Why support both, your national association and EuCIA? Why sponsor EuCIA ?

Today most legislation that is of importance to industry is made at European level. Because one has to obey the law once it has been approved, one should make remarks and suggestions for improvement whilst future legislation is still a draft. EuCIA informs companies about draft legislation, that is of concern to the FRP / composites industry via the national associations. Companies should discuss it at national level within their federation. After having collected the point of view of the different national associations and after having reached a common position of the composites industry at European level EuCIA transmits the remarks of the composites industry to the European Commission, the European Parliament or the Council. Once a Directive has been approved at European level and has been published in the Official Journal the Directive is binding for all member states and identical minimum objectives have been set at European level.

But during transposition of the Directive into national legislation member states have some degree of freedom to determine in which way they can best reach these objectives in their own country. At this level the national federations should stay in close contact with both their members and their own local government in order to represent the interests of their members. At some occasions - especially when the EU is signing or has signed international agreements - EuCIA even has to interfere at international level.

Likewise EuCIA transmits the point of view of the European composites industry about European and International standards to CEN or interferes at CEN top level in case the interests of manufacturers of FRP / composites might by hurt by a draft standard.

Whilst new legislation is on its way, EuCIA has - with the help of its national member associations - to inform and prepare the composites industry to be ready. Via its working groups EuCIA tries to prepare the EU composites industry for new more severe legislation concerning health and safety, food and drinking water contact, emissions and waste management, CE marking and consumer protection. This is a job that can only be done by a strong national association and a strong European association.

Therefore it is of great importance that all manufacturers of FRP / Composites in Europe support both their national association and EuCIA. Whilst the national associations alone cannot bring enough money into EuCIA, both composite manufacturers ? and especially the ones with more than 100 people ? and raw material suppliers should sponsor EuCIA. Companies willing to sponsor EuCIA are kindly requested to return a duly completed and signed EuCIA sponsorship reply-form or to contact the EuCIA secretary general.

National composite industry associations and sectorial organisations

According to the actual EuCIA statutes only the representative European 'national composite industry associations' or 'European sectorial composite organisations' can become a member of EuCIA. Individual companies can therefore not become a member of EuCIA, but should be a member of their national association. Given that today's primary goal of EuCIA is to bring together the whole composites industry at European level into one European association we invite all non member associations - whether from EU member states, countries of the European Economic Area , Central and East European Countries or other countries candidates for EU membership - to join EuCIA. National associations of Central and East European Countries can become associated members until their country becomes a member of the European Union.

Individual companies

Individual companies are however permanently informed of the work of EuCIA and can even actively participate in EuCIA activities, e.g. EuCIA working groups, by becoming a member of their representative national association (see EuCIA member list). In case your national association is not yet a member of EuCIA and your company is a member of the national association, you should ask it to join EuCIA. The official working language of EuCIA is English. Full reports about the work of EuCIA can be obtained in English from your national association. However member companies can obtain from their national composite industry association in many cases also the translated EuCIA publications and summaries about EuCIA's work in their local language.

Individual companies should therefore first contact their national association before contacting the EuCIA general secretariat.