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Eurocodes: Building the future

ASEAN Member States’ study visit to the JRC-Ispra site on the Eurocodes

Details

Objectives

The study visit of a delegation of ASEAN Member States on the Eurocodes (28-30 May 2024) to the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) site of Ispra, Italy, was planned after the successful 2nd regional workshop on the Eurocodes Dialogue held in Singapore in October 2023, following the general interest in the subject and direct feedback from the stakeholders in the region. It was supported by the Enhanced Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument (E-READI), implementing the EU-ASEAN Eurocodes Dialogue.

The visit aimed to raise awareness of the benefits of using Eurocodes, contributing to understanding how to draft the roadmap for their adoption and facilitating the elaboration of the National Annexes to the Eurocodes. It aimed to generate collaboration among national stakeholders and establish mutual cooperation at a regional level, fostering networks among both public and private entities and developing communication modalities for follow-up activities. 

 

Participants

During this event, JRC and the E-READI team facilitated the in-person contact of 15 delegates from National Authorities, Standard Bodies and Universities of Brunei Darussalam (3 delegates), Cambodia (3), Lao PDR (2), Malaysia (4), Thailand (1) and Viet Nam (2) with members of the Eurocodes Technical Committee (CEN/TC 250) and EU experts from National Standardisation Bodies. The visitors have also had the opportunity to delve into selected EU Research infrastructures and related research activities, through on-site visits.

Training Materials

The experts' presentations to the study visit workshop will be available soon.

The event booklet can be downloaded from the link below. It contains the speakers' information, the draft roadmap for the adoption of Eurocodes in ASEAN Member States and other useful information.

ASEAN study visit booklet
English
(15.05 MB - PDF)
Download

Programme

Day 1: Tuesday 28 May 2024 (Ispra time: UTC+2)

  1. 09:30 - 10:30
    Visit to JRC's Europa Science Experience building
  2. 11:00 - 11:15
    Welcome addresses and introduction

    Matthias Oel, Director, Directorate E - Space, Security & Migration, JRC
    H. E. Sujiro Seam, Ambassador of the EU to ASEAN (recorded)

  3. 11:15 - 11:35
    Introduction of participants and experts in the study visit

    ASEAN participants, EU experts, JRC experts, E-READI team

  4. 11:35 - 11:45
    JRC Safety and Security of Buildings Unit

    François Augendre, Head of Unit, Safety and Security of Buildings Unit, JRC

  5. 11:45 - 12:00
    JRC activities supporting safe, smart and green buildings

    Georgios Tsionis, Safety and Security of Buildings Unit, JRC

  6. 12:00 - 12:10
    EU policies for the construction ecosystem

    Manfred Fuchs, DG GROW (online) 

  7. 12:10 - 12:20
    Supporting the EU-ASEAN cooperation through science

    Elena Sachez, Member States Partnerships and International Relations Unit, JRC

  8. 12:20 - 12:25
    Towards a regional research infrastructure strategy and a talent mobility platform in ASEAN

    Aldo Dell’Ariccia, Team Leader, E-READI (online)

  9. 13:30 - 14:00
    The European Standardisation System for the construction sector

    Pavlina Karagianni, CEN Management Centre (online)

  10. 14:00 - 15:50
    EU MS Case Studies presentations on the implementation of the Eurocodes - challenges and lessons learnt 1. Belgium 2. Bulgaria 3. Greece

    (i) Belgium
    Pierre Spehl, SECO, Senior Civil Engineer; Head of the Belgian Delegation for the Eurocodes

    (ii) Bulgaria
    Iren Dabizheva, Managing Director of the Bulgarian Institute for Standardization (BDS)

    (iii) Greece
    Nikolaos Malakatas, Chairman of CEN/TC250/SC1; Chairman of the Greek Eurocodes Mirror Committee

    (iv) Italy
    Paolo Formichi, Chairman of CEN/TC250/SC10; University of Pisa

  11. 15:50 - 16:15
    Case study on non-EU country’s adoption of Eurocodes

    Roberta Apostolska, Institute of Earthquake Eng. and Eng. Seismology, UKIM-IZIIS; University Ss Cyril and Methodius, UKIM

