Following our Strategic Plan, last year the EMC has continued working to promote the image of EFFAS not only as a centre for reflection and a think tank, but also as a working and discussion forum for qualified professionals and researchers, and finally - but not less important - as an international reference in the training and qualification of investment professionals.
Examples of this activity include the excellent work done by our FAC Commission, in collaboration with EFRAG and IASB, related to international financial reporting standards, such as Leasing and Business Combinations.
Moreover, after several meetings in Brussels with different representatives of the EU, the EMC is proud to inform you all that last June 17th, the DG of Internal Markets and Services of the European Commission confirmed us that EFFAS has being appointed as member of the Expert Group on the Evaluation of the IAS regulation. Jacques de Greling (SFAF) and Javier de Frutos (IEAF) will represent us in this very important project.
Furthermore, since transparency of information becomes more and more important, the EMC, following the suggestions of some of our members, has decided to spend more time on joint seminars on reporting issues and became then again member of EFRAG.
We would also like to highlight the great work done by our ESG Commission which has enabled us to organize in the first half of 2014 the first courses and exams with great results in Germany and Spain. The EFFAS ESG Certified Diploma, the first of its kind in Europe, allowed EFFAS position as an expert in these matters.
Proof of this are also the ESG Taking Into Account conferences in Europe - coordinated by DVFA - that have become the biggest european event covering ESG topics in the mainstream of capital markets and companies. This year the EMC had the opportunity to participate in ESG Based Investment Decision Making seminar in Amsterdam, in conjunction with the Dutch society.
Another clear example of our leadership position in the ESG issues has been our participation on May 2014 in the 1st LATAM ESG Conference in Sao Paulo (Brazil). This event was very much recognized from local market participants and is an example of a successful cooperation between the Brazilian society APIMEC and EFFAS.
The work done by the TQC has helped us to launch two strategic projects: the CEFA Common Exams and the EFFAS E-learning Platform. This project covers several objectives simultaneously:
1) increase the actual number of CEFA diplomas
2) increase EFFAS visibility as a certification centre and
3) helping NMS, by providing more flexible and economically up-to-date exams.
This year also, we celebrated the seventh edition of the EFFAS Summer School. This time the topics discussed were related to future trends in the asset management industry; the necessary skills and profiles for investment professionals in financial markets and SME alternative finance in Europe. Our thanks go to all speakers and lecturers, who have confirmed their participation, as well as to Frank Klein, Jean Baptiste Bellon and Ralf Frank for their magnificent work coordinating the different panels.
We would also like to personally thank Daniel Calleja, Director General of Small and Medium Enterprises in Europe who has kindly agreed to participate in the closing session.
Regarding our institutional presence, we would like to acknowledge the excellent work done by our delegates and representatives. Their activities allow EFFAS to position ourselves as European representative of investment professionals.
We do not want to forget the great work done by our current staff, Laura Compte and Giovanna Scarfo. As you all know, they have worked hard during this year to complete the process of relocation of the ACIIA office from Zürich to our EFFAS office in Frankfurt - all this coordinated by our treasurer Hans Buysse - and have created new systems of internal control and management as well as developped new promotional and marketing tools for our federation. Dear Laura, dear Giovanna, thanks for your great job.
Finally, we are very pleased to announce that upon kind invitation of the Austrian Association (ÖVFA), the 2015 EFFAS AGM will take place in Vienna on Friday June 26.