Practicing International Mountain Leaders are current members of the British Association of International Mountain Leaders, and are issued a carnet annually. You can find further information about BAIML here:

In 2004 the Union of International Mountain Leader Associations (UIMLA) took over from and continued the work of the European Mountain Leader Commission (which founded the European Mountain Leader Award). At this time all participating countries agreed to change the title of their respective awards to International Mountain Leader (IML). Hence the EML became the IML and BAEML became BAIML. The remit of and standards for the IML award is based on the agreed ‘Community Standard’ that the European Mountain Leader Commission produced in 1992. These standards are included in the Community Standard for Conditions of Access to and Practice of the Profession of European Mountain Leader Award.

You can find out more about the Union of International Mountain Leader Associations (UIMLA) here:

The community is working in the domains of training and professional equivalences, through the Treaty of Rome and the Maastricht treaty, to achieve not just standardisation but harmonisation, so as to guarantee recognized professional capacities in the International Economic Space.
Taking up this objective, The International Mountain Leader Commission was set up in Autumn 1989, bringing together representatives from professional associations and organisations in Austria, Belgium, Spain, France, Great Britain, Ireland and Italy.
January 1992 saw the completion of work that is vitally important for several thousand International workers. While respecting the individual characteristics of each national and regional training system, the different signatories agreed to harmonise the content and levels of training. The content and levels are defined in this ‘Community standard for conditions of access to and practice of the profession of International Mountain Leader’.
The International Mountain Leader Commission believes that this agreement represents a step forward in various domains in the construction of the Community Space: professional harmonisation guaranteeing technical competence, a guarantee of quality for the customer-consumer, and finally protection of a fragile environment.
The Commission draws the attention of the different E.E.C. authorities and each Member State of the International Economic Space to its work, and expresses the desire that its work should be associated with the reflections, recommendations and instructions concerning this professional level and this area of activity.
The Rapporteur of the International Mountain Leader Commission,
Claude MOLINIER

The text of this community platform is followed by an agreement protocol relating to its content, ratified by the professional organisations constituting the International Guide Commission and the International Mountain Leader Commission.

CHAPTER 1 : GENERAL ARRANGEMENTS

Sub-chapter 1 : Rights and prerogatives of International mountain leaders

ARTICLE 1 :
Access to the profession of International mountain leader and the practice of the profession are subordinate to the arrangements hereinafter presented, that the activity of the professional may be practised as a principal or as a secondary profession, full-time or seasonally.

ARTICLE 2 :
1) The International mountain leader is authorised to take paying clients to all areas except on glaciers and where the techniques or materials of alpinism are required.
2) The International mountain leader can also operate on easy snow covered terrain, providing it is of a gentle, Nordic type in the "middle" mountains. In such cases consecutive nights will not be spent unless guardianed refuges are used.
3) The aforementioned activities are practised with respect to the prerogatives of the mountain guides as defined in article 3 of "the Community standard for conditions of access and practice of the profession of mountain guide".
4) All forms of skiing are not permitted.

ARTICLE 3 :
1) The trainee-International mountain leader, later called candidate-International mountain leader, may practice on the basis of legislative, regulatory or administrative arrangements in the country concerned.
2) The candidate-International mountain leader will be put under the supervision of a person holding the qualifications defined above.
Sub-chapter 2 : The authorisation to practice.

ARTICLE 4 :
1) The practice of the profession is subject to authorisation; this authorisation is issued by the national or regional authority having charge of the profession.
2) The administrative authorisation to practice attests to:

• the technical and professional ability
• the psycho-physical and character and suitability

ARTICLE 5 :
1) The technical ability is attested by:
the following of basic training corresponding to the Community Standard of the professional knowledge and capacities defined in the annex.
2) The psycho-physical aptitudes of the professional and the character and suitability requirements are attested according to the means defined by the national or regional authority having charge of the profession.

ARTICLE 6 :
1) the authorisation to practice mentioned in article 4 is provided in the form of a professional card validated annually, detailing:

• the name of the International mountain leader
• the forenames
• place and date of birth
• address
• nationality
• a personal photograph ( passport type)
• the date of award of the International mountain leader diploma
• the sticker or stamp of annual validation
• the name and address of the organisation providing the professional card

2) The professional card is awarded with respect to the regulation defined at article 5.
3) The authorisation to practice can be withdrawn, permanently or temporarily under conditions defined by the authority having charge of the profession.

Sub-chapter 3 : Miscellaneous arrangements

ARTICLE 7 :
The paid practice of the activities listed in Article 2 requires of the profession the obligation to subscribe to a public liability insurance covering the professional practice in all forms and on conditions defined by the authority in charge of the profession.

ARTICLE 8 :
1) The authorisation to operate freely within the system of an EEC State is recognised as valid by the other EEC States, providing that the training and assessment are in line with that proposed here.
2) For this to function effectively there must be a system of mutual recognition of International mountain leader qualifications between member States of the EEC.
3) For qualifications previously delivered, the Member States of the EEC must implement a procedure of equivalence in accordance to the community arrangements. The holders of these diplomas may continue to practice with respect to the prerogatives given by their initial training, unless they submit to the arrangements defined in the 2nd paragraph of the article 19.

