuance of Eurobonds (mobilizing private savings) and nancial means to be generated by the ECB.

MEP G. Verhofstadt went on to say that for an economic European restart we will need engineers, more than ever. Engineers in the literal sense of the word, not engineers of the mind. We need them for their skills, but even more for their sense of innova-tion and creativity. On a European scale we have them. Representing almost 4 million professional engineers in about 32 European countries, FEANI is well placed to know it, G. Verhofstadt said.

"The free ow of engineers moving from countries with a surplus to countries with a shortage of engineers, even within the european area, should be enabled and supported."


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But the absence of more European integration and national imbalances still impede European mobility, particularly for highly skilled professions such as engineers. Notwithstanding the basic European freedoms, the free ow of people, goods, capital and services, bureaucratic procedures concerning the mutual recognition of diplomas and certificates, hinders the free flow of engineers. The free ow of engineers moving from countries with a surplus to countries with a shortage of engineers, even within the euro area, should be enabled and supported. MEP G.Verhofstadt fully supported FEANIs contribution and interests in the revision of Directive 2005/36 on the recognition of professional quali cations : the abolition of obstacles to the free movement of persons and services is one of the major objectives of the Union. He fully supported the key elements in the 2011-Proposal for amending the Directive of 2005, willing to simplify rules for the mobility of profes-sionals within the Union. He welcomed, together with the attendees and participants, the introduc-tion of a European professional card, better access to information on the recognition of professional quali- cations, updating minimum training requirements for professionals and mutual evaluation of regulated professions.

Finally MEP G. Verhofstadt plead for more European integration : European unity has given us an unbroken period of 50 years of justice and peace, a free, fair and democratic subcontinent. Unprecedented economic growth had quadrupled many Member States GNP over the last fifty years. More jobs than ever exist for both men and women. Open access to universities and high schools for the best and the brightest, whatever their parents income or standing and a social security-regime second to none in the free world. Are we willing to lose all what European unity has fought for? A fully integrated European Union should stand for the largest and stron-gest economy on the earth : thanks to its engineers. Thanks to you : keep on moving!

The evening was then closed by a nal speech of MEP Malcolm Harbour - he himself an engineer - who brie y outlined the activities in the IMCO Committee of which he is the Chairman. Other MEPs present were MEP Mr A. Fox and MEP Mrs V. Ford. The FEANI Anniversary Celebration was attended by more than 80 people.

Malcolm HARBOUR / Member of European Parliament, Chairman of the Internal Market Committee (IMCO)



PUBLIC HEARINGOn 21 February 2011, FEANI was invited as speaker for the EU Public Hearing regarding the Professional Quali cations Directive. President Bytoft gave the following speech :

Ladies and gentlemen, dear Europeans, dear friends!

It is a privilege for me to be here today at this hearing, not only because it is a very important issue for the engineering profession, but also because of my daughter and her generation. For us who are here today at this hearing the borders between the member states of Europe are no longer obstacles. We are crossing them almost every day and take it for granted that we can. At the same time we have agreed to use one or two languages where English is the most preferred to be able to speak and thereby exchange information between each other, to pass on information that gives value to the involved.

Back in 1957 in the treaty of EEC (known as the Treaty of Rome) the signatories of the Treaty declared in the preamble, and I quote :

to lay the foundations of an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe, resolved to ensure the economic and social progress of their countries by common action to eliminate the barriers which divide Europe, affirming as the essential objective of their efforts the constant improvements of the living and working conditions of their peoples .

FEANI AND THE EU PARLIAMENT

These principles where in 1957 as well as today central to ful ll the ambition and create one single European market, driven by supply and demand. A market where all our resources are used in the best possible way, thereby creating such wealth, that can be distributed to all our citizens, making Europe one of if not the most attractive places to live.

For individual engineers and the whole engineering profession both private and public there is a common language which in the same way as it is possible for a medical doctor to treat and help patients all over the world consists of our skills and our knowledge. That language is based on the same principles evidently science and mathematics.

We therefore have the theoretical ability to move within the borders of Europe, but in reality it is not that simple, I am afraid. There are still too many barriers and obstacles that prevent this.

This is the way why the introduction of a European card a European professional card for the engineering profession and maybe for other unregulated and regulated professions as well is one of the neces-sary actions that needs to be taken if the politicians of today indeed want to walk the talk and there-fore in reality open up Europe, and make Europe into that single common market, which was the ambition already expressed in 1957.

In FEANI we have to represent ALL the engineering professions in 31 countries across Europe and therefore we have worked intensively to increase the


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mobility among the engineers, since 2005. For us, a professional card was not an objective in itself. For us it was important to evaluate, what would be the added value of a European professional card. And what current problems the introduction of such a card could solve. We ultimately ended up with the Engineering Card, a concept which will also be explained in detail later this week by our FEANI Secretary General in the EU Steering Committee on the Professional Card. The card is overall characterized by ve features, which are key to the success and its acceptance :

Those features are :

1. Completeness : the information contained on the Engineering Card is comprehensive, i.e. it provides a complete overview of the academic education, professional experience and further training of the card holder.

