TECHNICAL CHAMBER OF GREECE / SECTION OF CENTRAL MACEDONIA

Profile

The Technical Chamber of Greece is the officially recognized professional body of all University graduates in engineering and a Legal Entity of Public Law with  regional structure. The Technical Chamber of Greece / Section of Central Macedonia (TCG/SCM) is the regional branch in Central Macedonia and operates autonomously with its own administrative and operational structure. The TCG/SCM was founded in 1950 in Thessaloniki and has been the oldest and largest regional branch of the Technical Chamber of Greece (established 1926).

Its members are qualified engineers of all specialties, graduates of highest educational institutions, who live and practice their professional activity within the region of Central Macedonia. The total number of its members exceeds 13,000, out of a total of 90,000 members in all of Greece.

Objectives

As a regional branch, the TCG/SCM implements the activities and serves the objectives of the TCG, as these are mandated by its statutory framework, within the region of its competence, this being Central Macedonia:

1. The TCG aims at the promotion of science in the fields related to the specialty of its members, of technical science and technology in general, as well as their utilization for the self-reliant economic, social and cultural development of the Country.
2. Within its scope of work, the TCG serves as technical advisor to the government, and in particular:

   -studies any relative technical-scientific, technical-financial or developmental issue which is of interest to the community as a whole, and it formulates opinions, on its own initiative or following an invitation, on the legislation relative to these issues

   -pronounces, following an invitation by the competent authorities or other agents of the public sector or union agents, on any issue within its range of competence

   -collects statistic data in relation to the technical resources, the technical, scientific, construction and other related industrial activity, the technical materials, and the equipment and technology; draws up statistics and provides relative information to the competent authorities or other agents

   -provides its assistance for the proper drawing up and implementation of developmental programs, the utilization of natural resources, the improvement of the quality of life, the protection of the environment; it elaborates, individually or in collaboration with other agents, relevant studies and research projects, and drafts of specifications, regulations, project contracts and designs

   -contributes to the elaboration of technical education programs, to the development of domestic research and technology, to the utilization, development, programming and structuring of the technical resources, in accordance with the developmental needs of the Country

   -informs the public by means of announcements, publications, editions, or any other available way, about any subject of its competence, simplifying and assisting a wider comprehension of the related issues and problems

   -participates in international organizations, in chamber unions, in international technical unions; develops relationships with respective organizations in other countries, organizes conferences, exhibitions, and other events for the promotion of its objectives.

3. With regard to its members, the TCG performs the examinations and grants the professional licenses to practice for engineers, in accordance with valid provisions; it maintains the registries of engineers and trade names of technical bureaus and corporations; it supervises the legal collection of their fees in accordance with the relevant legal provisions; it acts towards the employment, social welfare, promotion and protection of the prestige of its members, for their scientific progress, information, education and lifelong education; it issues an informative and scientific journal as well as other publications; it supports the agents of collective representation of engineers in activities relevant to its goals; it studies new forms of professional organization and employment of its members, and it exerts disciplinary authority over its members as is specifically provided for in the relevant legislation.

Structure

The members of  TCG/SCM elect a 60-member General Assembly every three years.

TCG/SCM is governed by the Executive Committee, which is composed of the President, the Vice-President, the General Secretary and 8 members and is elected by th General Assembly.

The  re gional structure of TCG/SCM consists of six 5-member Prefectoral Committees, which are based in the respective capitals of the Prefectures of Imathia, Kilkis, Pella, Pieria, Serres, and Halkidiki. 

The structure of its services consists of 6 sections: the Section of Scientific and Developmental Issues, the Section of Professional Issues, the Section of Library and Documentation, the Economical and Administrative Section, the Secretariat of Managing Bodies and the Legal Section.

Activities

Within the framework of this role, the TCG/SCM:

Is represented statutorily:

-in Boards of Public Organizations and of Local Self-government (Regional Board, PEP Supervision Committee, Regional and Prefectoral Board for Public Works, Environment, Urban Planning and Public Works Boards: Ministry of Macedonia & Thrace · Regional · Prefectoral, National Institute of Meteorology, Financial and Social Committee of the Prefectoral Self-government, etc.), in boards and committees created for a specific project (Technical Boards, permanent recommendation Committees for the awarding of public works as well as committees for individual works, primary and secondary Architectural Audit Committees, Committees of supervision of urban planning designs, Architectural Tenders, Audit Committees for buildings and site projects, etc.

• Studies and produces positions on developmental, technical, scientific, and professional issues. This work is produced by:

-the Permanent Committees, scientific 3-year term bodies, whose function is to provide recommendations and expert opinions. During the current term (2004-2006) 9 Permanent Committees (PC) operate within the Section, as follows: PC of Land Planning and Development, PC of Architectural Legacy and recent architectural works, PC of Industry, new  Technology, networks and telecommunication,  PC of Energy, PC of Environmental Protection, PC of Infrastructure Works and Regional Development, PC of Professional and young engineers Issues, PC of Professional Authorities, titles and qualification and PC of Technical Education. 

-Work Groups that are congregated for the study of specific issues, with a limited duration of mandate.

• Organizes congresses, day-long conferences, and working meetings, in order to publicize its positions and its work and to promote the exchange of views with other agents, and it participates in events organized by other agents.  
• Organizes annual self-financed seminars in order to inform the members of the Sector about new scientific data. 
• Has an extensive activity in the field of scientific publications, while at the same time it issues a biweekly journal, the TECHNOGRAFIMA, which is sent to all its members, to agents of the Centre and the Region, to Technical Corporations and Industries, and to the Mass Media.
• Performs the examinations for the issuing of the professional license to practice to the graduates of Polytechnic Schools from all over the country, three times a year, on dates designated by the TCG. Following each examination period, it organizes informational seminars for the new colleagues.
• Maintains an up-to-date lending library with over 6,500 titles (including studies by the TCG/SCM) and 225 Greek and foreign-language periodicals. The library is connected with Greek and international Data Banks and Data Bases, and it implements searches upon request.
• Finally, the TCG/SCM can display a wealth of significant activities undertaken on issues of collaboration with engineers¢ agents in the Balkans and Europe, with cooperation protocols, exchange of visits, joint organization of events, joint programmes. In this framework, the establishment of an Institute of Inter-Balkan Development and Technical Science was brought forth

Particulars of the Agent

Full Name: Technical Chamber of Greece / Section of Central Macedonia

Acronym: TCG / SCM

Postal Address: 49, Gr. Alexander Avenue, 546 43 Thessaloniki, Greece

Telephone no.: +30 231 0883100 - 99

Fax: +30 231 0883110

e-mail: tee_thess@tee.gr

Web site: http://www.tee.tkm.gr

President: Paris Billias
Secretary Telephone no.: +30 231 0883170

e-mail: grproedrou-tkm@central.tee.gr