Beda presses EC for unified design strategy

The Bureau of European Design Associations claims it is a step closer to achieving its aim of a coherent design strategy for Europe, after securing verbal support from the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso. Beda representatives met with the EC president in Lisbon, Portugal, earlier this week.

Michael Thomson, president of Beda, says he is ‘very optimistic’ about the outcome of the meeting and the EC’s agreement to support design at European level.

Recommendations emerging from the meeting include the creation of a European comparable system of design activity across EU states making it easier to show the economic benefits of design, as well as ensuring levels of funding for design across EU countries is consistent. Other recommendations include the setting up of a European-level design policy advisory group, as well as a mapping and review of the European design sector that could lead to standardisation across the Continent.

The timescale for change, Thomson says, is immediate. Two key meetings have already been set up with unnamed EU representatives this week, and are scheduled to take place over the next two months.

‘Beda is now at the stage of engaging with potential stakeholders and getting the right buy-in to take matters forward,’ says Thomson.

Beda has long called for a single design front to face competition from countries like China and Korea that already have detailed design strategies.