2. Standardization based on European standards: the professional card provides information on academic education, professional experience and further training according to the European stan-

dards de ned under the European Quali cations Framework (EQF). At the same time the EUR-ACE criteria, the accreditation criteria for engineering studies adopted across Europe, also apply to academic education.

3. Independent testing and recognition : the infor-mation on the professional card is reliable. The quali cations are tested and recognized in the country of origin by an independent register commission. The register commission is made up of experts from universities, relevant engi-neers organizations and industry. This ensures that the Engineering card is widely recognized. It is important to stress that it is essential to anchor such a professional card, with the professional associations and not the protective governments of the member states.

4. Flexibility through decentralized administration: the professional card is introduced and admin-istered decentralized, i.e. in each individual EU Member State. This means that quali cations obtained in the card holders country of origin



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are documented. In addition to the standardized entries, country-speci c additions in line with national requirements are also possible.

5. Voluntariness : the possession of the Engineering Card is voluntary, i.e. engineers are not obliged to carry the professional card. Rather, the card represents a service for all those engineers who want to be mobile within the EU. This ensures that the Engineering Card offers a needs-based solu-tion and that unnecessary costs and bureaucracy are avoided.

Indeed, it is not rocket science, it is a structured way to ensure the required mobility can be increased through a decentralized, low-cost structure based on common principles. It works for us , so maybe the principles could also work for other regulated professions within the European Union as well.

My closing remark would be as simple as, if we continue to do things, in the same national protective ways as we have done in the past, we will not be able to expand the pie, to create and to generate wealth together for the generations to come, through the use of ALL the competencies within the European Union. And we need to do that.

Hopefully my daughter as I mentioned in the begin-ning who is just 1 year old will look at me and the politicians of today and say, thanks dad, your generation actually enhanced the mobility within Europe, to maximize the living conditions for me and my generation, thank you. That is why I am pleased to be here today, hopefully contributing a little bit to the revision of the directive and thereby pushing the EU into the future. Making the world a better place, not only for us, but for future generations.

If we continue to do things in the same national protective ways, we will not be able to create and to generate wealth for the generations to come.

Evelyne GEBHARDT / Member of European Parliament

Jrgen TIEDJE / European Commission, DG Internal Market, Head of unit "Free movement of professionals"


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DINNER DEBATEFEANI plaid an active role within the EU Steering Group on the European Professional Card. The objectives of this Steering Group were to explore the feasibility and the challenges linked to the develop-ment of a European professional card in the context of the revision of the Professional Quali cations Directive 2005/36, the preparation of a Green Paper and ultimately a Legislative Proposal.

On 28 June upon the initiative of FEANI, Members of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, MEP Mrs Evelyne GEBHARDT and MEP Mrs Bernadette VERGNAUD, as well the Chairman of the Steering Committee, Mr. Jrgen Tiedje from the European Commission, together with stakeholders and representatives from the public sectors entered into an active debate on the bene ts for engineers and other professionals.

Issues that were addressed related to : what would be the added value of a European professional card ? How can certain speci c elements be integrated for certain professions ? Shall the card be made obliga-tory for professionals and how can it work in cases of mobility between regulating and non-regulating Member States ? Who will issue the card, in what language and what information should be present on the card ? What has been the outcome of the Public Consultation Paper and what are the tendencies ?


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FEANI AND THE EU COMMISSION

Six meetings were held in the course of 2011 with representatives from European professional organi-zations, trade unions, national competent authorities and national coordinators for the recognition of profes-sional quali cations. Each meeting was chaired by Mr J. Tiedje, Head of Unit Professional Quali cations, DG Internal Market and Services. The objectives of the Steering Group were to explore the feasibility and the challenges linked to the development of a European professional card in the context of the revision of the Professional Quali cations Directive.

The following major questions were considered regarding the development of a European profes-sional card : what would be the value added of such a card and what current problems could be resolved by introducing such a card; should the European professional card present a common format for all professions and how could some speci c elements be integrated for certain professions. In which situations, according to the Directive, could the professional card be used (temporary mobility/establishment; sectoral professions / general system) and what would be the legal effects of the card in these various situations ? Should the card be made mandatory for professionals in these different cases ? How could the professional card work in cases of mobility between non-regulating and regulating Member States ? How would the card be linked with European and national existing laws and to what extent could or should the card be linked to the EQF and with a competency-based approach ? Who would issue the card ? Is the competent authority

of the home Member State best placed ? What would be the costs for such a card ? Which information is necessary for issuing a card and which information should be presented on the card ? What could be the period of validity of the card and how could necessary information be regularly updated; is there a need for a database ? What could be the format of the card ? How should the card look like and in which language should the card be delivered ?

