Engineer (Architect, Civil Engineer, Land Surveyor etc.)

The Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber Law grants powers for the issuance of a licence to practise the profession in any field of engineering science to physical persons or legal entities (e.g. Limited Liability Company).

Any person may be included in the Members’ Registrar of the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber’s if he/she:

• holds a diploma or university degree or other comparable qualification in any field of the Science of Engineering, which permits him/her to practise the profession in the country in which it was obtained and which is recognised by the Chamber in accordance with the Law or the regulations pursuant to the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber’s Law;
• is a citizen of the Republic of Cyprus or on the date of submission of the application is the spouse of a citizen of the Republic of Cyprus and has his/her usual residence in Cyprus, or is a citizen of an EU member state who is established in the Republic;
• is above 21 years old;
• has not been previously convicted to a crime;
• for registration in the fields of Architecture including Landscape Architecture and Civil Engineering including Landscape Engineering, in addition to the above, one year’s practical work is required following the obtainment of the qualification mentioned in above.

The application for registration to the Members’ Register of ETEK can be submitted electronically here (available in Greek, for English please use Google Chrome’s (internet browser) “Translate” option or similar).

Contact Details of the competent authority:

Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber
P.O.BOX 21826, 1513 Nicosia
Tel. + 357 22877644
Fax. + 357 22730373
Email: cyprus@etek.org.cy
Website: https://www.etek.org.cy

1. The application should be accompanied by the following documents:

   • copy of Identity card or Passport of an EU member state;
   • copy of “Registration Certificate of a Member State Citizen” (for EU member state citizens) by the Civil Registry and Migration Department;
   • copy of University Degree/ title of studies;
   • copy of Transcript of Academic Records;
   • certificate of other Engineering Science Associations the applicant is a member of;
   • certificate of Competent Body or Authority stating that the qualifications of the applicant allow him/her to practice the profession in the country of issue without any limitations;
   • copy High School Diploma;
   • certificate stating that the applicant has adequate knowledge of the Greek language in order to practice the profession in Cyprus* (for EU member state citizens);
   • 2 recent passport size photos;
   • registration fee of €55 (either by cash, cheque, credit card, online payment, or bank transfer) per field applied for.

   *An acceptable level for language proficiency purposes is considered to be level 3 (or higher of the School of Greek Language of the University of Cyprus. Otherwise, for the purpose of ascertaining language proficiency, an oral interview is held in which the ability to communicate orally is established.

   Additional supportive documents/certificates (where applicable):

   In case of registration of a civil engineer or an architect the following must be attached:

   • certificate of one year practical training under the supervision of a civil engineering or architect (respectively). The practical training certificate form is available on the website of ETEK.

   Ιn case of registration of an electrical engineer, you should be aware that:

   • annual Registration Certificate (for the registration of an electrical engineer who holds a Certificate of Competency)**.

   **On the basis of Regulation 53 (14) (a) of the Electricity Regulations 1941 – 2019, no one has the right to exercise the profession of an electrical engineer unless he/she holds the corresponding annual Registration Certificate, issued by the Department Electrical and Mechanical Services provided that he/she has acquired a Certificate of Competency (First, Second or Third Grade) (Regulation 53 (14) (b)). For more information, follow the link “Provision of Electrical Services ” in the “Related Links “.

   In case the applicant is not an EU member state citizen but married to Cypriot/EU member state citizen the following must be attached:

   • wedding certificate.

    

The registration fee of €55 must be paid with the application.

Upon approval, the applicant needs to pay the following fees to the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber:

• annual Professional Licence: €30;
• annual Subscription for members s under the age of 30: €35;
• annual Subscription for members over the age of 30: €90.

Administrative Action against a Competent Authority’s Decision

Any person may file an Administrative Action at the Administrative Court against a decision, act, or omission of any competent authority or body.

Pursuant to Article 146 of the Constitution, an Administrative Action may be lodged within 75 days from the date of the decision or act or omission or from the day when such decision or act or omission was notified to the applicant.

The Administrative Court acts as a cassation Court and not as a substantive Court. In other words, the Administrative Court may:
I. Dismiss the Administrative Action
II. Annul wholly or partially the contested decision or act
III. Compel the relevant authority or body to take a certain action

After a decision is annulled, the authority and/or public body must reverse things back to the state prior to when the concerned decision and/or act was executed and reexamine.

Appeal Information

An Appeal may be filed against the Administrative Court’s first-instance decision within a period of 42 days from the date such a decision was given.

At the Supreme Court (Court of Appeal Section) hearing, the contested issue of the appeal remains the legality of the decision or act already adjudicated. However, such a revision of the legality of the decision or act is solely examined on the matters and the extent that the two parties have limited the reasons in the relevant notice of appeal.

The decision adopted by the Supreme Court is considered final in relation to the matter that has been judged.

