COTEC

International affiliations

Council of Occupational Therapists for the European Countries (COTEC)

Improving standards of professional practice and education across Europe

COTEC is the European organisation for all occupational therapists through their National Associations, with the purpose of promoting and supporting the mobility of individuals within Europe and increasing visibility of the profession. COTEC was established in 1986 with the purpose of co-ordinating the views of the National Associations of Occupational Therapy within Europe. The aim of COTEC is to enable National Associations of Occupational Therapists in Europe to work together to develop, harmonise and improve standards of professional practice and education, as well as advance the theory of Occupational Therapy throughout Europe.

COTEC now represents 27 European Countries and more than 120,000 occupational therapists

COTEC publishes a European Code of Ethics and an annual summary of the profession, which is been recorded and archived for the last 20 years.

The full council meets twice a year for two days to discuss and co-ordinate the work agreed in the action plan (see attached document). Each member association takes the opportunity to host a meeting and in return we try to meet with the Political figures within the country to support and promote the role of Occupational Therapy locally.

Occupational therapy profession in Europe 2010

Download the summary of the occupational therapy profession in Europe 2010

COTEC has an executive that meets two times a year to address ongoing work within COTEC

The council is divided into four work streams, the executive, EU group, professional practice and organisational group. Each has clear aims and objectives to meet and report back to the wider group on the progress in each area. Comprehensive minutes are taken by the secretariat (currently managed by the UK) to keep each member association up to date on progress on the work of the organisation. Its member associations, who pay an annual fee, finance COTEC’s work. The fees are based on their membership numbers and have a sliding scale, so as to encourage membership from all associations regardless of size.

Forthcoming meetings

Autumn 2010 - Helsinki, Finland
Spring 2011 - Slovenia (to be confirmed)
Autumn 2011 - Athens, Greece
Spring 2012 - Stockholm, Sweden
Autumn 2012 - Brussels, Belguim
Spring 2013 - Denmark (75th anniversary celebration)

COTEC vision statement

Visible and valued occupational therapists throughout Europe!

COTEC mission statement

COTEC is the European organisation for occupational therapists through their national associations.
COTEC promotes and supports the development, mobility, use and practice of occupational therapy in all the European countries.

COTEC reports