The meeting of 25 February was used - amongst others as a learning session to exchange informa-tion on the existing and ongoing projects. Here FEANI made a presentation of its Engineering Card. Also the functioning of the Internal Market Information System (IMI) was presented by the Commission. In the meeting of 5 April the Commission debriefed participants on the outcome of the public consultation on the modern-ization of the Professional Quali cations Directive, in particular on questions relating to the professional card. Also a non-paper was presented as a summary of the debate in the Steering Group and the possi-bilities considered. It outlined the evidence collected during the prior meetings of the Steering Group : a low-cost project, focus on a short-term solution, link with IMI, competent authorities as issuers, a solu-tion based on an amended Directive. It also emerged as practicable that a single card would cover all regimes under the Directive. It was emphasized that it would be for Member States to choose the compe-tent authorities involved in issuing the card, including the situation where a profession is not regulated.

FEANI AND THE COMMISSIONS STEERING GROUP ON THE EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL CARD


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Further comments indicated that a possible register in IMI would only list card-holders so that competent authorities would be able to identify them. It would not be practicable to aim for replacing national registers of professionals. Steering Committee members were invited to present their feedback on the non-paper on the Professional Card in the fourth meeting on 23 May. The Commission noted the already received contri-butions from amongst others FEANI. Sub-groups were then formed focusing on the professions of doctor, engineer, nurse, physiotherapist and tourist guide. As a result of the discussions the sub-groups drew up rst lists of tentative questions that would serve as basis for producing their case studies. They then were invited to send in writing their completed lists of questions to the Commission by 25 May. A Green Paper on the modernization of the PQD was then published on 22 June and the period of consulta-tion ended on 20 September. In the meeting of 8 July a presentation was provided on the possible role of IMI in the professional card project. IMI could serve as an interface between competent authorities to check the validity of a professional card, with a possibility to combine this process with a request for recognition via IMI. Another possibility is to develop a professionals le repository in IMI with the option for an e-profes-sional card. A further option would be to develop a web interface with access points for professionals and other de ned groups, such as consumer organi-zations. In the sixth and last meeting of 13 September the sub-groups engaged in a discussion to nalize their work on the case studies on the implementation

of a professional card in the context of their respec-tive profession. The sub-groups on tourist guides and engineers were, however, not able to agree on a way forward by producing a case study.

Nonetheless, on the basis of the case study presen-tations the Chairman summarized some tentative conclusions :

A professional card should be inclusive available to all professions and open to all members of a given profession (e.g., not only those qualifying under automatic recognition, or on the basis of a common platform, etc.).

A professional card should help enhance mutual trust among authorities in the Member States emphasis on putting in place a link with IMI and an e-repository, use of an automatic translation facility.

A professional card should offer advantages to recipients of professional services (consumers, patients) - possibly through a public interface or public registrars; issuing an e-certi cate and/or a physical card.

An adequate pilot project of a professional card for a given profession would be the best means to

28 June 2011 : Academic Session at the EU Parliament


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identify and address issues relating to technical feasibility, legal and operational challenges.

Mr J. Tiedje then referred to the workshop on Pro- fessional Quali cations : the potential of a European Professional Card which would be held in Krakow on 3-4 October 2011.

The rst Single Market Forum gathered European business, social partners, non-governmental organi-zations, think tanks, journalists, national Parliaments, European institutions and public authorities at various levels of government (central, regional and local). Amongst them was also FEANI. In the framework of the different workshops held in the Single Market Forum, the participants reached amongst others - the following conclusion on the added value of a European Professional Card :

In the context of a modernization of the currently existing EU rules on the recognition of profes-sional quali cations the Commission is considering the potential of a European professional card for speeding up recognition procedures and further facilitating temporary mobility. The Single Market

Forum supported the need for such a tool to be safe and exible. It should operate in conjunction with IMI. Data protection is an important aspect to be taken into account.

The Single Market Forum welcomed a number of case studies recently published on the ef ciencies that the card, in synergy with IMI, could bring to several partic-ular professions, such as doctors, engineers, nurses, physiotherapists and others. A European professional card could help promote cross-border mobility in the EU, in particular by speeding up and simplifying recognition procedures, giving more certainty to professionals and enhancing trust among national authorities. The development of the technology for a European professional card should always be subject to the ultimate objective of facilitating free movement of citizens. It would be up to the European Institutions to clarify which authority can deliver such a card, which degree of harmonization on the contents and conditions for such card is necessary and how to deal with a situation where a profession is not regu-lated in a home Member State. Several participants at the workshop suggested launching a pilot project involving IMI and several Member States.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION : SINGLE MARKET ACT AND SINGLE MARKET FORUM

On 13 April 2011, the European Commission adopted the Single Market Act : Working together to create new growth. We reported on that in our FEANI News N9, pp.31-33 of June 2011. Based on a Europe-wide public debate, European Parliament Resolutions and Council Conclusions the Commission announced twelve levers to boost growth, jobs and con dence in the single market. It announced a series of actions, including twelve key actions. The Commission committed itself to delivering legislative proposals for the twelve key actions by the end of 2011. In line with this commitment, the Commission presented proposals for ten of the twelve key actions by the end of 2011, including the revision of the Directive on the Recognition of Professional Quali cations and the Revision of the Public Procurement Directives. Sustained efforts are required by all European institu-

tions to ensure that the proposals for the twelve key actions are adopted in time for the 20th Anniversary of the single market at the end of 2012.

