The Association
APPC – Portuguese Association of Engineering and Management Consultants is a non-profit Trade Association set up in January 1975 that resulted from the initiative of a Working Group created in AIP - Portuguese Industrial Association, formed by an important group of companies and professionals from the Consultancy and Project design Sector.
Until 1995 APPC was open to both companies and professionals. Upon the revision and approval of the new Statutes and Code of Professional Conduct, that occurred in that year, membership became restricted to companies – a relevant fact in the life of the Association that marked, at the time, its 20th anniversary. Thus it became a Trade Association representing the Autonomous Engineering, Architecture, Environment and Economics and Management Consultancy Sector.
At present, APPC has around 130 member firms, headquartered in mainland Portugal and in the Autonomous Regions of Madeira and Azores.
These member firms represent a turnover of around 300 million euros.
The Board of Directors of APPC has 7 members, elected for a period of 3 years.
APPC is a full member Portugal’s sole representative in the major Federations of the Sector, both European and International: EFCA - European Federation of Engineering Consultancy Associations, FEACO - European Federation of Management Consultants Associations, FEPAC – Panamerican Federation of Consultants and FIDIC - International Federation of Consulting Engineers and in the two European Consultancy Federations. It participates in the activities of these Federations, namely in their Conferences and General Assembly Meetings and in several Working Groups. Two former Board members held the Presidency post of EFCA and FEACO.
APPC, as the representative of consultancy companies, is engaged in watching the quality of the services provided by its members, in improving and strengthening the Consultants’ image, in encouraging that access to the activity is based in criteria and that the fair competitiveness and equitable conditions govern the performance of activity.
APPC has close relationships with the Political Institutions, Public Administration and other national and foreign Trade Associations and Federations.
APPC has also privileged relationships with the major Professional Associations or Councils that gather their technical staff, conciliating the individual and class interests they represent with the sector and entrepreneurship interests.
OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION
- To unite, represent, express and defend the professional interests of the companies offering Engineering, Architecture, Environment and Economics and Management and related activities’ services.
- To certify to third parties the ethic and technical principles that guide its member firms, having for the purpose defined the requirements for joining the Association as well as a Code of Professional Conduct.
- To promote technical and scientific progress, quality and efficiency in the services provided, for the benefit of the country, the clients and the society in general, respecting the necessary vigour of the Portuguese activities it represents.