The European Federation for Welding, Joining and Cutting (EWF) is an organization dedicated to education, training, qualification and certification in the field of welding and related technologies.
History In 1992, welding course providers of several EU countries wanted to harmonise their education, training, qualification and certification procedures. Thus, they set up the European Federation for Welding, Joining and Cutting (EWF). The objective was that the same qualifications could be awarded in any country by using a single syllabus for each level of the training course and a harmonized system for examinations. EWF developed a comprehensive and harmonized system for training, qualification and certification of welding personnel and managed its application ever since. It took a leading role in the innovation of learning methodologies. It is also responsible for the certification system of companies that use welding, focusing on quality, environment, health, and safety.
The challenges addressed by EWF are two-fold: Respond to the industry's professional profile requirements and provide courses that leverage current technological trends and their impact on evolving lifestyles and information acquisition patterns.
Currently (2018), EWF has members from 28 European countries and two observer members from outside Europe, represented by their national welding societies: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, as well as Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation.www.ewf.be/members.aspx
EWF/IIW network The federation licensed its qualification system to the International Institute of Welding (IIW) in 2000. Since then, a combined EWF/IIW qualification and certification system has been implemented worldwide. Under this harmonised system, all IIW Authorised Nominated Bodies (ANBs) also operate as EWF ANBs within their respective scopes of authorisation. As of today, the system is delivered through 27 EWF ANBs and 40 IIW ANBs, supported by more than 500 Approved Training Bodies (ATBs), and is offered in 46 countries worldwide.
+EWF Authorised Nominated Bodies Country ANB Website Chief Executive Austria Schweisstechnische Zentralanstalt (SZA) http://www.sza.at Katharina Umlaub Belgium Association Belge du Soudage / Belgische Vereniging voor Lastechniek http://www.bvl-abs.be Frank Duponcheel Bulgaria Bulgarian Welding Society http://bws-bg.org/en/ Stanislav Nikolov Croatia Hrvatsko Društvo za Tehniku Zavarivanja http://www.hdtz-cws.com/ Slobodan Kralj Czech Republic Czech Welding Society ANB http://www.cws-anb.cz Václav Minařík Denmark FORCE Technology http://www.force-cert.dk Niels Ovesen Finland Suomen Hitsausteknillinen Yhdistys http://www.shy.fi Juha Kauppila France Association Française du Soudage http://www.afs-asso.org Philippe Lebeau Germany DVS PersZert http://www.dvs-ev.de Martin Lehmann Greece Welding Greek Institute https://www.wgi.gr/ Georgia Kolyva Hungary Hungarian Association of Welding Technology and Material Testing http://www.mhte.hu László Gyura Italy IIS CERT srl https://www.iis.it/ Emanuele Gandolfo Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Welding Association (Kazweld) http://kazweld.kz/en Rustambek Abdurakhmanov Netherlands Nederlands Instituut voor Lastechniek http://www.nil.nl Tim Liefaart Norway Norwegian Welding Association http://www.sveis.no Bjørnar Værnes Poland Łukasiewicz – Górnośląski Instytut Technologiczny – Centrum Spawalnictwa http://www.is.lukasiewicz.gov.pl Michał Kubica Portugal Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade (ISQ) http://www.isq.pt Anabela Costa Romania ASR Cert Pers https://asr.ro/ Horia Dascău Serbia DUZS-CertPers http://www.duzs.org.rs Vencislav Grabulov Slovakia Výskumný ústav zváracský http://www.vuz.sk Peter Durik Slovenia Slovensko Društvo za Varilno Tehniko http://www.drustvo-sdvt.si Miro Uran Spain Asociación Española de Soldadura y Tecnologías de Unión (CESOL) http://www.cesol.es Juan Vicente Rosell Sweden Svetskommissionen http://www.svets.se Elisabeth Öhman Switzerland Schweizerischer Verein für Schweisstechnik https://www.svs.ch/ Daniela Grütter Türkiye TR-ANB by Gedik Education and Social Assistance Foundation & Turkish Welding Technologies Academy https://tr-anb.org Emre Tuğberk Gülnergiz Ukraine Paton Welding Institute Training and Qualification Centre http://muac.kpi.ua/ Yevgenia Chvertko United Kingdom TWI Certification Ltd. https://www.twicertification.com/ Emma Freckingham
The network also includes 55,000 companies worldwide.
A certification system has been developed to guarantee manufacturer compliance with EN ISO 3834 and environmental and health safety schemes and its implementation is harmonized within EWF members.
Organization The EWF has a General Assembly, a Board of Directors, a Secretariat and a Technical Committee with five working groups.