Ensuring that single market rules turn into concrete single market rights for citizens and businesses, will require additional efforts. This is why the Single Market Act includes a separate chapter on single market governance. It sets out speci c proposals on how to inform citizens and businesses of their single market opportunities, how to improve the applica-tion of single market rules by authorities in Member States and how to ensure their effective enforcement. However, progress achieved on these issues has been mixed to date. Two of the twelve actions are of partic-ular importance to engineers :


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A modern system for the recognition of professional quali cations

On 19 December 2011, the European Commission presented its proposal for a revised Directive on the recognition of professional quali cations. The objective of the proposal is to facilitate the speedy recognition of professional quali cations to support the mobility of professionals across the single market. To this end, the Commission proposes the introduction of an electronic European Professional Card, which will be implemented through the existing Internal Market Information System (IMI). An alert mechanism to identify health professions guilty of malprac-tice is proposed. The proposal will also modernize the harmonized minimum training requirements for certain professions bene ting from automatic recognition (in particular doctors, nurses, midwifes and architects). It will also offer the possibility to extend automatic recognition to new professions through the concepts of common training frame-works and common training tests. Furthermore, it will simplify the access to information on recogni-tion of quali cations by extending the scope of the Points of Single Contact introduced by the Services Directive. Moreover, with its proposal the Commission seeks to launch a systematic screening and mutual evaluation exercise for all regulated professions in Member States.

The Commissions proposal re ects the main policy orientations provided by the European Parliament in its Resolution on the implementation of the Professional Quali cations Directive, adopted on 15 November 2011. The European Parliament, Members of which have already indicated their strong support for the proposal, will start discussions in March 2012.

Making public procurement more ef cient, exible and user-friendly

On 20 December 2011, the European Commission presented its proposal for the revision of the Public Procurement Directives. The objective of this proposal is to modernize and simplify the European legisla-tion applicable to public procurement, in particular by introducing exibility in procedures, by reducing the administrative burden on businesses and by devel-oping and strengthening e-procurement. In addition, contracting authorities will be able to better take into account environmental and social considerations and to support innovation through public procurement. Furthermore, SMEs access to public contracts will be improved, inter alia by prohibiting disproportionate requirements concerning the nancial standing of candidates. The proposal has been passed to the European Parliament and Council for the adoption procedure.

Michel BARNIER / European Commissioner for the Internal Market

I am personally committed to launching a debate about a European professional card in order to ease the recognition process


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SUPPORT TO EDUCATION AND TRAINING

In 2009, the European Council drew up the Strategic Framework for European Cooperation in education and training (ET 2020). Since then, the economic and political context has changed, creating new uncertain-ties and constraints. The EU had to take further action to stem the worst nancial and economic crisis in its history and, in response, has agreed on a strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth: Europe 2020.

Education and training play a crucial role in this strategy, in particular within the Integrated Guidelines, Member State National Reform Programmes and the Country-speci c Recommendations (CSR) issued to guide Member State reforms. Two of the ve Europe 2020 headline targets concern Lifelong learning strat-egies and Learning Mobility.

The focus of Europe 2020 needs to be simultaneously on reform measures having a short-term growth effect and on setting the right growth model for the medium-term. Education and training systems have to be modernized to reinforce their ef ciency and quality and to equip people with the skills and competences they need to succeed on the labour market. This will boost peoples con dence to be able to stand up to current and future challenges. It will help to improve Europes competitiveness and generate growth and jobs. Currently, all areas of public budgets are under scrutiny, including education and training. Most Member states have dif culties in maintaining current levels of expenditure, let alone increasing it. However, research suggests that improving educational achievements can yield immense long-term returns and generate growth and jobs in the European Union.

Reaching the European benchmark of less than 15% low achievers in basic sills by 2020, for example, could generate enormous long-term aggregate economic gains for the EU. This contrasts with the fact that even before the crisis spending in some Member States was rather low, close to or below 4%of GDP, while the EU average stood at almost 5% of GDP below the level of 5,3% in the United States. Cuts in education budgets risk to undermine the economys growth potential and competitiveness.

Lifelong Learning Strategies

For the majority of Europeans, lifelong learning (LLL) is not a reality. While participation in education and training during the early years of life has increased, recent data on the number of adults aged 25-64 partic-ipating in LLL show a slight downwards trend. The current level of 9,1% (2010) is far below the benchmark of 15% to be reached by 2020. This weak performance is especially serious given the crisis. Unemployed young people and low-skilled adults need to be able to rely on education and training to give them a better chance in the labour market. Not investing in their competences weakens their chances to get back into employment and limits Europes potential to create growth and jobs. At the same time, we should also focus on the contribution of education to economic development of Europe through up-skilling of the labour force and integrating adult learning plans for economic development and innovation.

