Composition of the Belgian Commission of Psychologists
What our plenary assembly is about
Under the 1993 Act, the Commission of Psychologists is made up of 16 representatives of the professional federations (four-year term of office) and is chaired by a professional from the legal profession.
On this basis, the ComPsy has set up a plenary assembly which is currently made up of 45 members from the professional federations of psychologists (FBP, APPPSy and UPPSY) to represent the different sectors of psychology (Research and Education, Work & Organisations, Clinical and Educational). It is chaired by a lawyer. Members are divided into three categories: full members (who have the right to vote), advisory members (who do not have the right to vote but give their opinion) and substitute members (who have the right to vote only if the full member is unable to attend). The Plenary meets every three months.
The 1993 Act has been amended, in particular to formalise the Plenary Assembly. It will now be called the ‘Assembly of Representatives’ and will consist of 12 members elected from the list of psychologists (= list in four sectors). The President will be elected from among these 12 members. It will meet six times a year.
An executive committee
Within the Plenary Assembly, there is a "Bureau" (executive committee) composed of the president of the Plenary Assembly (or the vice president), a treasurer, a secretary, and three other members.
Until the reform of the legal framework of the Commission, a lawyer appointed by the Minister served as the president of the institution, working alongside the members of the Bureau.
In future, the Bureau will be composed as follows: from among the 12 members elected at the Assembly of Representatives, a President, a Vice-President, a Treasurer and a Secretary will be elected. The law as amended also stipulates that the Bureau must meet at least ten times a year.
To carry out the tasks of the Bureau of Psychologists, the Bureau may hire staff.
At present, staff members are involved in the following areas:
- Administrative (information and registration on the ComPsy list)
- Communication / Press contact
- Ethics
About our disciplinary bodies
Comprising the Disciplinary Council and the Appeals Council, these bodies are responsible for ruling on any ethical violations committed by a psychologist registered on the list of the Commission of Psychologists. The Disciplinary Council makes rulings in the first instance, and the Appeals Council hears cases in the second instance if an appeal is made against the decision.
The Disciplinary and Appeal Boards are each composed of a French-speaking and a Dutch-speaking chamber. Each chamber is composed of three full members and three substitute members who are elected from the list of psychologists registered with the Commission des psychologues. Each chamber is also made up of an effective president and a substitute president who are either an effective or honorary magistrate, or a lawyer with at least five years' registration on the roll and belonging to one of the two Orders (Orde van Vlaams Balies or Ordre des Barreaux francophone et germanophone). The chairmen are appointed by the competent minister. Lastly, the disciplinary bodies are assisted and supported by a clerk (a clerk for the Dutch-speaking chambers and a clerk for the French-speaking chambers).
In future, disciplinary bodies will also be assisted by a legal assessor and one or more deputy assessors. The alternate assessor(s) will be appointed by the competent minister from among magistrates or lawyers who have been registered with the Ordre des Avocats for more than ten years.
