What's in a name?

Why are British engineers keen to win the title of European Engineer?

Professional engineers are not highly regarded in Britain, although monuments to their inventiveness, creativity and skill can be seen worldwide. Too often they are confused with repairmen, fitters and mechanics who have appropriated "engineer" into their own job titles. In other countries "engineer" is a legally protected title, but in Britain anyone may use it.

This is frustrating for those who have taken an accredited honours degree, done a further two years' approved training, and then had two more years' responsible experience before undergoing a professional review of their competence. This is one reason why professional engineers in Britain have been so keen to receive the protected title of European Engineer (Eur Ing) since it was launched in 1987. To be called a European Engineer, and be able to use Eur Ing as a prefix to your name separates you from "engineering workers".

Another reason is the importance of international mobility to British engineers. Many work overseas for at least part of their career.

The origins of the European Engineer lie in the Treaty of Rome. This gave every citizen of the European Union the freedom to work, set up business or provide services in any EU member state. However, this did not mean that you could practise your profession anywhere in the EU. Few member countries recognised each other's professional qualifications. Even now, 47 years after the Treaty was signed, many problems regarding the mutual recognition of qualifications still hamper mobility.

The European Commission launched two initiatives to guarantee the free movement of professionals: "sectoral directives" and then a "general directive".

Sectoral directives cover individual professions. They compare the relevant education and training in each state, and then "harmonise" these across the Community. Member states must restrict entry to these professions to people with a qualification that meets the harmonised standard. Only seven sectoral directives have been agreed and the process has been painfully slow. That for architects took 17 years.

The General Directive is based on the mutual recognition of qualifications for those "regulated professions" that require at least three years' university- level education, or equivalent. This directive was designed to speed up mutual recognition and covers such professionals as accountants, teachers, lawyers and professional engineers.

Mutual recognition under this directive can still be very limited. If the length and content of degree courses differ, incoming professionals may have to take further examinations or undertake up to three years' professional experience.

But Eur Ings are now recognised in 27 European states. It is also proving useful in other countries, such as the US, where the qualifications of individual European countries are little known.