• The Cyprus Scientific Technical Chamber Law

Registered engineers are obliged to comply with the provisions of the ETEK Law, the Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics, as periodically amended. Indicatively, the following information is provided below:

Implementation of Code of Conduct – Assignor’s Authorization

According to Regulation 4(2) of the Code of Conduct of the Members of the Cyprus Scientific Technical Chamber Regulations “a project may be assigned only on the basis of a written authorisation by the assignor, in which the fee must also be stated”. Read more herein.

With a view to application of the above provision, the Legislator has introduced into the Roads and Buildings (Amendments) Regulations of 2000 [AA 148/2000] reference to the above document of the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber. Engineers wishing to obtain Assignor’s Authorizations must dispatch to the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber the relevant application (see related documents), suitably filled in.

Implementation of Code of Ethics – Terms and limitation in advertising – Prohibition on touting and unfair advertising

The Code of Ethics of the Members of the Cyprus Scientific Technical Chamber, lists a series of permitted action that Members can refer to in order to promote and / or advertise their professional activities. Specifically and under the restrictions stated in the Code, the Members have the right to:

• inform the public of their professional mission statements, advances and achievements;
• reply to questions raised in technical or other press;
• utilize mass media in order to publicize their opinion on technical or other issues;
• print and distribute business cards or other documents which may include their name and address, as well as professional qualifications and activities;
• publicize the establishment of their technical office;
• issue public announcements to recruit personnel;
• inform the public of their absence abroad to participate in scientific conferences.

Furthermore the following activities are also permitted:

• publicize and distribute brochures, as long as the Member, if requested, is in position to document the validity of the information presented;
• register announcements in phonebooks or other catalogues, in national or international directories of professionals or services;
• provide information regarding professional activities of the Member or the consultancy firm;
• launch a professional website, which can hold the name of the Member or the consultancy firm.

In general, the Code of Conduct allows lawful advertisement, publicity and promotion of professional activities, both within the Republic and abroad, within the regulated by the Code framework, in a respectful and dignified way. However, no advertising action should be:

• untrue, misleading or self-praising;
• include references or comparisons to other Members or consultancy firms, regarding the quality of the service provided, or the quantity of professional work, or fees and rewards involved;
• offend, lower, underestimate, discredit or criticize, either directly or indirectly, any other Member or consultancy firm;
• include name of clients without their written approval;
• repeated so frequently or in such magnitude as to exceed the limits and the rationale indicated by the professional practices;
• include references to specialization in certain domains of professional activities.

Furthermore, Regulation 7(1) states that the members shall be bound:

• not to tout or permit touting for custom, directly or indirectly, and not to permit any member of their staff to proceed to such actions;
• not to pay money or offer any kind of fee or commission or consideration, directly or indirectly, to any person with a view to touting for any custom or business on their behalf;
• to declare to their potential assignor any existing professional interest, which, if not declared, could give rise to doubts as to their professional integrity owing to their link to the potential professional obligation;
• not to use or permit any other person to use, directly or indirectly, agents or brokers with a view to exercising influence and assigning business to them or to reward any person with a view to securing their custom;
• not to accept work which involves receiving payment on the basis of brokerage, commission or on discount, and not to accept gifts or commission from any person related to a project or its execution.

Regulation 7(2) states that, without prejudice to the generality of the previous provisions, the Members must not tout or permit touting for business in the following ways:

• by an unsolicited offer of their services in any way, and in particular by visiting the assignor for this purpose or by submitting drawings to potential assignors without having been requested to do so;
• by seeking to secure a contract by reducing their fee, after having been informed of the fee that has been set for another colleague;
• by letters, circulars, publications in the press or announcements on the electronic media.

Regulation 7 states that the members must avoid direct or indirect self-advertisement and not do or cause or permit anything to be done, the main object of which would be their personal or professional promotion or advertisement.

The Disciplinary Board

With a view to exercising control and disciplinary power over the members of the Chamber, the Disciplinary Board (DB) has been set up. This is composed of the President of the Chamber, as Chairman, and nine other members of the Chamber, of whom six must have at least ten years of professional practice in a field of engineering science. The members of the Disciplinary Board are elected for a three-year term of office by the entirety of the registered members of the Chamber.

The disciplinary procedure is curried out by one of the three Divisions, which is composed by three members of the DB (chairman and two members), as defined and constituted by the plenary session. The Divisions may decide to send cases, which they consider to be of particular importance to the Chamber, to be investigated and concluded by the plenary session of the DB.

The plenary session of the Disciplinary Board has the power to refer Disciplinary cases, related to activities of members of Cyprus Scientific Technical Chamber, for hearing either before the plenary DB or one of the (3-membered) Divisions of the DB. The decisions, both of the plenary board and the Divisions are taken by simple majority vote.