  12. 16:15 - 16:45
    Panel discussion on the implementation of the Eurocodes - challenges, and lessons learnt

    Pierre Spehl, SECO, Senior Civil Engineer; Head of the Belgian Delegation for the Eurocodes

    Iren Dabizheva, Managing Director of the Bulgarian Institute for Standardization (BDS)

    Nikolaos Malakatas, Chairman of CEN/TC250/SC1; Chairman of the Greek Eurocodes Mirror Committee

    Paolo Formichi, Chairman of CEN/TC250/SC10; University of Pisa

    Roberta Apostolska, Institute of Earthquake Eng. and Eng. Seismology, UKIM-IZIIS; University Ss Cyril and Methodius, UKIM

  14. 16:45 - 17:00
    Key take-away points and lessons learnt from the case studies

    Adamantia Athanasopoulou, Scientific Project Officer, Safety and Security of Buildings Unit JRC
    Roberta Apostolska, Institute of Earthquake Eng. and Eng. Seismology, UKIM-IZIIS; University Ss Cyril and Methodius, UKIM

Day 2: Wednesday 29 May 2024 (Ispra time: UTC+2)

  1. 09:00 - 10:00
    Visit to the European Crisis Management Laboratory (ECML)

    • Earthquakes: estimating the impact in GDACS (Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System) for the humanitarian response community
    • Wildfires: emissions and pollution; urban-wildland interface – relation to building codes?
    • Disaster risk: methods for qualitative and quantitative risk assessment
    • Partnerships and international initiatives: Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

  2. 10:30 - 11:00
    CEN-CENELEC international cooperation, global outreach adoption of European standards

    Zhuohua Chen, Project Manager, European & International Policy, CEN-CENELEC

  3. 11:00 - 12:00
    Discussion of AMS country reports on the regulatory and standardisation framework for the construction sector

    Brunei Darussalam; Cambodia; Malaysia; Lao; Thailand; Viet Nam
    Moderator:
    Roberta Apostolska, Institute of Earthquake Eng. and Eng. Seismology, UKIM-IZIIS; University Ss Cyril and Methodius, UKIM

  4. 12:00 – 12:30
    Round table discussion: analysis of AMS country reports, proposed steps in the roadmap

    Zhuohua Chen, Project Manager, European & International Policy
    Adamantia Athanasopoulou, Scientific Project Officer, Safety and Security of Buildings Unit JRC
    Roberta Apostolska, Institute of Earthquake Eng. and Eng. Seismology, UKIM-IZIIS; University Ss Cyril and Methodius, UKIM

  5. 13:30 - 15:00
    Preparation of draft roadmap towards the adoption of the Eurocodes: Group work in parallel sessions (3 groups)

    Facilitators:

    Pierre Spehl, SECO, Senior Civil Engineer; Head of the Belgian Delegation for the Eurocodes
    Iren Dabizheva, Managing Director of the Bulgarian Institute for Standardization (BDS)
    Nikolaos Malakatas, Chairman CEN/TC 250/SC1; Chairman of the Greek Eurocodes Mirror Committee
    Paolo Formichi, Chairman of CEN/TC 250/SC10; University of Pisa
    Pietro Croce, Convenor of CEN/TC250 HG Bridges; University of Pisa
    Zhuohua Chen, Project Manager, European & International Policy
    Adamantia Athanasopoulou, Scientific Project Officer, Safety and Security of Buildings Unit JRC
    Roberta Apostolska, Institute of Earthquake Eng. and Eng. Seismology, UKIM-IZIIS; University Ss Cyril and Methodius, UKIM

  6. 15:30 - 16:10
    Breakout sessions

    1. Meeting with CEN representative and expert from NSB on having access to the EN Eurocodes for review and procedure for ENs adoption (Zhuohua Chen, Project Manager, European & International Policy; Iren Dabizheva, Managing Director of the Bulgarian Institute for Standardization).

