EFAPCO, The European Federation of Associations of PCOs, is aiming to become one of most notable names and forces in the European meetings industry. As yet only in its second year, the dynamic core group of…
EFAPCO, The European Federation of Associations of PCOs, is aiming to become one of most notable names and forces in the European meetings industry. As yet only in its second year, the dynamic core group of professional congress organisers – the movers and shakers of the profession – took time out at IMEX to show the world why European organisation is the best in the world.
The seven founding countries in the Federation – Belgium, Germany, Greece, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the UK – are represented by their respective national PCO associations.
EFAPCO’s members are national groups of uniquely diverse and individual operators, which have set themselves a most ambitious programme of cooperation and partnership.
During a press conference at IMEX in Frankfurt, newly elected president Julio Abreu – who is also president of the Spanish Federation of PCOs – laid out the stages of a campaign designed to:
- Promote European professional congress organisers
- Maintain high professional standards protecting consumers from all over the world
- Enhance the image of Europe as the ultimate destination for meetings.
Not only does EFAPCO wish to make the European Union aware of conference organising as a profession, which the EU has steadfastly refused to do, it has already drawn up a master plan to change European law on meetings.
EFAPCO also intends to:
- Nurture the establishment of more national PCO associations
- Research PCO problems and advance solutions
- Develop appropriate education and training
- Increase meetings business into and within Europe
EFAPCO has huge recruitment ambitions requiring intensive promotion. Complacent PCOs will be challenged to do more for the profession and active organisers will be invited to contribute more to the advancement of EFAPCO’s ideals.
Among the objectives for 2006 are
- Recruitment of new full members, non-PCO members and supporting bodies
- Establishment of links with other associations
- Provision of educational seminars for aspiring and existing PCOs
In his brief speech the former president of EFAPCO Mr Zaharias Kaplanidis highlighted the entrance of Germany and Poland as EFAPCO members, while he mentioned the important initiatives that the association undertook in order more three countries to enter the association till the end of 2006. Furthermore, there were 43 new members and a great progress had been made on the new code of ethics to help PCOs improve their work with other PCO’s fellow suppliers and clients.
Mr Kaplanidis refered to the facts that EFAPCO succeeded in establishing an open window with European Parliament and to built a strong cooperation with universities from Madrid, Austria and Trinity University in Greece aiming at the research development around PCO’s and the congress industry in general.
Finally, Mr. Nicolas Le Brun from Belgium elected first vice president, Irena Sokolowska from Poland second vice president and Helena Weinstein responsible for financial affairs.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