The EWF is governed by the General Assembly, which is representative of the member organizations. The General Assembly, composed of the members of the association, has full powers to accomplish the objectives of the association.http://ewf.be/organisation1.aspx: General Assembly
The General Assembly is responsible for electing its president and a Board of Directors. +EWF - Presidents List since 1992 until presentNameYearsOrganisationCountryBent Koch1992FORCE TechnologyDenmarkJean Quéré1993-1995IS - Institut de SoudureFranceJ. van den Brug1996-1998NIL - NEDERLANDS INSTITUUT VOOR LASTECHNIEKThe NetherlandsGiulio Costa1999-2001IIS - ISTITUTO ITALIANO DELLA SALDATURAItalyJan Pilarczyk2002-2004IS - Instytut SpawalnictwaPolandGerman Hernandez2005-2007CESOL – Asociación Española de Soldadura y Tecnologías de UniónSpainTim Jessop2008-2010TWI - The Welding Institute United KingdomDorin Dehelean2011-2013ASR - Asociația Română de SudurăRomaniaHenk Bodt2014-2016NIL - NEDERLANDS INSTITUUT VOOR LASTECHNIEKThe NetherlandsChris Eady2017-2019TWI - The Welding InstituteUnited KingdomMichal Kubica2020-2022IS - Instytut SpawalnictwaPolandStefano Morra2023-2025Istituto Italiano della Saldatura IISItaly +EWF: Board of Directors (2025)NameEWF PositionPosition in EWF Member OrganisationCountryStefano MorraPresidentTechnical Manager at Istituto Italiano della Saldatura IISItalyImre NémethVice-PresidentDirector at NIL (Nederlands Instituut voor Lastechniek)NetherlandsRute FerrazChief ExecutiveEWF Chief Executive/Management TeamPortugalMartin LehmanDirectorHead of Training and Certification in DVS e.V. and CEO of DVS ZERT GmbHGermanyClare McGrathDirectorCSWIP Scheme Manager & Head of Personnel Certification at TWIUnited KingdomFernando MañasTreasurerGeneral Director of CESOL (Asociación Española de Soldadura y Tecnologías de Unión)Spain
The Secretariat is elected for a period of 5 years by the General Assembly from among the proposals made by the full members, in accordance with the criteria established by the General Assembly. [http://ewf.be/organisation4.aspx : Secretariat] +EWF - Executive Management Team (2025)NamePositionProfessional SummaryRute FerrazGeneral ManagerManages the International System for Qualification and certification of Personnel and Companies, since 2002 and is EWF Lead Assessor. Mrs Ferraz has an international professional career of over 25 years in Quality Management in Italy, Brasil and Argentina and at present also is Director of the Training Department at ISQ – Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade.Eurico AssunçãoDeputy DirectorDeputy Director of EWF as well as an invited lecturer at Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, in Laser Processing. Mr Eurico Assunção holds a degree as Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Welding Engineering, from the Cranfield University and a European and International Welding Engineer Diploma. Is responsible for the Collaboration Projects of EWF and has coordinated more than 20 large projects involving organisations from all EU. Also manages the Joining Platform, as a sub-platform within the EU Platform “Manufuture”. The EWF Technical Committee is set up by the General Assembly to cover a technical area related to training, qualification and certification in the welding and joining fields, implying a continuous activity, without any time limit, and consists of the Chairman, the representatives of the members and Working Groups.http://ewf.be/organisation5.aspx : Working Groups
+EWF - International Joining Qualification and Certification Council (2025)CouncilTerms of ReferenceConvenorIJQCCThe EWF International Joining Qualification and Certification Council - IJQCC, is set up by the General Assembly for covering several areas of competence: Standardization, Certification, Training and Qualification in the welding, joining and cutting fields and EWF System Rules. Each area of competence consists of several working groups implying a continuous activity, without any time limit. It consists of the Chairman of the Technical Committee, a convenor per area of competence and the representatives of the members and Working Groups.Juan RosellTraining and QualificationDevelops, maintains and updates the EWF System for Qualification of Personnel to keep it consistent with the European rules and industry needs, assure consistency of the overall EWF system and keep liaisons with the personnel certification schemes.Philippe LecaCertificationDevelops the strategy for the EWF System for Certification of Personnel and Companies in line with the European Standards, directives and industry needs; assures consistency of the EWF Certification Schemes with EU legislation.Emanuele GandolfoStandardizationIdentifies the welding standards which are worthy to the EWF members; not only related to the certification/qualification of welding and inspection personnel as well as schemes for the certification of FPC and another European standards/directives that might have a direct influence in the activities carried out by the EWF members. Assists EWF members in implementing and developing new areas of intervention related to standards/directives.Tobias RosadoEWF System RulesEnsures the update of EWF rules and requirements for Personnel Qualification and Certification (PCS) according to the EWF developments; develops the EWF Operational System documents depicting the EWF organizational structure and terms of reference for each body.Italo FernandesEuropean Union ToolsEU Projects, collaboration between European Organizations, EU Rules and instruments. Assist EWF members in developing project proposals and facilitate the dissemination of upcoming European project calls.Eurico Assunção
Key activities
Education, training and qualification of personnel The EWF qualification system has several types of professional training covering welding, bonding and related techniques. This harmonized system of education and training has been adopted by IIW as an international qualification system since 2000. Its relevance has been recognized both by ISO and CEN, which have EWF as a liaison member. These different technologies, like particular processes, require that the quality of the product be incorporated during the and maintenance, and cannot be ensured only by final testing. That entails personnel with particular high level of knowledge, skills and competencies, which can be obtained through the EWF qualification system.
There are three pillars which support the EWF Harmonized International Qualification System:
Technical Committee: Harmonized qualification guidelines, rules and procedures are developed and approved by all members The National Member: is responsible for the supervision and implementation of the system through the Authorized Nominated Body (ANB) The Approved Training Centers: Approved Training Bodies (ATBs) implement the qualification guidelines