FIDE Annual Review 2007
OVERVIEW
In light of the increasing international complexity and the global competition, FIDEundertakes its role as a “global player” on behalf of its members in the arena of Europeaninterests. FIDE remains focused on cooperation and teamwork with relevant European andinternational associations. Moreover, opportunities for the advancement of the Europeandental market are deliberated and researched. The Survey on the European Dental Trade ispublished annually with the European dealers’ association ADDE.
FIDE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The executive board’s term of office has been under the leadership of FIDE President
DR. JÜRGEN EBERLEIN, who has held this position since 2005.
Election of the New Executive Committee
At the General Assembly in Cologne 2007, the slate of candidates was presented for election.
All candidates were unanimously elected for a two-year term of office. Dr. Jürgen Eberlein, along-time FIDE board member, was reelected to the office of president, a post which hepreviously held from 1995-2001.
The officers for 2007-2009 term are:
President DR. JÜRGEN EBERLEIN (D)
Vice President DR. ALESSANDRO GAMBERINI (I)
Vice President KIM SØRENSEN (DK)
Members: PETER MALATA (A), JEAN-D. WEILL (CH)
FIDE MEMBERSHIP
FIDE represents the interests of more than 550 dental manufacturers affiliated to FIDEthrough their membership in national dental manufacturers associations in 13 European countries.
Current FIDE members include national manufacturers associations from the followingcountries:
Austria
Belgium
Denmark
France
Italy
Germany
The Netherlands
Russia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
The United Kingdom
The FIDE General Assembly was held on March 19, 2007 in Cologneduring the IDS. The
Executive Committee met on that same day as well as on November 21, 2007 in Paris duringthe ADF-Congress.
Finances
The Secretary General reported that the financial situation is very agreeable, with the incomeand expenditures remaining within the scope of the budget, as in the preceding year. Apositive consequence of FIDE’s stable financial picture is that there was no need to increasethe annual membership fees for 2006 year.
The General Assembly approved the annual Statement of Accounts and Audit Report of
December 31, 2006 and allocated the Annual Surplus 2006 to the FIDE Assets. The General
Assembly granted release to the members of the Executive Committee and to the Secretary General for their activities during the fiscal year 2006. The proposed Budget 2007 wasapproved.
REGULATORY AFFAIRS
The importance of regular and sustained coordination at the European and international levelis demonstrated by the various themes and of challenging topics that were under discussionin the business meetings. The impact of the decisions taken by these bodies – whetherfundamentally political or material and operational - may not always be immediatelydiscernible to firms which are members of the national associations within FIDE. As opposedto individual firms, the associations that make up this federation are authorized asparticipants or dialog partners.
In many areas, owing to the participation, input and influence of the associations -in
Brussels, as a counterpart to their associates in Europe or abroad, to organisations such as
IDM, FDI or institutions outside of the dental branch,– agreements (i.e., the Mutual
Recognition Agreement, REACH, WEEE) are concluded. The end results facilitate individualfirms’ activities in the market, or actually open new markets.
Main topics in 2007 were:
Dental Amalgam
The strategy of the EU-Commission is to reduce the emissions of mercury in the environment. Also the question of a ban of amalgam is discussed. The EU-Commission decided that a ban of dental amalgam is only possible if there are equivalent alternatives. FIDE was asked by the Commission to collect information about the state of the art of restorative materials and evaluate the cost-benefit implications for patients of substituting dental amalgam with other alternative materials, such as composite resins, glass ionomers, other metals (alloys) and ceramics.
The result of the FIDE survey is:
- Dental amalgam is very durable. On average, amalgam fillings last 12.6 years, whereas plastic ones last only for 7.8 years.
- Dental amalgam is easier to use and can be moulded into the tooth cavity, which reduces the amount of natural tooth that has to be removed.
- Amalgam is much cheaper than alternatives. An imposed restriction on amalgam fillings would cause a heavy burden on public dental services and in any case would mean much higher costs for patients.
FIDE sent the result of the survey (FIDE Amalgam position) to the Commission and to all FIDE member states.
