SERVICES TRADE RESTRICTIVENESS

INDEX

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

ARCHITECTURE

Russell V. Keune

Architect, USA

COMMENTS BASED ON PAST ROLES AS:

• Director, International Relations, American Institute of Architects

• Member, International Committee, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards

• Co-Director, Professional Practice Commission, International Union of Architects

COMMENTS

1. SOURCES OF ARCHITECTURE RELATED DATA

2. CONTENT RELATED TO ARCHITECTURE

3. THE STRI AS PRESENTED

4. USE, APPLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION

1. SOURCES OF ARCHITECTURE DATA

• LACK OF SPECIFICITY AS TO HOW THE DATA-BASE USED IN COMPILING THE STRI ARCHITECTURE ELEMENTS WAS ASSEMBLED.

– ANY INPUT TO THE “OECD REGULATORY INDICATORS QUESTIONNAIRE” FROM THE NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL OR REGULATORY BODIES IN OECD MEMBER COUNTRIES?

– WHO REPRESENTED ARCHITECTURE AT THE EXPERT’S MEETING?

• OVER-RIDING RESTRICTIVENESS ISSUE FOR ARCHITECTS IS THE ABILITY TO SECURE A LICENSE TO PRACTICE ARCHITECTURE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY.

• ISSUES RELATED TO THIS NOT SEEN IN THE CURRENT DOCUMENT INCLUDE:

GROWING IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURE GRANTED BY AN ACCREDITED SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE.

PROPER DOCUMENTATION OF POST-DEGREE INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE TO QUALIFY FOR LICENSURE EXAMINATION.

• REQUIREMENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN DOCUMENTED CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP AND LICENSURE.

• THE EXISTING STAND-OFF IN SIGNING MUTUAL RECOGNITION AGREEMENTS BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS HAVING NATIONAL BASED LICENSING SYSTEMS AND THOSE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS HAVING INDIVIDUAL STATE BASED LICENSING SYSTEMS.

• THE EMERGING ISSUE OF THERE BEING A STAFFED SECRETARIAT CAPABLE OF OVERSEEING AND MANAGING AN ONGOING LICENSING SYSTEM FOR FOREIGN ARCHITECTS.

3. THE STRI AS PRESENTED• Overall it does not contain surprising findings.

• From the architectural perspective, interesting anomalies. At the high end:CANADA: Among the first countries to negotiate and sign a mutual recognition agreement for architects (1994).

GREECE AND SLOVAK REPUBLIC: Both EU members and subject to the conditions of the EEC Architects Directive.

At the low end:UNITED KINGDOM: Confirms what they have been telling their

professional colleagues for a long period of time!

4. USE, APPLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION

• Unlikely that the proposed STRI will have a high level of application to, and/or use, by the architecture professional and regulatory bodies in the OECD member countries.

• Why?

• All are members of the International Union of Architects. They contribute to and use the existing International Practice Survey data base (91 countries) which documents numerous elements used in the STRI.

• Professional and/or regulatory bodies in all OECD member countries are engaged in some form of ongoing exchanges and negotiations related to cross-border practice.

• Architects’ Council of Europe, European Economic Community Architects DirectiveAustria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden and Turkey

• North American Free Trade Agreement, Tri-Partite NAFTA Agreement on ArchitectureCanada, Mexico and the United States of America

• Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Agreement on Architectural ServiceAustralia, Canada, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand and the United States of America

• A common form of international practice is to form a temporary joint project association with a locally licensed architect who then serves as the “architect of record”. Thus no need for the foreign architect to become licensed in the country where the project is located.

• International Union of Architects developing a model standard form of contract for use in such instances.

• Greater interest in a STRI as it would apply to other major national and regional architectural markets.

– Gulf States and Middle East

– Southeast Asia

– China

– Russia

– South America

– North and South Africa

• DISTRIBUTIONTo enhance understanding, use and application by the architectural professional and regulatory bodies, a few suggestions for the final document:

• Define/describe the OECD.• State the reasons for preparing this index.• Identify the intended user audiences.• Provide examples of how the index would be

applied.• Indicate if the OECD STRI might have future

applications to other countries.