    2. Meeting with experts on steps for national adoption of Eurocodes and collaboration with stakeholders (Pierre Spehl, SECO, Senior Civil Engineer; Head of the Belgian Delegation for the Eurocodes; Nikolaos Malakatas, Chairman CEN/ TC250/SC1; Chairman of the Greek Eurocodes Mirror Committee).

    3. Technical meeting(s) with EU experts (Paolo Formichi, Chairman of CEN/TC250/ SC10; University of Pisa; Pietro Croce, Convenor of CEN/TC250 HG Bridges; University of Pisa)

  7. 16:10 - 17:10
    Presentation of the group work outcome on the draft roadmap preparation

    Facilitated by AMS rapporteurs and supported by experts
    Brunei Darussalam ; Cambodia; Malaysia; Lao PDR; Thailand; Viet Nam

  9. 17:10 - 17:15
    Wrap-up and closure for the day

    Adamantia Athanasopoulou, Scientific Project Officer, Safety and Security of Buildings Unit JRC
    Roberta Apostolska, Institute of Earthquake Eng. and Eng. Seismology, UKIM-IZIIS; University Ss Cyril and Methodius, UKIM

Day 3: Thursday 30 May 2024 (Ispra time: UTC+2)

  1. 09:00 - 09:30
    Designers’ experience in using the Eurocodes

    Pietro Croce, Convenor of CEN/TC250 HG Bridges; University of Pisa
     

  2. 09:30 - 10:00
    JRC activities in support of the Eurocodes implementation; the Eurocodes Nationally Determined Parameters

    Adamantia Athanasopoulou, Safety and Security of Buildings Unit JRC
    Francesca Sciarretta, Safety and Security of Buildings Unit JRC

  3. 10:00 - 10:30
    Panel session: supporting designers’ practical training needs in using the Eurocodes

    Pierre Spehl, SECO, Senior Civil Engineer; Head of the Belgian Delegation for the Eurocodes
    Pietro Croce, Convenor of CEN/TC250 HG Bridges; University of Pisa
    Iren Dabizheva, Managing Director of the Bulgarian Institute for Standardization (BDS).
    Adamantia Athanasopoulou, Safety and Security of Buildings Unit JRC
    Francesca Sciarretta, Safety and Security of Buildings Unit JRC

    Moderator:
    Roberta Apostolska, Institute of Earthquake Eng. and Eng. Seismology, UKIMIZIIS; University Ss Cyril and Methodius, UKIM

  4. 11:00 - 11:30
    Reliability background of the Eurocodes

    Paolo Formichi, Chairman of CEN/TC250/ SC10; University of Pisa

  5. 11:30 - 12:00
    The JRC Nationally Determined Parameters Database – background, status, registration steps, live demonstration

    Cristina Polo López, Safety and Security of Buildings Unit JRC

  6. 12:00 - 12:30
    Regional scientific cooperation in support of the Eurocodes development and implementation

    Georgios Tsionis, Safety and Security of Buildings Unit, JRC

  7. 13:45 - 14:30
    Round table discussion: lessons learnt and next steps for the roadmap elaboration and implementation

    ASEAN participants to share benefits and lessons learnt and further needs for support 

    AMS representatives 

    Roberta Apostolska, Institute of Earthquake Eng. and Eng. Seismology, UKIMIZIIS; University Ss Cyril and Methodius, UKIM
    Adamantia Athanasopoulou, Safety and Security of Buildings Unit, JRC
    Nikolaos Malakatas, Chairman CEN/TC 250/SC1; Chairman of the Greek Eurocodes Mirror Committee
    Pierre Spehl, SECO, Senior Civil Engineer; Head of the Belgian Delegation for the Eurocodes
    Iren Dabizheva, Managing Director of the Bulgarian Institute for Standardization (BDS).

    Moderator:
    Georgios Tsionis, Safety and Security of Buildings Unit, JRC

  8. 14:30 - 14:45
    Final Remarks and Closure

    Georgios Tsionis, Safety and Security of Buildings Unit, JRC

    Minna Saneri, Key Expert for AEC, E-READI
     

  10. 15:30 - 17:00
    Visit to the European Laboratory for Structural Assessment (ELSA) facilities

    • ELSA Reaction Wall
    • ELSA HopLab