The Federation of the European Ergonomic Societies (FEES) is an umbrella organization for - at present - 20 National Societies throughout Europe, which represent in total about 6,000 active ergonomists.

 FEES decided to organize the First FEES-European Conference on Ergonomics/Human Factors (EHF) during the Belgian Presidency of the European Union, fall 2010.

 Belgium has been from the very beginning active in the establishment of the EU and is, with some other EU countries, also a pioneer in enhancing the citizens' quality of life by incorporating ergonomics into its prevention policy since 1978.

 Because of its central position in Europe and the travel facilities from and to other member states, the country is well situated for this Conference initiative.

 In the last decennia contemporary ergonomics/human factors (EHF) has evolved into an innovative, integrating discipline using a systems approach, which strives:

• to solve quality of life problems for individuals
• to improve the economic status of enterprises and/or industrial systems
• to enhance the socio-economic efficiency of compensating bodies.

As such EHF serves as an added and impact-enlarging value to the diverse disciplines involved. It integrates well-being, productivity, efficiency, the concern of absenteeism (diseases-health, injuries-safety) and unemployment compensation issues in one systematic approach.

 Its field of application concerns all activities in which humans are active.

The choice of the Conference topics focuses on a major strategic and political priority concerning employment and the economic and socio-economic issues. The topics will highlight the scientific and practical relevance of the (demographic) ageing problem.

The Conference addresses the problems of quality of life threats which the EU society faces at present and will face in the forthcoming decades. As emphasized in the renewed Lisbon strategy, the Conference keywords are "growth and jobs", with special attention to ageing and gender. The Conference takes on the challenges which confront policy-decision-makers, scientists and ergonomists (scientists and practitioners).

The Conference objectives can serve to create a platform for developing decisions about risk management, growth and employment.

"Ageing" will be the "red-thread" throughout the conference program especially in terms of scientific and practical aspects in different applications: risks in man-machine-environment interfaces (such as transport, maintenance, emergencies), in securing jobs and employment, paying attention to re-employment and rehabilitation and in new work-forms and contents (e.g. ICT related) of which the implementation risks for elderly are not yet known.

The organizing committee is well aware of the size of the problem and aims during this 3-day Conference to open cooperative pathways for the three substantial partners: policy-decision-makers, ergonomic scientists and practitioners.

The political statements (part 1) bring the vision of strategy-making authorities and the ergonomics scientists will bring the latest state-of-the-art knowledge about age-related problems. The practical experiences (part 2) will disclose the issues in the field and, during the discussion forums in four groups (part 3), the different opinions can be put together leading to the development of ideas for future work, for future research - Framework Programs - and a politically informed platform.

The Conference will end with the plenary presentations of the group conclusions, concrete recommendations and a general final statement.

Kamiel. Vanwonterghem                                                                                                                                                     Pieter Rookmaaker

V.Prof. Dr. Erg. & Hum. Ecol.                                                                                                                                               V.Prof. Ir.

Conference Chair                                                                                                                                                                 President FEES