LLL is a continuous process that can last throughout a persons entire life, from quality early-childhood education to post-working age. Moreover, learning takes place also outside formal learning contexts, in particular at the workplace. Recently, some prog-ress has been made on the European benchmarks of reducing the share of low-achievers in basic skills (20% in 2009 vs. a benchmark of less than 15% by 2020) and increasing participation in early child-hood education (92% in 2009 vs. a benchmark of 95% by 2020); however, efforts on both issues need to continue. Obstacles to LLL persist, such as limited learning opportunities inadequately tailored to the needs of different target groups; a lack of accessible information and support systems; and insuf ciently exible learning pathways. The problems are often exacerbated by the fact that potential learners have low socio-economic and prior educational status. Overcoming these obstacles requires more than piecemeal reforms in speci c education sectors.


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"European funding programmes have a key role to play. As part of the new Multiannual Financial Framework for 2014-2020, the Commission has proposed to nearly double the number of bene ciaries in the future education and training programme, from 400.000 to almost 700.000 per year."

Although Member States acknowledged this need a decade ago, the problem of segmentation persists. Today only a few countries have a comprehensive strategy, supporting a good educational continuum, in place (AT, CY, DK, SI, UK). On the positive side, using tools such as the European and national quali ca-tion frameworks; mechanisms to validate non-formal and informal learning and lifelong guidance policies, show that barriers for cooperation between education sectors can be overcome.

Education and training systems should provide LLL opportunities for all. Member States should screen their systems to detect obstacles to LLL. In cooperation with the social partners and other key stakeholders, they should put comprehensive strate-gies in place and take measures promoting access to LLL, in line with European commitments and drawing on transparency tools and frameworks (European Quali cations Framework, ECVET/ECTS, etc.). The emphasis should be on ensuring basic skills for all and on better integrating LLL provision, particularly to stimulate the participation of low-skilled adults.

Learning Mobility

Mobility strengthens Europes foundation for future knowledge-based growth and ability to innovate and compete at international level. It strengthens peoples employability and personal development and is valued by employers. Education institutions, education and training systems and business equally bene t from the learning experience, personal contacts and networks that result from mobility. Promoting transnational learning mobility is an excellent example of European added value. However, current levels of mobility do not re ect its value. Roughly 10%-15% of higher educa-tion graduates spend a proportion of their studies abroad, where the added value of mobility is most widely acknowledged; but only about 3% of gradu-ates from initial VET do so. More work is needed to promote mobility in vocational education and training. Limited nancial resources and inadequate language skills are a brake to learning mobility. Mobility is not always recognized or validated. There is often a lack of information on available opportunities. Most countries promote primarily the mobility of learners. While some countries (BG, IE, MT, SE, BE, DE, EE, EL, ES, FI, NL, RO, LT, FR) also include other groups, such as teachers or apprentices, there is scope to do much more here at both national and European level. European funding programmes have a key role to play. As part of the new Multiannual Financial Framework for 2014-2020, the Commission has proposed to nearly double the number of bene cia-ries in the future education and training programme,

from 400.000 to almost 700.000 per year. However, nancial programmes need to go hand in hand with policy reforms. The Council adopted a new bench-mark on learning mobility in November 2011 (20% for higher education, 6% for initial VET by 2020). This political commitment should be taken forward by implementing the Council Recommendation Youth on the move promoting the learning mobility of young people and by making full use of European transpar-ency tools, such as EQF, ECTS/ECVET, Europass and the Professional Card.

New Skills and Jobs

The crisis has spurred changes in the demand for skills. Demand for jobs requiring low quali cations is decreasing and tomorrows knowledge-based industries require increasing levels of quali cation. A recent forecast (http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/Files/3052_en.pdf) expects the share of highly quali- ed jobs to increase by almost 16 million, from 29% (2010) to 35% of all jobs in 2020. Conversely, the share of jobs demanding a low level of skills is expected to fall by around 12 million, from 20% to less than 15%. Some countries already face bottlenecks for highly quali ed jobs. This will be aggravated by the impact of demographic ageing when the workforce starts to shrink after 2012. Member States have made prog-ress on implementing methods, tools and approaches to anticipate and assess the demand for skills,


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mismatches and graduate employability. Many focus on key sectors such as ICT or health. However, only a few countries (AT, DE, FR, IE, PL, UK) have a coordi-nated approach for disseminating results among key actors. Institutional mechanisms are often developed at regional or at sectoral levels, but tend to re ect and to reproduce the segmentation of education and training systems. Countries address the responsive-ness of education and training provisions to labour market developments through partnerships with key stakeholders (EE, FI, SE); quality assurance mecha-nisms and initiatives targeting competences required on the labour market, notably literacy, maths, science and technology, languages, digital competences and a sense of initiative and entrepreneurship. Encouraging boys and girls to choose careers in sectors where they are under-represented will reduce gender segrega-tion in education, training and may help to reduce skills shortages in the labour market.

