Afecor - The
European Control Manufacturers' Association
Afecor is an international
association representing the leading European manufacturers of controls
for the gas and oil industries. 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
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