• The Geotechnical Chamber of Greece is a Public Sectors Corporate Body which is supervised by the Hellenic Ministry of Rural Development and it was founded in 1971, by the legislative edictal 943/1971. It is self managed, self funded and its purpose, organization, management and operation are outlined at a series of laws and legislatives edictal as Law Number N. 1474/84.
  
• Geotechnical Chamber of Greece (G.C.G.) is a public service, which role is to enhance and promote the scientific knowledge in the fields of agriculture, animal breeding, forestry, fishery, mining and water resources management, in order to intervene and guide the evolution in the above mentioned fields of knowledge.
  G.S.G. is the advisor-by-law of the Hellenic State when it comes to matters of economic and social development of the country, always trying to take into account the environmental factor, its respect and its protection.
  G.S.G. is also the scientific and professional organisation for the scientists of the above mentioned specialities, making efforts to defend and promote their economic status, their professional assuring and protection and their social acceptance and appreciation.
  
• Members of the G.C.G. are ALL the university graduate geotechnicals (Agriculture Engineers, Forest Engineer, Veterinarians, Geologists and Ichthyologists).
  Members must have the Greek nationality or the nationality of a country - member of the European Union. Today the number of G.C.G. members is estimated to 34.648 approximately.
  
• As far as the organizational structure of our organization (national and regional) is concerned, at the top of the administration pyramid of G.C.G. is the Administration Board which consists of 15 members (5 agriculture engineers, 3 forest engineers, 3 veterinarians, 3 geologists and 1 ichthyologist). The Board is helped in its work by the G.C.G. Service. The Service is divided into six departments (Department of Studies and Documentation, Department of Publications & Public Relations, Department of Professional Affairs, Department of Economics and Accounting and Department of Logistics & Personnel), with the Manager of G.C.G. as the supervising authority. The G.C.G. has also an Independent Legal Consultancy Office. The Administration Board has the ability to constitute any committee or technical group necessary to achieve its goals.
  
• In every one of the ten branches of G.C.G. there is an Administrative Committee at the top, consisting of 11 members (4 agriculture engineers, 2 forest engineers, 2 veterinarians, 2 geologists and 1 ichthyologist). This Committee is supported in its work by a Secretariat and five Scientific Committees (one for every scientific branch, with five members each).
  The Administrative Committee may also constitute any other committee or technical group necessary for supporting its work.

CENTRAL OFFICES

Venizelou 64, 546 31 Thessaloniki,
Tel.: +30 2310 278817-8, 236379
Fax: +30 2310 236308
Email: info@geotee.gr

BRANCH OF THRACE
El. Venizelou 65, 681 00 Alexandroupoli,
Tel. & Fax: +30 25510 31571
Email: thraki@geotee.gr

BRANCH OF EASTERN MACEDONIA
El. Venizelou 55, 654 03 Kavala,
Tel.: +30 2510 222942,
Fax: +30 2510 231505
Email: geoteeam@otenet.gr

BRANCH OF CENTRAL MACEDONIA
El. Venizelou 64, 54631 Thessaloniki,
Tel.:+30 2310 265468 & 221726,
Fax: +30 2310 265468
Email: geotekma@otenet.gr

BRANCH OF WESTERN MACEDONIA
Pandoras 2, 501 00 Kozani,
Tel. & Fax: + 30 24610 26443
Email: k_geotee@otenet.gr

BRANCH OF EPIRUS & IONIAN ISLANDS
Korai 4, 454 44 Ioannina,
Tel.: +30 26510 31427 & 21927, Fax: +30 31 31427
Email: geoteeip@otenet.gr

BRANCH OF CENTRAL GREECE
Kapsouri 4, 41222 Larisa,
Tel.: +30 2410 627142 & 627143, Fax: +30 2410 627143
Email: geotee_l@otenet.gr

BRANCH OF EASTERN CONTINENTAL GREECE
Didotou 26, 106 80 Athens,
Tel.: +30 210 3618118 & 3604993, Fax: +30 210 3605436
E-mail: geoteeath@otenet.gr

BRANCH OF PELOPONNESE & WESTERN CONTINENTAL GREECE
Gerokostopoulou 24, Georgiou Square, 262 21 Patra,
Tel.: +30 2610 621346, Fax:+30 2610 222377
Email: geotepel@otenet.gr

BRANCH OF AEGEAN ISLANDS
El. Venizelou 11 - 17, 811 00 Mytilini,
Tel. & Fax: +30 22510 28729
Email: geot-aeg@otenet.gr