Social Media

After completing his studies to become a computer science engineer at KULeuven, Michael Vanderheeren followed an additional general management course at Vlerick Leuven Ghent Management School. In November, he began his search for employment by placing a remarkable video on YouTube. Since then, he has been invited for several interviews and has received various job offers. The video shows Michael Vanderheeren presenting himself through his inter-ests, studies and his portfolio. They appear to the viewer as strategically positioned Post-its that move across the screen in stop motion. I wanted to use the video to express who I am, and what I stand for in an original way, explains Michael. By using Post-its, I was playing on last autumns trend. Its not enough to show that you are creative, you also have to demon-

strate that you know whats going on and that you are comfortable with the latest trends. You also have to produce a creative CV to show that you are committed to nding the job of your dreams. Such a short video can easily take three days to make. It cant be particu-larly dif cult for an engineer to nd a job in the current war for talent; Michal doesnt rest on his laurels. There are thousands more engineers like me. If you want to beat the rest to find the job you most want to do, then you have to ensure that you stand out from the crowd and put yourself in the picture.

In four days, the YouTube video had been viewed by almost 2,000 people. I actively used the video when I attended an interview and I also included it on my CV. I advertised the video on Twitter just as people were starting their working day, when they are not so busy and usually take the time to check whats happening online and run through the feeds. I also made stickers with a QR code that was a link to the video and distributed them during Vlerick events attended by employers. You have to demonstrate that you are comfortable anywhere and everywhere. Social media is very useful, but you will not succeed using that alone. Reactions to the video were highly diverse, but all positive. There are people who merely thought it was fun and forwarded or re-tweeted it. However, it also resulted in a couple of interviews and serious job offers. I approached certain companies directly by sending them a tweet with the video. This means you also have more chance of a response than if you just tweet into space. There are now so many channels that can be used to contact people and many people use them all. So it cant do any harm to explore social media. Its also a two-way street: when I receive an offer, I also check out the forums to find out what my potential employer is communicating. Companies do exactly the same. Anyone who has access to information is naturally going to check out in advance who he or she will be meeting.

You can de nitely nd a couple of interesting articles on the internet if you want to use social media to nd a job. There are some really good tips online about what you should and shouldnt communicate. Some people fall short in that area. For example, Twitter is not the same as Facebook. On Facebook, you can safely communicate to your friends how you are feeling today. Twitter is intended as a platform for presenting yourself to a wide audience. So you have to post targeted messages about issues you, and prefer-ably others, nd interesting. A combination of common sense and experience will enable you to succeed. You have to take the time to familiarise yourself with a new medium. Take a good look around at what other people are doing and ask yourself what you think about it. Website: www.michaelvanderheeren.be

EN

SUPPLYAND DEMANDIN EUROPE

SKILLS

MEDIUM-TERM FORECAST UP TO 2020


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BUSINESS EUROPEA future for Europe in the global economy?

First to take on the oor was Commission Antonio Tajani, Vice President and Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship who stated simply that Europe has no future without an industrial sector. He elabo-rated on this statement by explaining that Europes economy over the last few years was built on the services industry. Speci cally the nancial services sector which exposed Europe to a great deal of risk with the economic collapse of 2008. He therefore proposed a new model for industry which would marry industry and SMEs with nancial services providers in, for example, the quest for green technology. Coupled with a new Industrial Innovation Policy, Commissioner Tajani envisioned an industrial policy that backs the real economy. The Commissioner was then followed by Philippe de Buck who saw the future of European industry as facing a certain number of challenges. He explained that Europe nds itself in a global market where European industry can export its products across the world but where European industry must also compete at a global level. He underlined the fact that Europes manufacturing sector makes up 17% of GDP and employs 23 million people on the continent.

Adding in other industrial sectors such as power, construction and others that number would reach over 46 million, or half the European workforce. Mr. de Buck called on Commissioner Tajani to create an integrated package that touched on the policy areas of many of his colleagues at the commission when looking at an industry package. He continued by warning that while the competitiveness council had made same advances, in his opinion it was not ful lling its intended purpose as it failed to look at core issues. In closing, Mr. de Buck warned against climate policy scaring business away from the EU saying that climate policy must t with business in order to allow them to compete on a level playing eld with other economies around the globe. On behalf of engineers in Europe, Dirk Bochar called for better transparency in quali -cations for engineers as some diplomas from certain member states are not recognized in other parts of the EU. This lack of transparency in quali cations was cited as one of the main barriers to effective mobility of engineers in Europe. Business can play a part in identifying and killing myths preventing the younger generation from choosing a career in science.

FEANI AND INDUSTRY


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FEANI AND ITS MEMBERS

FEANI SECRETARY GENERALS MEETINGOn 12 May 2011 the FEANI National Secretary Generals from 13 countries met in Paris for their annual meeting. The French delegate presented the results of the Engineers Survey which had been conducted by the FEANI-members of Germany, France and the UK. After an interesting discussion the meeting agreed that a recommendation should be made to the FEANI Board that they should support the expansion of the survey so that over time it could act as a reliable data comparator across the four European regions.

It was acknowledged that the FEANI secretariat had put a lot of energy into designing corporate changes, in building support and establishing key relation-ships with external parties. It was also recognized that further effort would need to be made addressing the more fundamental issues such as strategy, legal structure and the creation of effective operational IT-systems in order to continue revitalizing organisa-tional performance.

