Engineering Europe n° 22 - 2024

Barometer highlights resilient market conditions

Our latest Barometer has just been published. This?update on conditions in?the European consultancy and engineering industry shows a currently strong market that is beginning to level out. While significant new growth is not anticipated in the immediate future, most firms report robust order books and positive market conditions, which are?being supported by key sectors such as energy and transport.?Challenges such as staff shortages and bureaucracy remain, but the industry is adapting effectively. Read the full report, available here.

New financing ideas for African transport projects

"We believe that an integrated European value proposition can be more attractive and competitive, but we need to be better organised, adapt our procurement rules and define attractive financial packages”. This was one of the key messages conveyed by EFCA's President Inés Ferguson during the recent Transport Infrastructure Roundtable, which brought together policy makers and industry stakeholders. Chaired by DG INTPA Director General?Koen Doens, senior EIB?officials and representatives from several other European Commission departments joined EFCA, European International Contractors, UNIFE (the European Rail Industry Association) and delegations from the private sector. All parties acknowledged the importance of identifying and preparing sound and policy-aligned transport projects and the key role of European consulting engineers in delivering this task. Recommendations from EFCA included a new, integrated approach, in which? European firms are involved from the beginning; and?the use of European?technology, standards and financing instruments to bring lower total costs and higher sustainability.?More information.

A new era of partnership for EFCA and FIDIC

Last week the EFCA President Inés Ferguson (pictured left) signed an agreement with?Catherine Karakatsanis (pictured right), President of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC). This ushers in a new phase of strengthened?collaboration between the two organisations, which together represent the sector at European and global level. A key feature of the partnership is the formation of the European Global Action Committee,?a body that has been created to ensure effective coordination and communication;?and aims to tackle specific challenges on behalf of consulting engineering firms. Further information can be found here.

Design expertise needed?in two-stage contracts

This was one of the main conclusions from a recent meeting in Amsterdam, of the Collaborative Delivery Models (CDM) working group. In this forum, EFCA works with?European International Contractors, which set up the group.?Discussions focused on the advantages and different types of CDM, as well as?why and when the approach can be used in?construction projects. Experience from successful projects that have adopted CDM was presented by representatives of Rijkswaterstaat (RWS), the national authority on Roads and Waterways in the Netherlands. The first results are positive, with the execution being more streamlined and with lower costs-overrun than traditional projects. ‘A direct discussion between engineers and contractor in the first phase can be very rewarding, if both parties act in the right way!” said Jaap de Koning, the EFCA representative and Chair of the Internal Market Committee (pictured fourth from right in background), whose company (Witteveeen+Bos) is already working with CDM contracts. More information.

EFCA newsletter?Christmas break

As the festive season approaches, the EFCA secretariat is wrapping up?a year filled with activities and significant achievements. We are already setting new goals and ambitions for the year ahead, but in the meantime?the office will be closed?from 25 December 2024 to 1 January 2025. The next edition of our newsletter will be published on 9 January?2025. The EFCA team wishes you a wonderful?end of year break and a Happy New Year!