BRANCH OF CRETE
Iraklio Center A1 Building, Yiamalaki 50, 712 02 Herakleio,
Tel.: +30 2810 343906 & 223303, Fax: +30 2810 223303
Email: geoteepk@otenet.gr

• The Administration Board has the final word on all the matters concerning the G.C.G., on a national and international level. It is elected for a three-years period, with elections held in a national level among all the members of G.C.G.
  In its work is supported by the G.C.G. Service, which has the responsibility for carrying out all the decisions of the Administration Board. The Administrative Committee of each regional branch is elected for the same three-years period as the central Administration Board, with elections held among the members of G.C.G. in that particular region and has a decisive role for all the matters concerning its region. The five Scientific Committees of each Administrative Committee are also elected in the same elections. Their role is to consult and support the work of the Administrative Committee for issues concerning their own scientific field.
  
• The annual subscription for our members is approximately 15 euros applied to all members, with no exceptions. This price includes any information or consulting needed by our members, along with the subscription to GEOTECHNIKI ENIMEROSI and GEOTECHNICAL SCIENTIFIC ISSUES, which are the two periodical publications of G.C.G.. The first is published every month and the second every four months. These publications are available to anyone (i.e. non members), as long as the subscription is paid. For persons who are not members of the G.C.G. the annual subscription is approximately 2 euros, for the companies is approximately 50 euros and for the students is approximately 10 euros. Other type of events offered to our members Meetings, conferences and congresses of scientific or economic interest, on regional or national level, are organised quite often, having as a goal the exchange of ideas and the suggestion of solutions for many problems concerning the economic and social development of the country.
  
• The major question, in which our efforts were focused the recent years, is the assuring by law of the professional rights of our members.
  Other activities include consulting the state about various law proposals concerning the economic and social development of the country and also education and training of our members via seminars, conferences and congresses.
  

3. Third World / Development
Geotechnical Chamber of Greece in order to promote its one presence and the presence of its members is positive to participate in programs like INTERREG IV.

The BRANCH OF EASTERN MACEDONIA has participated in the previous INTERREG.
The proposed project, that we expected be approved, reflects the joinlty identified need to link the Market needs with the central planning on human resources development & to set joint, high standards on qualifications of scientists, member of our Chamber (Agriculture Engineers, Forest Engineers, Veterinarians, Geologists and Ichthyologists), that provide Civil protection related services. This need initially became evident since Bulgaria became a member of EU, creating the conditions for an Open Market. The lack of a Proffessional Association for promoting the rights and representing similar groups of Professionals in Bulgaria makes it more difficult for the Geotechnical Proffesionals to meet the requirements of the Open Market. Additionally, since the human capital of the cross-border area is identified as one of its most valuable assets for ensuring and promoting sustainable development, the upgrading of the qualifications level of these professionals has been set as a major priority, especially when talking about the qualifications required to prevent, manage and confront natural disasters across borders.

These have been the basis for starting a new partnership between the Interbalkan Institute for Public Administration (GR) and the Institution of Public Administration (BG), that have already successfully implemented cross-border training projects for civil cervants, and have an adequacy in managing joint training activities in the eligible areas. These bodies formed a partnership with the Geotechnical Chamber of Greece which promotes Geotechnician's professional and social status. Prefecture of Thessaloniki was invited to participate as the Local Administration Body responsible for the activation, exercise, and harmonization of environmental policies in the area of Thessaloniki that has succesfully implemented relative training programmes. Finally, the Balkan environment Center was invited to join the partnership as a Scientific/Technical Expert. Participating partners shaped the project idea and contributed to the project's design through joint efforts.

Different types of disasters as floods, pollution, fires and erosion occur in transboundary terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Their protection, management and restoration requires crossborder joint actions. Geotechnicians of the crossborder area need to have high skills and expertise for taking immediate actions before, during and after disasters. Skills required to prevent, manage and confront these disasters must be qualified up to specific high standards for Geotechnicians across borders. This will increase the capacity to provide joint, better coordinated cross border actions. Lack of these high standard skills may lead to weakness to protect natural resources. Stakeholder analysis in the Nestos riverbasin identified the need for training Geotechnicians to obtain skills related to natural disasters as a major factor to prevent and confront these disasters. In Danube riverbasin professionals are regularly trained to prevent and confront river pollution & to manage water resources.

Theodoros A. Markopoulos
Regular representative of Geotechnical Chamber of Greece in CEDIA