Spring is in full swing in the Northern hemisphere and with it the summer plans are starting to get drawn. In three months from now the skis will be put aside for rock shoes and rock climbing and summer alpinism will replace skiing and ice climbing.
We would like to remind potential customers that mountain guiding in the main destinations in Europe is a regulated profession and as such only mountain guides with recognised professional credentials are entitled to offer commercial services in these territories.
The simple fact of having a mountain guiding certification in the home country of a person does not translate immediately in the right to work as mountain guide in a destination country. Sometimes such credentials are not accepted by the host country or even if they are accepted further registration may be needed. Employing the services of a mountain guide whose credentials are not recognised in the host country could lead to the interruption of the tour, usually the guide being held for questioning by the authorities, the coverage of client’s insurance voided as well as potentially loosing the right of reimbursement for the interrupted tour.
It is important that the guide is clear to the clients both regarding her/his right of work in the host country, the diploma recognition as well as the prerogatives (an aspirant guide has limited prerogatives compared to a fully certified guide and certain countries do not recognise the right of work of foreign aspirant guides). It is equally important that the clients inform themselves as well and independently check the credentials of their guides.
Below is a list of main summer destination countries in Europe and the relevant regulations for guiding: France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia and Slovakia.
FRANCE
– Recognised mountain guide credentials: French diploma (ENSA) or IFMGA diploma
– Other necessary documents for the guide: Liability insurance and prior declaration (European Professional Card – EPC or Carte Professionelle)
– Aspirant guide status: only Aspirant guides with credentials from DDCS/DDJS have the right of practice and only with limited prerogatives
– Where can a client check the status of a guide or ask further details about prerogatives: Ecole Nationale des Sports de Montagne http://www.ensm.sports.gouv.fr/ for foreign diplomas or season guides and for established guides in France Portail Public des Educateurs Sportifs http://eapspublic.sports.gouv.fr/CarteProRecherche/Recherche
ITALY
– Recognised mountain guide credentials: Italian diploma or IFMGA diploma or equivalent (French DE Alpinisme – ENSA)
– Other necessary documents for the guide: Liability insurance and prior declaration (European Professional Card – EPC or permanent establishment in Italy)
– Aspirant guide status: only Italian certified Aspirant guides have the right of practice and only with limited prerogatives
– Where can a client check the status of a guide or ask further details about prerogatives: Dipartimento per lo Sport https://www.sport.governo.it/it/ and Colegio Nazionale Guide Alpine Italiane https://www.guidealpine.it
SWITZERLAND
– Recognised mountain guide credentials: Swiss diploma or IFMGA diploma or equivalent (French DE Alpinisme – ENSA)
– Other necessary documents for the guide: Liability insurance and prior declaration (SBI/SETI/SEFRI or permanent establishment in Switzerland)
– Aspirant guide status: only IFMGA certified Aspirant guides have the right of practice and only with limited prerogatives
– Where can a client check the status of a guide or ask further details about prerogatives: Schweizer Bergführerverband / L’Association suisse des guides de montagne https://sbv-asgm.ch/fr/
AUSTRIA
– Recognised mountain guide credentials: Austrian diploma or IFMGA diploma or equivalent (French DE Alpinisme – ENSA)
– Other necessary documents for the guide: Liability insurance and prior declaration (European Professional Card – EPC or permanent establishment in Austria)
– Aspirant guide status: only IFMGA certified Aspirant guides have the right of practice and only with limited prerogatives
– Where can a client check the status of a guide or ask further details about prerogatives: Verband der Österreichischen Berg- und Skiführer https://www.bergfuehrer.at
SLOVENIA
– Recognised mountain guide credentials: Slovenian diploma or IFMGA diploma or equivalent (French DE Alpinisme – ENSA)
– Other necessary documents for the guide: Liability insurance and prior declaration (European Professional Card – EPC or permanent establishment in Slovenia)
– Aspirant guide status: only IFMGA certified Aspirant guides have the right of practice and only with limited prerogatives
– Where can a client check the status of a guide or ask further details about prerogatives: Združenje gorskih vodnikov Slovenije (ZGVS) https://zgvs.si
SLOVAKIA
– Recognised mountain guide credentials: Slovak diploma or IFMGA diploma or equivalent (French DE Alpinisme – ENSA)
– Other necessary documents for the guide: Liability insurance and prior declaration (European Professional Card – EPC or permanent establishment in Slovakia)
– Aspirant guide status: only IFMGA certified Aspirant guides have the right of practice and only with limited prerogatives
– Where can a client check the status of a guide or ask further details about prerogatives: Národná asociácia horských vodcov Slovenskej republiky http://www.nahvsr.sk
For informations regarding IFMGA certified guides from the following countries where the profession is not regulated: Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, Cyprus, Ukraine you can also contact the East European Mountain Guides Association www.eemga.org
A list of all IFMGA member associations which are the standard point of inquiry about any IFMGA guide is available here: https://ifmga.info/members
An IFMGA Mountain Guide can lead, teach support and train clients in trekking, rock climbing, alpinism, ice climbing, ski off piste and ski touring, snowshoeing, glacier travel, high mountains. Canyons are permitted only with additional qualifications in certain countries.
UIMLA Mountain Leaders have competences limited only: “to lead, teach, support and train clients, paying or otherwise, to all areas in all seasons, including snow covered terrain, except glaciers and or where the techniques of roped climbing/alpinism are required for progression. Glaciers may only be crossed where they form part of a nationally/internationally accepted and waymarked walking route and the use of a harness and rope is not necessary for progression. All forms of skiing are not permitted. Snowshoeing is permitted.”
Alpine Club / UIAA certified leaders are not recognised as professionals and are not permitted to teach, lead, train the above activities for a fee or in a commercial setting.
