Engineering associations say closed status of certain aerospace professions in southern Europe countries must go
Engineering bodies are calling on the European Commission to open up the protected status of some aerospace jobs in southern European countries as new rules come into force on degree recognition.
The long-awaited directive on recognition of professional qualifications was adopted by European ministers on 6 June and is set to be brought into force over the next two years.
However, another row is looming over the protected status of aerospace and other engineering streams in southern European countries including Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain, says the European Federation of National Engineering Associations (FEANI). These countries stipulate membership of national professional engineering bodies to hold key posts. However, most of the associations only permit as members those who have followed their national aerospace engineer syllabuses, many of which include modules unique to that country, such as marine engineering in Italy or air navigation basics in Spain.
A UK aerospace engineer recently won a test case in Spain to be allowed to join the Official College of Aeronautical Engineers of Spain, membership of which was essential for him to sign off documents at the maintenance facility that employs him.
FEANI secretary general Philippe Wauters says the problem of “discipline matching” is particularly acute in the Mediterranean states, where membership of professional bodies is restricted to those engineers who have studied in those countries, effectively nullifying the new professional recognition rules.
“The rules on accessing the profession are different, with some countries having no regulation to those applying for jobs providing they have the relevant qualifications, and other countries who regulate completely who can enter the profession,” says Wauters.
FEANI has drawn up a draft common platform for harmonising entry requirements for engineering jobs and is calling on the European Commission to bring force to bear over those southern states to open professional bodies to foreign nationals.
JUSTIN WASTNAGE/LONDON
Source: Flight International
