A key role of any trade association is to represent its members’ interests among government and statutory bodies.
As the voice of the hydraulic and pneumatic industries in the UK, the BFPA works hard to represent them at national, European and international level. We work with government, legislative bodies and other professional associations.
Purpose:
We make sure we are at the table when key issues are being discussed, so that our industry is neither overlooked nor taken-even inadvertently- in a direction that may be wrong for our members. As a billion pound industry at the heart of the UK’s manufacturing capability, we make our presence felt and emphasise our members’ positive contribution to the economy, to manufacturing and to commerce.
National Government:
BFPA regularly meets with a range of government departments, including the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Environment Agency and the Ministry of Defence, when matters pertinent to our industry are under discussion.
National Standards, safety and statistics bodies:
We hold the external secretariat on behalf of the BSI, the UK’s National Standards Body. This work is harmonised with the International Standards Organisation and ensures that the BFPA has an input into all fluid power standards, wherever in the world they are produced or published. In many cases we will have been instrumental in their development.
We also work with the Health and Safety Executive in formulating best practice guidelines for the fluid power industry and producing widely respected health and safety publications.
We aim to to ensure that hydraulic and pneumatic industries are represented in the official statistics, by working with the Office for National Statistics and Eurostat when necessary. This is important because governments formulate their policies in the light of the key industry data with the official statistics.
International:
We represent the UK fluid power industry on joint international industry forums such as the European fluid power organisation (CETOP). This gives our members access to unique global market data, promotes their products abroad and allows them to influence technical and commercial matters, for example EU directives and product code changes, which might affect their business.
Working with other trade associations and bodies:
No one organisation can successfully change the regulatory landscape on its own. BFPA is a member of the CBI which campaigns for a competitive policy landscape on behalf of all UK businesses including manufacturing. We are also members of Engineering and Machinery Alliance (EAMA), an alliance of 14 trade associations in the engineering sector. All have many common regulatory issues and aspirations. Our joint experience of government policy- making, and our professional approach to engaging with the regulators at all levels, ensures that the government will take account of our views when determining relevant policy.
Influence:
BFPA,through its association with other bodies, has influenced the development of a number of regulatory processes set to have an impact on UK engineering firms. We have been active in issues affecting capital allowances, small business rate relief and property rates, improved access to finance, fuel duty, late payments, R& D tax credit and skills and training.
Recent achievements:
We secure the exclusion of waste hoses and associated PPE from the Hazardous Framework Directive,saving the industry and BFPA members an estimated £18 million a year. We helped to ensure a level playing field in Europe and secure our members interests through our input into trade codes.
BFPA lobbied via CETOP for the creation of fluid power industry classification headings in NACE, the statistical classification for European industries.
Media:
We liase regularly with the media, highlighting key industry issues which would impact our member companies and their businesses.