ELA

What is ELA?

The European Logistics Association (ELA) is a federation of over 35 national logistics associations, covering nearly every country in Europe. By working together through their respective associations, these professional organisations serve the needs of European logistics practitioners.

ELA was founded in 1984, with the aim of facilitating and co-ordinating the activities of the national associations. It has a particular focus on education and certification.

As a formal European body, ELA provides the logistics profession with a European voice at international level.

Through its member associations, ELA has regular contact with over 50,000 senior logisticians across Europe.

The Mission of ELA

The mission of ELA is to provide a link and an open forum for individuals and associations concerned with logistics in Europe. It achieves this by:

 

·         being a European „focal point“ for logisticians

·         representing logistics interests to the European Union, National Governments, Education Authorities, Industry and Commerce

·         developing a European „body of knowledge“ by tracking developments in all parts of the world

·         initiating and supporting research in logistics

·         facilitating communication between the member countries of the European Community, by formulating standards and encouraging their acceptance

The organisation of ELA

The full members elect in the annual general assembly the board. Board members operate in ELA Committees and these committees are supported by the ELA

office.

How contact ELA?

ELA has an office and secretariat located in Brussels:

 

European Logistics Association (ELA)

Kunstlaan 19 Avenue des Arts

B-1210 Brussels (Belgium)

 

Tel          (+32) 2 230 02 11

Fax         (+32) 2 230 81 23

E-Mail   ela@elalog.org

 

www.elalog.org

The Activities of ELA

European Conferences and Workshops

Eurolog

Every year ELA organises a European conference in co-operation with one of the member associations. These conferences focus on a mainstream logistics theme, and have gained the reputation of being major and prestigious events in Europe.

 

 

European Award for Logistics Excellence

The ELA Award for Logistics Excellence is presented to an organisation or individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the logistics profession.

Entries describe a logistics project that has been implemented by an organisation. The criteria used to select the winner of the Award are designed to encourage entries from organisations of all sizes, as well as from individuals.

The Award is made annually and is presented at one of the major logistics conferences.

The ELA Committees

Research and Development Committee

Maintains close contacts between ELA and other organisations (including universities) that carry out logistics research.

Vocational Education and Training Committee

Co-ordinates, develops and co-operates with the European certification programme. It promotes the use of multi-media technology by developing „virtual education programmes in logistics“.

EU Relations Committee

Brings logistics issues to the attention of the EU and acts as a „think tank“ for the EU authorities. The members of this committee and other ELA members participate in steering groups and

working groups of EU projects.

Standardisation Committee

Develops logistics norms and standards in co-operation with CEN (European Committee for Standardisation) and the national standardisation institutes.

Surveys

ELA initiates surveys throughout Europe on subjects that are of importance to logisticians and governments, industry and universities. They are carried out in co-operation with major European commercial organisations and logistics associations.

Publications

“ELA focus”

Three newsletters a year give the latest news on the activities of the member associations and the ELA committees. The newsletter can be found on the ELA website.

The Journal “Supply Chain Standard”

This journal is produced by a leading publishing house and contains a section exclusively for ELA. Individual members of national associations receive this journal free of charge.

Dictionary for European Logistics

The multi-lingual ELA dictionary offers the basis for the standard interpretation of logistics terms.

Education. Research and Development Programs of ELA

ELA Educators’ Day

Every second year (even years) ELA organises a major conference devoted to education and logistics.

Professors from universities  across Europe participate in a series of presentations on logistics topics, followed by a detailed discussion. The papers from these conferences are published by ELA, and form an important part of the logistics body of knowledge that is being developed. In addition, participants of these conferences are provided with a valuable opportunity to network with their peers, and to establish the nature of logistics research and other work being carried out in European universities.

Representatives from commercial companies and other organisations are invited to these events to encourage the exchange of views and experiences between universities and industry.

ELA Training Day

Every second year (odd years) ELA organises a seminar dedicated to new developments in training. This seminar does focus on the practitioners in logistics, training bodies, Certification bodies, programme developers, Human Resource manager and others. Embedded in the Eurolog conference, the ELA Training Day gives an extra dimension to the conference.

Doctorate Workshop

During a one-week workshop, graduate students and their professors discuss the results of their work and exchange views and experience on their logistics research.

ELA publishes a report of this Doctorate workshop.

Research

ELA conducts and publishes educational surveys in various fields of logistics. In co-operation with selected universities and other research institutes, ELA carries out research projects that cover the latest developments in logistics.

Standards

ELA keeps various universities up-to-date with developments in logistics and provides information on material being taught elsewhere, with a view to raising European standards.