EUROPEAN REGISTER OF EXERCISE PROFESSIONALS

Introduction

The European Register of Exercise Professionals operates across the geographic area of Europe and is based on technical criteria and operating standards developed through wide international cooperation. Many other countries around the world and individual exercise professionals look to EREPS and the European Health and Fitness Association (EHFA), who develop the standards, as a model and way of working which provides a way of global communication and understanding for the fitness sector. EHFA hosts an annual international standards meeting which is attended by experts from around the world and this forum allows for closer levels of understanding and cooperation. Details are available at www.ehfa.eu

EHFA has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Trust with five of the main USA certification bodies and this allows for better understanding and recognition of the equivalencies of certification standards given to exercise professionals. This enables greater mobility for exercise professionals.

Many international operators and fitness organisations also understand the concepts of common standards and practices and the recognition of individual achievement by exercise professionals through the process of registration such as with EREPS. Some of these include:

There are also opportunities for closer collaboration with training organisations around the world and some of these seek EHFA accreditation (approval) so that they advertise and promote harmonisation and the fact that their programmes give added value through wide international recognition. In Canada CanFitPro have had their fitness instructor programme EHFA accredited, and are also promoting the start of a national registration process. In Russia the Fitness Professionals Association have also been EHFA accredited. In November 2012 the American Council on Exercise (ACE) became the first major US certification body to become EHFA accredited.