Appendix to item 8: Secretary-General's report
Annex report on the FIG Office

1.1 The FIG permanent office opened at the Surveyors House in Denmark 4 January 1999. It is located about 3,5 kilometres westbound from the Copenhagen Central Railway station in Frederiksberg in Copenhagen.

1.2 The FIG office has two office rooms and a large meeting room at the top floor of the Surveyors House hosted by Den danske Landinspektørforening DdL. The office is staffed by Director Markku Villikka and his Personal Assistant Joergen Springborg. Additional help is available from DdL whose personnel are working in the same house.

1.3 After one month practising time the permanent office was formally opened in conjunction with the FIG full Bureau meeting in Copenhagen 3 - 4 February. After that day-to-day administration has been taken care in Copenhagen. Other responsibilities and files were gradually transferred to Copenhagen so that the FIG was able to close London office formally on 12 March 1999.

1.4 From the permanent office point of view the transfer of responsibilities and the whole transition period has been very successful, thanks to the hard work and enthusiastic support from the UK Bureau and especially from UK Bureau Director, Jane Woolley. Without the continuos assistance and generous support from DdL and its staff the permanent office could not have started its work as smoothly as it did.

1.5 During the first three months following activities have been taken among others:

1.6 On daily administration can be mentioned that FIG has now new bank account in Denmark, Danish credit cards have taken into use, new account system has been established and professional auditors have been selected. For the period 1.1 - 31.7.1999 accounts there will be parallel accounts in UK and Denmark according to the account year used in UK. Remaining subscriptions will be re-invoiced from the FIG office.

1.7 Many efforts have been done to improve the information delivery. FIG website has been up-dated including all contact information. The website is up-dated now on daily basis. News and other actual material are frequently available on the website and new links have been established to member associations, international partners and FIG sites like Groupe francophone, FIG-UN pages etc. The home page layout will be refreshed during the summer 1999.

1.8 In the future commission delegates will be found directly on FIG home page as well as the up-dated Surveying Education Database.

1.9 The FIG office was responsible for the FIG Bulletin first time in March 1999. That issue is available also on FIG home page. Possibilities for introducing the FIG journal are also studied.

1.10 The permanent office is responsible for all FIG databases and archives.

1.11 The administration tasks include preparation of material to General Assemblies and Bureau meetings in co-operation with the Bureau. The agenda and minutes for the General Assembly are available also on the website starting from the meetings in Sun City.

1.12 The FIG office is also responsible for several desk studies and projects. These include desk study on membership expansion both in new membership countries and in countries already represented in FIG but where current member associations don't cover the whole surveying profession. FIG policy on sponsors is under reconsideration as well. Promoting academic membership offers interesting possibilities for FIG future development.

1.13 One of the main aims for the permanent office is to support commissions and task forces.

1.14 Furthermore the Director has attended the Bureau meeting and meetings of UK Bureau members. He has visited member associations in Denmark, Sweden and Finland and attended the CLGE General Assembly as an observer on behalf of the Bureau. He is going to visit Prague 14 - 16 April to discuss the FIG Working Week with the Czech organising committee and attend the UNCHS Session and Partner's meeting in Nairobi in 4 - 11 May and furthermore visit UNCHS, UNEP and the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya together with Vice-President Robert Foster and Director on FIG-UN Liaison Ian Williamson on his way to Sun City.

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