News in 2023 
	   
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	FIG President Diane Dumashie attends the Belgium Surveyors Celebration 
	of the Belgium Parliament Vote
		Brussels, Belgium 7 March 2023
		President, Jean-Yves Pirlot, Belgian Union of Surveyors (UBGE), 
		invited FIG President Diane Dumashie  to celebrate the Belgian 
		Parliament vote to create the Legal Belgian Chamber of Property 
		Surveyors.
		This is a historic moment that will after due processes create a 
		full-fledged chamber of property surveyors, called Ordre des 
		Géomètres-Experts. This ultimately will ensure that Belgian 
		property Surveyors are fully recognised in the statute books. 
		
			
				
				  
				From left to right: J Derwael, D Dumashie, M Vandershueren  | 
				
				
				 
				Several FIG members celebrated the event, here  J Pirlot,  J Derwael, M 
				Vanderschuren 
				 | 
			
		
		This is the result of decades of work for both the three national 
		associations and the civil service, working in partnership.   Involving 
		consultation across a wide stakeholder community, then drafting the 
		required text for the parliamentary vote and associated bureaucratic 
		processes. The next step is to draft the detailed text of the 
		Royal Decrees which will need to pass through subsequent levels of the 
		Belgian government. 
		Once the appropriate Decrees are ultimately signed this will ratify the 
		establishment of the Belgian Chamber of Property Surveyors (in Flemish: 
		Orde van Landmeters-Experten/ French: Ordre des Géomètres-Experts/ 
		German: Kammer der Landmesser Gutachter) and matters will be complete.
		To celebrate this milestone moment, a banquet was organised at the Club 
		Prince Albert, Brussels.  Attended by 60 surveyors from all of the 
		Belgium national associations with professionals drawn from all the 
		regions together with guests from the wider European region.
		The guest of honour, the Minister for Professions, David Clarinval, 
		opened with congratulatory words, “I sincerely congratulate the involved 
		professional associations for this achievement. It was not easy, it took 
		us to much time but now that we have reached the goal, we have to make 
		sure that the Ordre will become a powerful tool for better regulation. 
		The Ordre must guarantee the high quality standards required for 
		property surveying.”
		Followed by FIG President Dumashie who stated that “This moment is 
		testament to the high regard that the surveying community is held in 
		government and also across Belgium society.”
		CLGE President Vladimir Krupa reinforced the importance of this event, 
		and celebrated that one of CLGE’s member and a FIG member has achieved 
		such an honoured status 
		Underlying the importance of our connected profession, President 
		Dumashie was so pleased to meet Belgium surveyor members who are also 
		FIG friends and colleagues. Their contribution is so very much 
		valued not only at their country and regional level but also through FIG 
		on a global level.
		Foremost, President Jean-Yves Pirlot, who is congratulated on 
		organising such a good event.  And in addition recognising others 
		who are involved Marc Vanderschueren (President of FGF), Francis Gäbele 
		and Jan De Graeve. Further it was such a pleasure to meet UBGE 
		members formerly involved in FIG, in particular Jean Jacques Derwael 
		(formerly Comm 5 pictured above) as well as Axel Annaert. Of course, 
		this engagement is impossible without the steadfast support of the 
		Belgian National Associations of Property Surveyors.
		In recognition that the success of this major milestone comes about due 
		to hard work and patience from many, our FIG community applauds you and 
		gives heartfelt congratulations.
		 
		 
		Diane A Dumashie 
		March 2023