CHAPTER 2 : ARRANGEMENTS RELATING TO THE COMMUNITY STANDARD OF THE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
Sub-chapter 1 : General

ARTICLE 9 :
1) The training has to be appropriate to the aptitude and ability which one would expect from one such professional in technical and teaching areas as well as safety and rescue in the mountains.
2) The level of professional training is defined by the common standard of the Member States of EEC. This standard is as defined in "Specification of Skills, Knowledge and Abilities" (annex).

Sub-chapter 2 : Entry requirements to the profession

Access to training requires the following:
1) Age limit : before commencing training be at least 18 years of age.
2) Character requirement :
- the requirements of good character and morality are attested by the production of a copy of the "casier judiciaire" or, lacking that, by any equivalent document provided by a competent authority of the applicants’ Member State.
- these documents should be dated no later than three months before the date of application.
3) Requirement of physical fitness to practice the profession : this is attested by a medical certificate indicating fitness to practice the profession, dated within three months of the date application for training.
4) Requirements of technical ability and mountaineering experience:
This will be defined by each individual country.

Sub-chapter 3 : Specification of the profession of International Mountain Leader

ARTICLE 11 :
1) The title International mountain leader indicates the completion of a structured professional training.
2) This training will allow the acquisitions of skills and knowledge as described in the annex.
3) This is controlled and measured by tests and exams.
4) With the exception of the foreign language test, no-one may enter the validation exam if they have not Already attended the appropriate training.

ARTICLE 12:
1) The training will consist of one or more practical courses which will cover different ways of exercising the profession.
2) All of the courses will be organised as defined in article 3 paragraph 2.
3) The activities of candidates must be recorded in a log book as defined by the authority in charge of the scheme in each country.
4) That authority will also determine the frequency and length of the training courses.

ARTICLE 13 :
The training will consist of theory and practical work. In all cases priority will be given to practical.

ARTICLE 14 :
As a minimum the training will include:

• the mountain environment
• the legal and economic matters
• party leadership
• teaching
• anatomy and physiology
• physical ability
• navigation
• weather
• mountain security
• rescue and first aid
• mountain survival/bivouacking
• expeditions
• snow covered terrain

ARTICLE 15 :
1) Each topic listed in 14 shall be examined separately or as part of a continous assessment.
2) It is essential that candidates pass an eliminatory examination in the undermentioned items, each of these being eliminatory.
3) These items are :

• teaching
• party leadership
• physical ability
• navigation
• security in the mountains
• snow covered terrain

ARTICLE 16 :
All training and exams must take place within a 5 year period.

ARTICLE 17 :
1) The organisation of courses will be determined by the relevant national or regional organisations – this will include length, duration and type of test, with respect to the arrangements defined in the annex.
2) The co-ordination and harmonisation of the training and its validation are encouraged by meetings organised by the authorities having charge of the profession in the Member States.

ARTICLE 18 :
The candidate-International mountain leader may attend any part of their training in a different Member State provided the systems of training in the two states are compatible.

CHAPTER 3 : TIMESCALE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE International STANDARD

ARTICLE 19 :
1) This text will come into effect on the 1st of January 1993.
2) An adjustment period will apply until the 1st of January 1996 so that holders of existing awards which do not meet all of the requirements of article 2, may, when this text comes into effect, complete their training in accordance to the specific regulations defined by the authority having charge of the profession.

SPECIFICATION OF SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES OF THE International MOUNTAIN LEADER

1/ THE MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT

(1.1) List of competencies
(1.1.1) The International mountain leader should have a good knowledge of

• a) mountain environments
• b) access to the mountains, and their conservation and protection.

(1.1.2) The International mountain leader should be able to pass on this knowledge to all types of groups.

(1.2) Nature of training (predominantly)

• theory for 1.1.1
• practical for 1.1.2

(1.3) Method of assessment : written and/or oral test.

2/ LEGAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION
(2.1) List of competencies
The International mountain leader should have a level of legal and economic understanding appropriate to the environment in which they will operate, whether as an independent or in a salaried position.
This understanding pre-supposes some prior knowledge.

(2.1.1) General information relating to legal matters in the following areas

• the regulation of the activity
  taxation and social security applied to the profession
• public and criminal responsibility
• insurance
  

(2.1.2) Elementary information relating to

• economic environment
• marketing as related to walking activities

(2.2) Nature of training (predominantly) : theory

(2.3) Method of assessment : written and/or oral test

3/ GROUP LEADERSHIP
(3.1) List of competencies
The International mountain leader should be capable of managing and enthusing a group in a mountain environment (whilst taking into account the objective and subjective dangers of walking in the mountains).
The ability to manage the group will in particular include :

• presentation of activity programmes
• organisation and control of the group
• adaptation of programmes to suit different groups.

(3.2) Nature of training (predominantly) : practical

(3.3) Method of assessment

• practical
• continuous assessment

4/ TEACHING
(4.1) List of competencies
As an "educator", the International mountain leader should have an understanding of the teaching methods which will enable the transfer of both knowledge and know-how in relation to the activities and environment.