REACH
The new chemical legislation “REACH” came into force on 1 June 2007.
Medical devices are not excluded from the substantial requirements of REACH. This means that the dental industry is completely affected by the new regulation. The main requirement of REACH is that if any producer, importer (from outside of the EU) or downstream user of chemical substances brings such chemical substances in quantities of one ton or more per year into the market, they are under obligation register with the new chemical agency in Helsinki.
For implementation of the new REACH regulation, all Member States are required to establish national “helpdesks”, because specificallysmall and medium-sized companies need help in preparation for REACH.
In April 2007, FIDE informed all member associations as well as ADDE about the main content of the new regulation, highlighting the requirements and obligations under REACH.
As FIDE has no permanent establishment in Brussels, FIDE’s interests are represented bydelegates, voluntarily placed at FIDE’s disposal from German member, VDDI, and Italianmember association, UNIDI, ensuring continuity in the CEN TC 55 ISO TC 106. In questionsof standardization and regulatory affairs, FIDE works successfully with other key Europeanindustry associations, notably through the long-standing cooperation with EUROM VI.
All pertinent information and documents resulting from these sessions may be viewed on theFIDE Website under Regulatory Affairs.
EDI-Dent
EDI means „Electronic Data Interchange“, a data exchange via computer systems for business process. With this system the partner companies can exchange orders, invoices, delivery orders and other documents. EDI is open for all manufacturers. Condition of participation is an own ERP (enterprise resource planning system).Each company which wants to participate in EDI-Dent must use special software. Detailed information are available on the common website
EDBC
The European Dental Business Committee (EDBC) is a joint body composed of the executiveboards of FIDE and the Association of Dental Dealers in Europe, ADDE. This body meetsannually, most recently on November 21, 2007in Parisat the ADF-Congress. Themeetings serve as an exchange of experiences and opinions on topics which are relevant toboth manufacturers and trade. Discussions and debates focus on potential joint measures inreaching common goals. Recurring themes are bar-coding, value added tax, water quality,waste disposal, questions of technical law and regulation and the international exhibitionschedule.
On the agenda in Paris were concerns about the current EU measures for the use ofamalgam and the Electronic Data Interchange for Dental Businesses, EDI. FIDE offered areport on the idm activities including international trade fairs.
Market Survey
The Survey 2007 EUROPEAN DENTAL TRADE SURVEY (MARKET TRENDS) is now in itstwelfth consecutive year of publication. DENNIS CARROLL, Chairman of the FIDE Working
Group Market Statistics, together with DR. ULRICH WANNER, Secretary-General of ADDE,have undertaken the supervision and completion of this valuable industry publication. In thisjoint effort, data submitted by the member associations of both ADDE and FIDE have beensynthesized.
The cost of production has remained steady, allowing the 2007 version to be offered at thesame price as in the previous years. The Survey is available to ADDE/FIDE members at theprice of € 65, and to non-members at the price of € 260. More information, with a preview,is available on the FIDE website:
WEBSITE
Features include the following:
All information on the website is publicly accessible.
NEWS page with the latest press releases on member association activitiesand exhibitions.
An international DENTAL EXHIBITIONS and MEETINGS Calendar.
A comprehensive REGULATORY AFFAIRS page.
User-friendly and colourful, with graphics and photos.
Additional convenient LINKS.
FIDE HEADQUARTERS
The General Secretariat of FIDE is located in the heart of Europe in Cologne, Germanythrough the auspices of its member association, VDDI. The FIDE headquarters team worksin the interests of their member associations, carrying out the day-to-day business of FIDEand Executive Committee directives, in addition to the coordination and execution of liaisonand logistical matters. The Secretariat maintains editorial responsibility for the Website and isalso responsible for public relations.
FIDE
Federation of the European Dental Industry
Aachener Strasse 1053-1055
50858 Cologne
GERMANY
TEL: +49 (221) 500 687 0
FAX: +49 (221) 500 687 21
EMAIL:
Web: