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European Scientific Diving Panel (ESDP) database for the recognition of national licences for scientific diving in European countries.



ESDP member countries:
Belgium Finland France Germany Italy Sweden United Kingdom 
Please not that this database is based on the input of the different EU countries itself. We explicitely ask all European countries to make contributions to this database. The here mentioned organisations are listed to the best knowledge of the ESDP but may reflect also national contrubutions which are NOT based on general national agreements in the respective countries.

We therefore explicitely ask national institutions / organisations which do not agree with the listed  informations for their countries to provide alternative informations on the status of scientific diving in their countries. Such informations can be send via e-mail directly to the ESDP via info@scientific-diving.eu or can be provided by our web-interface here

To the Homepage of the European Science Foundation - Marine Board click here

Country Scientific diving is  regulate by: ESDP member status Officialy designated expert(s)  and authority (if implemented) responsible for scientific diving in country National certification organisation / authority  for scientific diving National gouvernmental agency providing the legal background for scientific diving National licence for scientific diving. National regulation ESD/AESD issuing authority respectively authority providing national equivalence list to ESD/AESD. Level of acceptance of scientific diving licences (i.e.  ESD/AESD certificates) of other European countries  Additional  remarks Last modified according to national contributions on x by (y):
Austria
 - -
 Österreichisches Zentrum für Forschungstauchen

Homepage: http://www.forschungstaucher.at/index.html

Contact person (s):
 Albert Rechberger (office@forschungstaucher.at)
- - -
-
 - -  -
Belgium

   - Full Member Belgium Working Group on Scientific Diving

Homepage: -


Contact person:
Alain Norro (A.Norro@mumm.ac.be)

Type of authority:
NGO established by 'aquatic field' related Belgian Universities and research laboratories. Additional members of the authority are two operators of national and regional research vessels and a representative of the Belgian Navy. The working group has been created at the Belgian Federal level under the Federal Public Service Belgian science policy.		 under discussion under discussion under discussion under discussion under discussion under discussion   under discussion
Bulgaria

 Bulgarian National Association of Underwater Activity (BNAUA) nominated by law At level of negitiations started autumn 2009 in order to obtain full membership in ESDP Bulgarian National Association of Underwater Activity and Institute of Oceanology – BAS

Homepage:
BNAUA: http://www.bnaua.org
BAS: http://www.io-bas.bg

Contact person (s):
Dr. Ilia Krastev: krastev@io-bas.bg
none There is no govermental agency but the Bulgarian National Association of Underwater Activity issues CMAS Scientific Divers certificates none CMAS Scientific Diver standards are accepted as national standards.
none Equivalents to CMAS Scientific Diver standards are accepted Although there are no governmental regulations, scientific divers have been used in Institute of Oceanology as an instrument in various scientific experiments and underwater investigations scince 1969   16.02.2011
(I. Krastev)
Cyprus
 - - Contact person (s):
  1. not yet available
 - - - -
- - -  
Czech Republic
 - - Contact person(s):
  1. Zdenek Duris (zdenek.duris@osu.cz)
 - - - -
- - -  
Denmark
 - - Contact person(s):
  1. Torben Malm (tma@kuas.dk)
  2. Jens Auer (auer@hist.sdu.dk)
 - - - -
- - -  
Estonia
 - - Contact person(s):
  1. Georg Martin (georg.martin@ut.ee)
 - - - -
- - -  
Finland
 Law (Finnish Ministery of Education) Full member Finnish Scientific Diving Steering Association (Suomen tutkimussukelluksen ohjausyhdistys)

Homepage:
www.tutkimussukellus.net

Contact person:
Jouni Leinikki (jouni.leinikki@alleco.fi)

Type of authority:
NGO established by the Finnish scientific diving community. The FSDSA is recognised by the National Examination Board for Professional Diving as the advisory body for matters of scientific diving.		 Examination board for professional diving

Contact person:
pekka spinkkila@tuakk.fi

Type of authority:
Nationally legalised authority by the Finnish Ministry of Education		 Finish Ministery of Education National licence: "Tutkimussukeltaja"
 (A subtype of the professional SCUBA diver class, compatible with the International Diving Schools Association (IDSA) Level 1 certificate (see example here).



National regulations:
VEDENALAISEN RAKENTAMISEN JA TUTKIMUKSEN
TURVALLISUUSOHJEET 3.5.2009
(available upon request from the Finnish Scientific Diving Steering Association-)


English version: Safety intructions for Underwater Construction and Research May 3rd, 2009 (not yet available as full-text translation),		 Finnish Scientific Diving Steering Association

Contact person:
Jouni Leinikki (jouni.leinikki@alleco.fi)

Application form available at:
Upon request from the Finnish Scientific Diving Steering Association

Type of ESD/AESD certification:
  • Personalised ESD/AESD cards.
  