(4.2) Nature of training

(predominately) :theory and practical

(4.3) Method of assessment :
Continuous assessment throughout the courses to establish that the leader can:

• effectively communicate knowledge and know-how.
• operate as an effective International mountain leader.

5/ ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
(5.1) List of competencies
The International mountain leader should have an understanding of anatomy and physiology as they relate to walking activities in mountainous country, particularly :

• physical preparation
• diet
• characteristics of mountain exercise
• tiredness and recuperation in the mountains
• the effect of mountains and altitude on the above

(5.2) Nature of training (predominantly):theory

(5.3) Method of assessment : written and/or oral test

6/ PHYSICAL ABILITY
(6.1) List of competencies
The International mountain leader should be capable of a high level of physical effort for a prolonged period.

(6.2) Nature of training (predominantly) : personal practice

(6.3) Method of assessment :
practical test, including :

• the ability to walk, on ground free of snow, for about 6 hrs., with a 10 kg sac, at a speed of 4-5 kph on the flat, and during this time ascend some 1300-1600m at approx 400-500m of ascent per hour
• ease, efficiency, ability and balance during the mountain walks (backpack, rhythm), on varied terrain (stony ground, grassy slopes, neves).

• maps ; use of different types and scales of maps, their legends and the signs and symbols used.
• relation of map/ground appreciation of and ability to measure/estimate map – ground distances.
• use of compass, orientation of map, magnetic variations.
• navigation on sight
• navigation, using a compass, in difficult conditions
• orientation and position finding with and without instruments
• preparation and realisation of a route

(7.2) Nature of training (predominantly) : theory and practical

(7.3) Nature of assessment
As a minimum assessment should include :

• a test in the mountains of navigation in difficult conditions and/or at night in a limited time.
• a navigation test, with a time limit, using check points marked on a 1:25000 scale map.

This test is not to be compared to an orientation race.

8/ WEATHER
(8.1) List of competencies

(8.1.1) The International mountain leader should have an elementary understanding of weather.
(8.1.2) The International mountain leader should be capable of interpreting weather maps and forecasts, and able to use basic instruments and natural signs helpful to weather forecasting.

(8.2) Nature of training (predominantly) :
8.1.1 theory
8.1.2 practical

(8.3) Method of assessment :
8.1.1 written and/or oral test
8.1.2 at the discretion of course organisers

9/ SECURITY IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN
(9.1) List of competencies
The International mountain leader should have the knowledge and techniques needed to safeguard groups in the mountains, particularly as related to real and objective dangers.
The International mountain leader should be able to use a rope as a means of security in exceptional circumstances.

(9.2) Nature of training (predominantly) : practical

(9.3) Method of assessment :
practical test

10/ MOUNTAIN RESCUE

(10.1) List of competencies
Since the International mountain leader may operate unassisted in remote and wild places, they should:
(10.1.1) have a knowledge of first aid
(10.1.2) the ability to dispense first aid
(10.1.3) be able to organise a rescue

• by setting tasks for those involved
• by deploying outside agencies (to call out the mountain rescue, to organise the removal of a casualty).

(10.1.4) be able to effectively use radios and other communication systems.

(10.2) Nature of training (predominantly) :
theory for 10.1.1
practical for the rest

(10.3) Method of assessment :
written or oral for 10.1.1
practical for the rest

11/ BIVOUAC - SURVIVAL
(11.1) List of competencies
The International mountain leader should be able to organise and assure the well being of a group without support or back up.

(11.1.1) Bivouaking
The International mountain leader should be able to organise an improvised bivouac for the group

(11.1.2) Survival
The International mountain leader should be capable of looking after a group in difficult conditions.

(11.2) Nature of training:(predominantly): practical

(11.3) Method of assessment
During a two day outing, an improvised bivouac will be organised for the night.

12/ EXPEDITIONS
(12.1) The professional ability to organise multi day activities includes :

• logistics (equipment, gear, food etc)
• organisation (programme, route planning etc)

(12.2) Nature of training (predominantly) : practical

(12.3) Method of assessment :
continuous assessment (see 11.3)

13 SNOW COVERED GROUND
(13.1) List of competencies
(13.1.1) The International mountain leader should have a good knowledge of snow covered terrain and the additional hazards this presents.
(13.1.2) The International mountain leader should have an elementary understanding of snow and avalanche so as to be able to safely lead groups on appropriate terrain as defined below.
(13.1.3) The International mountain leader must be capable of conducting a group on easy rolling, Nordic type snow-covered ground situated in the "middle mountains".

This will include :

• route planning, choice and preparation of itineraries.
• the ability to lead groups in difficult conditions which may become extreme (cold, wind, darkness etc)
• a knowledge of the equipment needed for winter activities

(13.1.4) If need be, the International mountain leader should be capable of organising an improvised bivouac for a possible emergency.

• theory and practical
• the training course to last at least 6 days.

(13.3) Method of assessment :
written and/or oral tests, and continuous practical assessment.

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