From the President 10/04/2008
- Harm B. Tegelaars
Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to the new-look EHFA!
I thought this might be a good opportunity to update you on the progress of the European Health and Fitness Association over the past year, in my first year as President .
As you may know, I was elected President of EHFA in April 2007. At the time, I pushed for a clear focus and vision for EHFA. This was set out from the start and, following extensive consultation, remains largely the same today.
The role of EHFA is to:
- Set the European agenda for physical activity and fitness
- Drive for Quality Standards and Certification through the standardisation of training standards (ECVET and EQF process) that will result in the creation of the European Register of Exercise Professionals (EREPS)
- Improve the perception of the Industry by politicians/media/consumers
- Increase participation and to positively influence public health using the mantra “Fitness is Prevention”
- Increase our influence with EU Government and obtain EU funding to help increase participation
- Fully document the European fitness industry and drive the need for research.
Going forward, the EHFA Board has decided that it wants to see certain characteristic themes enshrined in the way EHFA operates. EHFA will follow the European way of doing things. Subsidiarity will lie at its core. We will operate through conciliation, bringing key people together to get things done; working in partnership not isolation. We will operate via democracy and fairness with each Member having one vote.
Ultimately, this is how Europe works. We will build a lasting system of integration for the European industry that benefits every single stakeholder in our sector that enhances the position of the industry and everyone currently involved in it. A place for the big and small.
This is why we have enshrined a system of economic zoning in everything we do: from membership to purchasing products, the price will always reflect the ability of our members/partners to pay. This operates in exactly the same way as the European Union does for Member States.
The result of this process has been extremely encouraging. EHFA has never been so strong with its current total representation standing at 4.375 health clubs and leisure centres in 22 countries across Europe. The largest organisations in the sector are supporting EHFA in its goals. I have been tremendously encouraged by the enthusiasm that has emerged from our industry with no shortage of support, both financial, practical and moral. This puts EHFA in an much stronger position compared to a year ago.
As a result of years of painstakingly dedicated work to produce the European Qualifications Framework for Fitness, EHFA carried out the single most valuable contribution to integrating and professionalizing the fitness industry in Europe. Years of work alongside the European Commission by EHFA members has put the fitness industry a long way ahead of other sectors and in a prime position to create a real, solid and lasting result. EHFA members from across Europe took part in the forming of these standards through Technical Expert Groups. We need to pay them the credit and gratitude they deserve as the pioneers of this system.
I am delighted to report that 2007 saw the first tangible result of that process. The Australian Institute of Fitness in Alicante, Spain completed the mapping and accreditation process that allowed them to become the first EHFA Approved Training Centre.
They duly celebrated by renaming themselves the European Institute of Fitness. They beat four other training providers to the finishing line and there is now a growing queue of organisations seeking verification in a number of EU countries.
This makes the establishment of the European Register of Exercise Professionals a pressing priority. As you will be aware, we are launching EREPs at Hilversum in The Netherlands on the 7th and 8th of May 2008. It will see the qualifications of exercise professionals recognised for the first time in a pan-European system that assures quality to our stakeholders in the medical community, the press, governments and general public.
This will be a major priority for EHFA over the coming years. The simple and transparent system of verification, overseen by the EHFA Standards Council and Technical Experts Group, will need to move fast in order to keep up with the demand from Exercise Professionals to join the European Register.
In February 2008 EHFA took a high level delegation of industry leaders to meet with the representatives of the European Commission, Sport Unit of the Directorate General of Education. EHFA presented the case for the industry, whilst the Commission listened and exchanged views. The EHFA delegation was struck by the Commission’s knowledge of the sector, showing a real interest in its challenges and opportunities.
As we proceed, it is vitally important to keep close to other departments such as DG Sanco (the Directorate General for Consumer Protection and Public Health). We have been keen to develop our relationships in that area and continue to attend the EU Platform for Action on Diet Physical Activity and Health along with stakeholders as varied as Nestle , the European Heart Foundation and the International Obesity Taskforce. We will ensure that the sector is seen as part of the solution to the growing public health crises caused by physical inactivity.
These advances are a result of being based in Brussels, with our dedicated staff, attending endless meetings but doing what is necessary to represent the industry.
Some people ask me where EHFA is heading in the future. My answer is that we are building a solid infrastructure for the European industry that will stand the test of time, for the benefit of all its stakeholders. All the resources EHFA generates go towards that goal. No one owns EHFA other than its members. All funds are consistently reinvested to the benefit of the European industry. EHFA is run by its Members, owned by its Members and works for its Members.
I was elected as President of EHFA in April 2007 with a clear vision and ambition for the direction in which this pan-European association should develop. I trust that in the past year you have come to see that this plan is beginning to take shape.
Yours faithfully,
Harm B. Tegelaars
President
EHFA
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