The Machine Manufacturers Association starts to a new project funded by Europa Bridges of Knowledge Programme. The project is titled ‘Development of Expertise on Acquis Communautaire in Turkish Machinery Sector’ and aims to create expertise on related EU directives in MIB. The project envisages the dissemination of this expertise created in MIB to the machine manufacturers in Turkey. The project is coordinated by Leyla Arsan, TAGES CEO and activities are conducted by Hikmet Barutçu, TAGES Ankara Operations Coordinator.
Following the contract signing of MIB with the Central Finance and Contracts Unit (CFCU), project’s kick-off meeting gathering the project team, project partners and associate partners is realized in Ankara, on the January 11th, 2007. Project work plan is discussed and starting-up action plan is determined for the implementation of the project activities, as well as the dates for main activities of the project.
The project has 2 foreign partners; Oostende Catholic University (KHBO) from Belgium and Italian Machine Manufacturers Union (UCIMU). Association of Manufacturers and Suppliers of Engineering Technique (SST) from Czech Republic, Under secretariat of the Prime Ministry for Foreign Trade and Republic of Turkey Ministry of Industry and Trade are participating to the project as associate partners. The remaining part of the grant of the project is sponsored by Siemens and Bosch Rexroth.
The project aims to develop expertise on EU directives related to machinery sector in Turkey. Since increasing Turkish machine exportation passes by manufacturing accordingly the EU directives requiring CE marking, the project carries a great importance. The absence of expertise in Turkey in the subject, forces the machine manufacturers to suit the EU directives. The project will fill this lack by creating an ‘Expertise Unit’ in MIB, as MIB is formed in order to represent the machine manufacturers in Turkey. In the cadre of the project, MIB will gain expertise on EU directives and their applications by expertise trainings given by KHBO experts.
The expertise trainings will be realized in two sessions; first a session with a general view on CE marking and EU directives on May 7th-11th, 2007, and another session emphasizing on technical issues on May 28th – June 1st, 2007. Apart from 3 experts in MIB, 20 people are planned to be trained on EU directives. KHBO experts will also train the MIB’s Expertise Unit personnel separately in order to form a training model for MIB. It is by this training model designed that MIB will disseminate its expertise on EU directives and CE marking procedures to machine manufacturers in Turkey.
After the first session of the expertise trainings, a best-practice visit will be realized to the Czech Republic in order to practically see the compliance of Czech machine manufacturers to EU directives. 3 experts of the MIB’s Expertise Unit and a sector representative selected in within the machine manufacturers will participate to the visit.
An expertise sharing web platform will be also created in the framework of the project. This platform will be composed of an interactive web page and an e-library gathering main documents in the subject. Moreover, a sector analysis will be done in order to evaluate the current situation in the machinery sector in Turkey concerning the application of EU directives and understanding of CE marking by machine manufacturers. As there is a lack of statistical information on utilization of CE marking and application of EU directives in Turkey, the surveys to be carried out within the project will serve as initial information.
Additionally, an expertise training model will be developed and a roadmap will be prepared within the project. The roadmap will clarify the next steps and action plan of MIB ‘Expertise Unit’ after the accomplishment of the project.
The outputs and results of the project will be disseminated and shared in the Experience Sharing Conference which will be organized on June 22nd 2007. All the project participants, representatives from related public organizations and NGOs, and media of that sector will participate to the Conference. The conclusion notice which will be prepared will be presented in the Conference.