The FEANI Communication Plan was considered and supported. Overall there was appreciation for the new FEANI Homepage, although a suggestion was made that it should include more pictures. The improve-ments that had been made to the functionality and accessibility of the databases (EUR ING, ING CARD and INDEX) were especially valued, and it was noted that further operational improvements and optimiza-tion was still required. The FEANI Secretary General briefed the meeting on the plans for the FEANI Databases to become more user-friendly, outlining

the implication that this would require new operational procedures relating to the up-dating of the FEANI-INDEX, i.e. members would be invited to up-date and make changes directly themselves. It was recognised that this should not be a burden for those with low volumes of approvals, but that consultation would be required with National members with high volumes of work as to how this would be handled. The Secretary General con rmed that Index additions and updates would be held in the system pending EMC approval, before either being published on the public website or referred back to the National member for clari cation. For the operational procedures regarding EUR ING, ING CARD and INDEX, it was stated that the FEANI Secretariat was in the process of preparing and devel-oping self-explanatory ow-charts illustrating the processes on a step-by-step basis. Those ow-charts would be submitted for consideration and approval by EMC before being passed on for IT development.

Progress in the Steering Committee on the Professional Card relating to the revision of the Professional Quali cations Directive 2005/36, was then explained and participants were given a copy of the FEANI-answer to the EU Public Consultation. A Green Paper which already included some directions of the Commission was expected to be published on 22 June. After that, the Single Market Forum would be held in Krakow, before the Commission would send its draft Legislative Proposal to the EU Parliament. [Afternote: The latter happened on 20 December 2011].


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National members discussed the Engineering Card and were asked to provide and indication as to whether they were likely to adopt it. There was a spectrum of response ranging from those who were enthusiastic to adopting immediately to those who wished to wait and see how it tted with the Professional Card.

Regarding FEANI-members expectations and priori-ties towards the FEANI General Secretariat, the following observations were made :

Build a community of interest, however, stay focused on 2 or 3 major projects, i.e. remain focused and stay on track with the ve strategic items that had been previously agreed.

National members valued being informed about EU-level projects and objectives. The informa-tion, also on-line, is highly appreciated. It was considered important that FEANI and its national members have a European voice in Brussels. FEANI was encouraged to pursue its political actions and to exchange information on every-thing which has to do with the engineering profession at the EU-level : FEANI should stay near to those problems and issues, and establish a WG for particular subject(s) if so required.

It was noted that in some countries, FEANI is not well known at a national/governmental level. I was felt that it was the task of the national members to promote FEANI where appropriate. FEANI itself primarily has B2B aspirations and did not have resource to promote itself in individual countries. It was suggested that awareness of FEANI could be improved through greater press-communication activity.

The Engineering Card , CPD, Innovation and the FEANI News were considered of prime impor-tance for the moment, whereas also the need for reliable statistics was ampli ed. Support to the Engineering Survey was equally agreed, however, interested participating countries would need to be identi ed.

Regarding the revision of the FEANI Strategic Plan it was noted that this would be held at some stage towards the end of the calendar year when a new FEANI Board would be in place. At the same time, a more profound revision of the FEANI Statutes and Bylaws (regarding member-ship, governance, etc.) would be envisaged.

Jon PRICHARD / United Kingdom


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Engineers Ireland was reviewedunder the Washington Accord and membership was extended for a further six years. They also secured a place on a major European Leonardo research project looking at best international practice for engineering compe-tence development through employer-supported learning.The rst integrated masters level engi-neering programmes were accredited by Engineers Ireland. In the UK, the Engineering Council initi-ated work to enable the accreditation of Engineering Doctorates (EngD) and was successfully reviewed by the Engineers Mobility Forum, leading to exten-sion of its full membership for a further six years. The Engineering Council also published learning outcomes for Masters degrees other than inte-grated MEng which are used in the accreditation of standalone programmes as further learning for CEng registration. The Finnish National Committee (SNCF) focused on updating the information on engi-neering higher education training programs for the FEANI Index. These had changes substantially due to mergers of institutions and the Bologna process. In addition, SFNC celebrated its 50th anniversary of 2010 by producing a history booklet. This publication introduces the highlights of the main activities based on interviews and various written material.

In Norway the National Monitoring Committee (NMC) was revitalised and started to look into the possible implementation of the new Engineering Card. There is very little interest from members regarding EUR ING, may be due to the opportunities in the labour market in Norway. IDA in Denmark was engaged in the revision of the Professional Quali cations Directive and delivered responses to both national and European hearings on the subject. IDA has been active in several of the activities of FEANI during the past year and is currently in the process of evalu-ating how to strengthen the international work. During spring of 2012, Denmark held the presidency of the EU. As a result IDA was also active in promoting the engineering agendas towards the Danish minis-ters, in uencing the priorities of the presidency. The Swedish National Committee (SNC) focused its activities on marketing the FEANI Index to the Swedish universities and technical colleges throughout 2011. Unfortunately they have discovered that the univer-sities and technical colleges do not take actions in upgrading their programmes in the index, nor do they register new programmes that are being estab-lished. Sveriges Ingenjrer sees increasing requests for the EUR ING title, especially from international students and graduates who ask for certi cation when returning to their home countries. In 2011, six

NEWS FROM THE FEANI MEMBERS

Mrs Marianne HARG / Norway


Dr Hans-Heinz ZIMMER / Germany

members of Sveriges Ingenjrer were granted with the title. A challenge for the SNC - and by extension also for FEANI - are the recently established bachelor and masters degrees. They do not meet FEANI criteria and the SNC would welcome a discussion within the federation on how to handle these matters. The SNC also follows the development of activities regarding the Professional Card and EUR-ACE, but has so far not decided to start the implementation.