ESD/AESD certificates of EU countries listed as full members in this equivalence list are fully accepted as scientific divers. 		  
France
 Law (Ministery of labour) Full member Comité National de la Plongée Scientifique (CNPS)

Homepage: (click here)

Contact Person:                                         Jean-Pierre Féral                     (jean-pierre.feral@univmed.fr)

Type of authority:                             
Large scale research facility

CAH
(Certificat d'Aptitude à l'Hyperbariedelivered) by INPP
  		INPP
(Institut National de la Plongée Professionnelle)
http://www.inpp.org		 CAH
(Certificat d'Aptitude à l'Hyperbariedelivered) after a specialized training course for scientific diving		 Law of the 28th march 1990 (+ amendments)

- a new decree was published on January 2011; new policy and rules will be published by the end of 2011 or at the beginning of 2012		 Not directly nowadays, but present French regulation corresponds to a minimum of the AESD standard Equivalent to ESD, but a special demand, through the ministery of culture, is needed
 The new decree gives more liberty and responsabilities to the research organisms which will write the new rules taking more directly into account the foreign countries. 15.02.2011 (J.-P. Féral)
Germany
German flag		 Law (German Federal Minister for Labor and Social Affairs - BAMS) Full Member German Commission for Scientific Diving (Kommission Forschungstauchen Deutschland - KFT)

Homepage:
www.forschungstauchen-deutschland.de

Contact Person:
Philipp Fischer (philipp.fischer@awi.de)

Type of authority:
Professional organisation legalized by the German Ministery of Research and Education and the Examination board for scientific divers 		Examination board for scientific divers within the statutory accident insurance

Contact person: 
Dipl. Ing. Frank Werner (frank.werner@bg-bau.de)

Type of authority:
Statutory accident insurance (legalised by the German Ministry for Inner Affairs).
 German Federal Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) National licence:
Geprüfter Forschungstaucher (certified scientific diver). A subtype of the "German  certified professional diver" (see example here).

Dive mission leader (Taucheinsatzleiter).  Certified by the German Commission for Scientific Diving.
National regulations:
GUV-R 2112 - Einsatz von Forschungstauchern (download here)

English version:
GUV-R 2112 - "Operation of Scientific Divers (download here)		 German commission for scientific diving (KFT)

Contact person:
Philipp Fischer (philipp.fischer@awi.de)

Application form available at: click here


Type of ESD/AESD certification:
  • Personalised ESD/AESD certificates (see example here)
  • Personalized ESD/AESD cards (see example here)
 1) ESD / AESD certificates of EU countries listed as full members in this equivalence list are fully accepted as scientific divers.

2) Other national licences may be accepted upon request.		 - 
Greece
 Not yet regulated on a national level none No national organisation but on institute  level by the Helenic Center for Marine Research (HCMR)

Homepage:
http://www.hcmr.gr

Contact person
George Petihakis (pet@her.hcmr.gr)

Type of authority:
National research institute
No national organisation but on institute  level by the Helenic Center for Marine Research (HCMR)

Homepage:
http://www.hcmr.gr

Contact person
George Petihakis (pet@her.hcmr.gr)

Type of authority:
National research institute		 There is no govermental agency, but HCMR provides legal background for scientific diving through a legal document between Ministry of Economics & Maritime and Ministry of Education None None
 ESD/AESD is not yet issued. ESD/AESD certificates of EU countries are not yet accepted on a national level. However, ESD/AESD  certificates might be  accepted on an institute level.   HCMR has setup scientific diving regulations which will very soon become a legal document. 15.02.2011 (G. Petihakis)
Hungary
 - - Contact person(s):
  1. Attila Toth (attila.toth@koh.hu)
 - - - -
- - -
Ireland
 - - Contact person(s):
  1. Paul Ryan (pr@iol.ie)
 - - - -
- - -
Italy
 - Member Contact Person:
Giorgio Caramanna (giorgiocaramanna@yahoo.it)
 Name of national organisation

Contact person:

Type of authority: 		National licence: National regulations:

English version:
 Name of national organisation

Contact person:

Application form available at:

