3. Professional ethics

The case of Quebec illustrates that the existence of a professional order – and a code of ethics having the force of law – is not necessarily a sufficient condition to avoid breaches of ethics by members of a profession. On the other hand, it does highlight the existence of professional forums where professional ethics are discussed by and for engineers. At a time when the idea of creating an order of engineers in France is resurfacing – an idea that was abandoned in the 1940s – how are engineers organized in France and elsewhere? How do they express a collective voice, particularly with regard to the ethical and deontological standards of their profession?