The 2011 annual meeting of the FEANI Central European Group took place on 10 August in Dsseldorf. The engineering card was a key issue of the meeting. The project basically met with broad approval, with especially the Netherlands and the Czech Republic in addition to Germany working on its introduction. The meeting further expressed its support for the FEANI strategy to deal with engineering educational and mobility topics and not to extend the scope to cover also technical subjects in the future. With regard to these topics, FEANI enjoys a high reputation in the European Parliament and in the Commission, espe-cially due to its involvement in the EU Commissions Steering Group on the Professional Card. Special emphasis was also put on the importance of activi-ties to attract young engineers as there is a shortage of engineers in almost all Central European countries.


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As Secretary General of FEANI, the most comprehen-sive European Engineers Federation, I was particularly honoured that the Ordem dos Engenheiros asked me to deliver an address at the occasion of its diamond anniversary in Coimbra on 26 November, last.

Celebrating a 75th anniversary is a remarkable achieve-ment and a success which goes probably beyond the dreams of the men - who at the time - set it in motion. Whereas it is well worth celebrating, it is also good to remember that there was probably nothing easy about building it. As FEANI, the Organisation I am privileged to lead together with our President, Mr Lars BYTOFT, we celebrate our 60th Anniversary this year, so I know that signi cant anniversaries provide an opportunity to re ect upon achievements and the impact our services have on the world of engineers. A signi cant anniversary is also a day where we recog-nize where we have been and a day where we take the next step in ful lling our vision and delivering on our growth strategy. As professional organisa-tions we all face similar challenges today : regulation and deregulation of the profession, creating value for members, facilitating their professional mobility, in uencing the review and seeking transparency of educational and academic curricula. Engineers help to develop and produce the machines that help feed

the world, move the goods that improve the quality of our lives and create electricity when it is needed most. It is humbling to consider the efforts so many people have put into the development and manufacture of technology over the past 75 years : technologies which serve a variety of so many industries.

Part of the historic greatness of the Ordem has been its internationalism, its working across national borders. It is rewarding to see that in Europe, many national engineering federations have become gradually aware of the basic and reassuring truth that working together pays off, that acting collectively helps in achieving the goal of professionalism. In a relation between member and Federation, strength can only come from combination and unity. We would not have achieved this success without the collective efforts, the risks and the breakthroughs generations of engineers developed and accomplished. The Ordem, more than any other non-governmental institution in Portugal, has put its imprint upon the character and the quality of these engineers. More than any other body you have the right to defend that character and that quality. We as FEANI are con dent that you will and are proud to join you in honouring those who have gone before you, by asserting the fundamental mission at the heart and soul of this organisation, which is to defend and serve the engineering profession.

Jos VIEIRA / Portugal


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Carlos Matias RAMOS / Bastonrio of the Ordem dos Engenheiros and Pedro PASSOS COELHO / Portugal's Prime Minister


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EUROPEAN MONITORING COMMITTEE (EMC)

The European Monitoring Committee (EMC) was set up in 2001 as a Permanent Committee with membership of twelve experts, appointed for 3 years, once renew-able. Membership consists of four members from each of the FEANI Regions (North, Centre, South) plus the Chair, who currently is Dr. Ing. Jan Willem PROPER. In 2011, the EMC met ve times to approve applications for the EUR ING professional title and for updating the FEANI INDEX. The latter is an exhaustive list of schools/universities and engineering programmes recognized by FEANI. In 2011 EMC analyzed the INDEX update-submissions from Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Portugal, Russia, Spain and the UK. With the Bologna process, not only rst cycle and integrated (second cycle) programmes need to be included in the INDEX, but also the Master programmes. EMC thus studied criteria for stand-alone Master programmes for inclusion in the INDEX. EMC also started a process to analyse existing

Mr Jan Willem PROPER / EMC Chairman

professional recognition and accreditation systems in the different countries to see in which way the engineering programmes in those countries can be included in the INDEX based on their national recogni-tion and accreditation systems. EMC is also looking at criteria for programmes that represent alternative routes. This is in addition to the EUR-ACE accred-ited programmes which are automatically accepted in the INDEX since 2009. In 2011, considerable work was done to leverage the INDEX database to a new internet-compatible format, accessible via the FEANI website. This also includes the possibility for National Monitoring Committees to submit their proposals for INDEX updates electronically, which then are analysed by EMC. The EUR ING system continues to provide an important revenue resource for FEANI. The level of registrations in 2011 has been stable compared to the previous year. A total of 415 EUR INGs have been awarded the title in 2011. At 31 December 2011, a total of 31.472 European Engineers are included in the FEANI Register.


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