General Assembly 2025 in Sibiu

Originally planned to take place in Israel, due to the presidency of Emil Koifman (SEEEI, Israel), the General Assembly was moved – after careful consideration – to the country of the President-Elect Dr. Daniel Costianu (AIEE, Romania) because of the difficult circumstances caused by the war in Israel. The General Assembly was held in a hybrid format in order to accommodate the scheduling changes.

Important items on the agenda included the adoption of the 2026 budget and of course, the election of the EUREL Executive Committee and EUREL Board of Directors. During the General Assembly, Markus B. Jaeger (VDE, Germany), Peter Reichel (OVE, Austria), and Marcel Stöckli (Electrosuisse, Switzerland) were re-elected to the EUREL Executive Committee. Markus B. Jaeger and Marcel Stöckli were confirmed as members of the EUREL Board of Directors, with Markus B. Jaeger being re-elected as EUREL Chairman of the Board of Directors. Congratulations for the election! 

Another important item on the agenda was the appointment of the next President for 2026/2027 - César Franco from the Council of Industrial Engineers, Spain (CGCOII). This was iniitated and proposed by EUREL Chairman Board of Directors Markus B. Jaeger. 

His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the engineering profession in Europe, as the continent addresses shared challenges in the electrical, electronic and IT domains:

• The green energy transition and electrification of transport demand resilient grids, intelligent infrastructure, and highly skilled professionals.
• Europe’s industrial and technological sovereignty hinges on innovation in semiconductors, microelectronics, and digital manufacturing.
• The fast evolution of AI, cybersecurity, and data ecosystems calls for trustworthy, interoperable and secure digital systems at all levels.

"Engineers are essential to Europe's future. We are not only building the infrastructure of tomorrow, but also shaping the ethical, sustainable and digital transitions of our time. EUREL has the mission — and the responsibility — to bring our shared knowledge to the centre of European decision-making," stated César Franco.

With a background in Electrical and Automation Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, and executive training in strategy and innovation at IMD Business School, Franco has developed a dual career in technology and institutional leadership. He has held senior roles at companies such as HP, DXC Technology and IDEA TSG, and has led national initiatives related to engineering education, industrial standards, and talent development.

As President-Elect of EUREL, he will work to reinforce the role of engineers in shaping Europe’s industrial strategy, foster collaboration between member countries, and amplify the voice of the profession in the major technological transitions ahead.

At the General Assembly in Vienna on 27 September 2024, Dr. Daniel Costianu (AIEE, Romania) was unanimously elected as the new EUREL President for the term 2025/26, succeeding Emil Koifman (SEEEI, Israel).

A true “EUREL product,” Costianu first joined the network in 2011 as a student participant in the International Management Cup and later served as Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Young Engineers Panel (YEP). He is co-founder and board member of AIEE, and works as Project Manager at Siemens Energy Romania with nearly two decades of experience in energy projects in Romania and the Republic of Moldova.

Daniels priorities will include:

• strengthening the role of young engineers within EUREL,
• fostering technical cooperation and knowledge exchange across member associations,
• focusing on energy transition, grids, and renewable technologies,
• and raising the visibility of engineers in European decision-making.

Also on the agenda was the presentation of the new Young Engineers Panel (YEP) Board. The new team – Marcel Pawlik (SEP, Poland and Chairman of YEP), Florentina Grosu (AIEE, Romania and Vice-Chairwoman of YEP) and Sérgio Lopes Ribeiro (OE, Portugal and Vice-Chairman of YEP) – introduced themselves, with Florentina present on-site in Sibiu. A strong focus was placed on the support of Young Engineers and the organization of events for the next generation within EUREL.

The Romanian hosts not only provided excellent support for the Assembly itself but also organized a memorable social programme. Delegates visited the “ASTRA” National Museum Complex, one of Europe’s largest open-air museums, and enjoyed a social networking evening together with Romanian friends.