History
The association was founded in 1963 as EGCMA (European Gas Control Manufacturers' Association).
Expansion of activities caused a change of the name in 1968 to AFECOGAZ (European Gas and Oil Control Manufacturers' Association) becoming Afecor in 1988.

Mission
The mission of the association is to influence directives and standards ensuring safe, efficient and environment friendly use of primary energy sources.

Objectives
The specific objectives of the association are as follows:

• To drive the processes of standardisation, ensuring consistent and commonly accepted standards for process and combustion controls in Europe and beyond. Through this, realise the economies of scale and pass on reduced costs to users.
• To ensure involvement in, and input to, all future draft EC legislation affecting the oil and gas industry, such as Gas Appliances Directive, Pressure Equipment Directive, Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings, Eco-Design Directive, Energy Efficiency Directive etc. This includes taking influence on national organizations to harmonise proposals and decisions.
• To support the implementation of Directives into the field of applications and make recommendations as appropriate.
• To work closely with certification bodies to assure common understanding and utilisation of European standards.
• To promote the interest of control manufacturers in the appliance manufacturers’ associations or other relevant organisations.

Activities
Afecor achieves its objectives by active involvement of experts from the member companies in defined projects like

• market observation
• new technologies
• standards outside EC

Afecor representation on external organisations:

GAD-AC - Gas Appliances Directive Advisory Committee
This committee advises the Commission of the European Communities on the implementation of the GAD. Afecor is represented in the GAD Working Group as well as in the Gas Appliances Directive Advisory Committee.

BED-AC – Boiler Efficiency Directive Advisory Committee
This committee was started to advise the Commission of the European Communities on the implementation of the Boiler Efficiency Directive, but has now changed the scope to provide input for the new Energy Efficiency Directive.

CEN SFG - Sector Forum Gas
The committee monitors all standardization work for the gas industry. Afecor is represented in the both groups, ‘Infrastructure’ and ‘Utilisation’ as well as in all related working groups.

CEN, IEC and ISO - Technical Committee and their Working Groups
Afecor has an expert in all working groups dealing with subjects that are or could be relevant to controls. In some cases Afecor has nominated the Convenor of a working group, especially within TC 58 (Safety and Control Devices for Gas Burners and Gas Burning Appliances). Some drafts of European Standards are based on Afecor proposals, e.g. EN 257 (Mechanical Thermostats for Gas Appliances) and EN 1106 (Cooker Taps). The revision of EN 126 (multifunctional gas control valves) was also drafted by Afecor before it became a CEN work item.

EHI – European Heating Industries
Afecor deals with all controls related matters on behalf of EHI and provides input through the EHI Steering Committee and EHI Department 3 (Controls Integration).

Afecor Seminars
Seminar days, held regularly since 1991 on European legislation, standardisation and certification in the heating industry, have attracted a large number of high-level experts from gas supply organisations, control and appliance manufacturers and their associations, test houses, standards organisations and certification authorities, the EC Commission and national governments.

Information and member services
All information obtained by Afecor delegates is compiled, evaluated and distributed internally or published:

Technical Committee Meetings
These are held on a biannual basis to keep all Afecor members informed, to discuss present status on ongoing issues and future actions.

Document Distribution
The Technical Secretary organises and distributes regularly to all members relevant information from any committee where Afecor is represented. All information is available to Afecor members online on a central database server.

Web site
www.afecor.org provides information on the association and its activities plus links to relevant documents and web sites.

Liaisons
Afecor works closely with organisations dealing with appliances as well as transmission/distribution of oil and gas. Afecor has official liaisons with all relevant Technical Committees within CEN and ISO.

Afecor Statutes for download