Type of ESD/AESD certification: 		     
Latvia
 Not regulated on a national level - Contact person(s):
  1. Vadim Yermakov (vadim.yermakov@lhei.lv)
 - - - -
- - With respect to scientific diving, Latvia is closely associated with Finnland. Scientific diving training in Latvia is mostly done in cooperation with Finnish training centers for scientific diving.
Lithuania
 - none
 Coastal Research and Planning Institute, Klaipeda University

Contact person(s):
Dr. Martynas Bucas (Martynas@corpi.ku.lt)

 - - - -
No  -   -
Luxembourg
 - - Contact person (s):
  1. not yet available
 - - - -
- -   -
Malta

 - - Contact person (s):
  1. not yet available
 - - - -
- -   -
Netherlands
 Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment - Contact person (s):
Dr. Fleur VanDuyl (duyl@nioz.nl)
Dr. Martin Manders (M.Manders@racm.nl) 		- Ministry of Education, Culture and Science - -
- - In The Netherlands, scientific diving is basically restricted to  commercial divers.
However, the Dutch Law for Labour under pressure (PARTS) in some way allow scientists and student to do diving labour also with sport diving certificates or other training. For details, see the respective Law for Labour, Ad1. here.
Poland
 - - Contact person:
Dr. Waldemar Ossowski (w.ossowski@cmm.pl)
 - - - -
- - -
Portugal
 - - Contact persone(s):
  1. Manuel Biscoito (manuel.biscoito@mail.cm-funchal.pt)
 - - - -
- - -
Romania
 - - Contact person (s):
  1. not yet available
 - - - -
- - -
Slovakia
 - - Contact person (s):
  1. not yet available
 - - - -
- - -
Spain
 - - Contact person(s):
  1. David Villegas Rios (chirleu@gmail.com)
  2. Manuel Martin-Bueno (mmartin@posta.unizar.es)
 - - - -
- - -
Sweden
 Law Full member Swedish Scientific Diving Committee 

Homepage: -

Contact Person:
roger.lindblom@gu.se

Type of authority:
NGO, authorized by the Swedish Armed Forces.		 The Swedish Armed Forces

Contact person:
n/a

Type of authority:
National authority 		- National licence:
"Swedish Scientific Diver - basic level" (Svensk Vetenskapsdykare - basnivå)
 National regulations:
Will be published to the end of 2009

English version:
Will be published to the end of 2009
 The Swedish Armed Forces after approval by the Swedish Scientific Diving Committee

Contact person:
roger.lindblom@gu.se

Application form available at:
Upon request from the Swedish Scientific Diving Committee

Type of ESD/AESD certification:
  • Certificate stating the equivalence of the national certificate to the ESD Standards 
  • Alternatively an ESD certificate / card will be issued.
 - Sweden will have a  new Ordinance for professional diving in late 2009. The  information given in this document reflects the intention of the Swedish Scientific Diving Committee rather that the actual legal situation. For more informations and update, please contact Roger Lindblom (roger.lindblom@gu.se).
United Kingdom
 The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE)  www.hse.gov.uk/diving Full member UK National Environment Research Council (NERC) and UK Scientific Diving Supervisory Committee (SDSC)

Contact Person:
Dr Martin Sayer (Martin.Sayer@sams.ac.uk) - elected representative of  NERC and SDSC  
 		UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE; www.hse.gov.uk/diving)

and

UK Scientific Diving Supervisory Committee (SDSC; www.uk-sdsc.com)		 UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE; www.hse.gov.uk/diving) Any CMAS 3* equivalent qualification plus an HSE Diving at Work medical or national equivalent (non-UK medicals must have been performed by a doctor at least 3 months before starting work in the UK). 

Full list of approved qualifications can be at www.hse.gov.uk/diving /qualifications/approved.htm

 All diving at work must comply with the UK Diving at Work Regulations (www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi /1997/2776/contents/made); scientific and archaeological diving at work should adhere to the Scientific and Archaeological Approved Code of Practice (www.hse.gov.uk/pubns /priced/l107.pdf)
 UK Scientific Diving Supervisory Committee (SDSC; www.uk-sdsc.com) Both ESD and AESD are fully accepted licences to dive at work in the UK and are approved by the UK HSE.   none 15.02.2011 (M. Sayer)
Associated countries
Israel

 - Member
Contact Person:
Dan Tchernov (dani@vms.huji.ac.il)
-
- - - - - -
Candidate countries
Croatia
 Not yet regulated on a national level None
Contact Person:
  1. Luka Bekić (director@icua.hr)
none
 Ministry for science, education and sport none none none ESD/AESD certificates of EU countries are not yet accepted on a national level but by some research institutions. -