CETOP seeks to Support BFPA after Brexit

11 Jul 2017

BFPA CEO Chris Buxton attended the 2017 CETOP general assembly in Barcelona where CETOP reassured BFPA that the UK would still be a valued member of CETOP after the UK leaves the EU

BFPA CEO Chris Buxton attended the 2017 CETOP annual general assembly at the FESTO headquarters in Barcelona in early June. Recent changes to the chairs of various committees (Technical, Economics and Statistics, Marketing and Communications and Education and Training had introduced new enthusiasm into the organisation and the meetings, which took place alongside the main general assembly gathering.

Chris Buxton of the BFPA had taken the lead on developing a new strategy designed to ensure that members realise genuine benefit from their membership. The result has been a prioritised list of actions across all of the sub-committees (called commissions), including greater access and increased content for international statistical and market information, improved availability of data relating to European legislation, improved access to international contacts in different sectors and significant work relating to the development of cross-border educational and training standards.  The Education And Training Commission now chaired by Sten-Ove Claesson from Sweden, is of particular interest as they seek to set the standards against which all European Fluid Power operatives should operate.  With the current trends towards electro-hydraulics, electro-pneumatics and general motion control, these educational standards are being up-dated to include relevant elements of electronics and process control.

BFPA has recently developed a set of recommended minimum educational standards for both hydraulics and pneumatics.  These recommendations include an element of electronic and process control thus the CETOP Commission agreed to review these recommendations and use elements of them to update the CETOP documentation.

Unsurprisingly, one of the more contentious topics of conversation was that of Brexit and the likely impact upon the UK once they have left the EU.  Whilst the core of this debate focussed upon the involvement or otherwise in the customs union and associated trade deals, BFPA may take comfort from the fact that all of the other members of CETOP were insistent that they would want BFPA and the UK companies to remain a part of CETOP going into 2019.  This will also ensure that BFPA can continue to take part in the international collection and distribution of market statistics.

The evening of the first day of the two-day meeting was marked with a formal dinner, which included a number of elections and tributes to past officers.

For more information about the work of CETOP and BFPA’s involvement, please contact Chris Buxton on 01608 647900.

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