WHAT'S NEW ? ADEG ADEG are in the process of constructing a website which will be available shortly at: Association Déontologique Européenne de Graphologues(ADEG) The European Deontological Association for Graphologist (ADEG –Association Déontologique Européenne de Graphologues) was founded in 1990 by seven of the best European Associations. There are: two from France (SFDG and GGCF), one from England (BAOG), one from Germany (BGG/P), one from Belgium (SBDG) and two from Italy (ARIGRAF and AGIF), represented by their respective presidents. Since then more associations have joined ADEG, the SSG Zürich, the AGE Madrid, the SGDS Marseille, the CIGME Rome and AGC Barcelona. The ADEG observes and keeps the standards of practice of the science of Graphology in Europe. EUROPEAN CODE OF DEONTOLOGY 01 The object of the European Code of Graphology is to define the rights and duties of graphologists wishing to exercise their profession in accordance with common professional ethics. 02 Graphology, a human science and a technique of observation and interpretation, enables the personality to be studied through the examination of handwriting. 03 The graphologist is expected to maintain and develop his specialised skills. 04 The graphologist studies the personality of the writer. He works exclusively on authentic handwritten documents. He carries out his work of analysis and synthesis in response to a request of a professional or private nature. 05 The graphologist shall undertake to use only methods relating to his practice, and to work within the limits of his knowledge and experience. 06 The graphologist shall abstain from issuing diagnoses in fields reserved to the medical profession. 07 Any graphologist signatory to this Code shall not display his graphology qualifications on professional documents if these are associated with an activity concerned with the occult or divination. He shall abstain from publishing or advertising in periodicals related to the above activities. 08 The work undertaken by the graphologist concerning the person imposes the respect of moral and professional values. The graphologist must safeguard, at all times, his independence, integrity and sense of humanity. He must not be influenced by any prejudice in respect of sex, race, politics, social class or religion. 09 In every analysis, the graphologist shall remain tactful and discreet. In work concerned with the selection of personnel, he shall avoid touching upon the aspects of the writer's personality which are not related to the criteria of the position to be filled. His language must remain clear, prudent and unambiguous. In his work, he must be completely impartial and refuse to provide any analysis of 'accommodation'. 10 The graphologist shall undertake not to use the documents or the information in his possession for the purpose of causing harm to others. Being the sole judge of the worth of the documents submitted to him, he shall be able to refuse to provide an analysis without having to give any reason for doing so. He shall refuse to express an opinion on a document he knows to have been stolen. He shall refuse to work on documents transmitted by fax or photocopied, because these processes alter the quality of the handwriting trait. 11 The graphologist shall respect the laws of his country regarding the person and, in particular professional secrecy, which must be respected verbally as well as in the circulation of documents. 12 The legitimate owner of a document shall be the sole person responsible for the subsequent use of the analysis. The results shall be exclusively sent to the person who made the request. 13 The graphologist shall not divulge the name of his clients without their prior consent. He shall not communicate or publish texts, or analyses thereof, without the agreement of the interested party or the owner of the document. In education, teachers shall respect the anonymity of the writers of documents used. 14 Each association or grouping of graphologists, having signed this Code of Ethics, shall undertake to ensure that it is respected and applied by all their qualified members. Offences shall be dealt with by the disciplinary board of each association or grouping of the co-signatory countries. The present Code consists of 14 articles and came into force on the 1st January 1992.