Executives from Cila are to lobby the European Commission for a ¤400,000 (£275,000) grant to improve loss adjusting skills across the EU.

Representatives from Cila and Fuedi, the European federation for loss adjusters, will meet Karel Van Hulle, the EC head of unit for financial markets and financial services, on 14 March.

They will discuss the implementation of the EU Insurance Mediation Directive and how intermediaries will be regulated across the EU.

Cila executive director Graham Cave said: "We want to maintain our lobbying of the EC on behalf of our membership and hope the meeting is productive. We hope to eventually set up a permanent office in Brussels as a base for both Cila and Fuedi."

He said that Cila and Fuedi had made its second application for ¤400,000 in funds to finance the Leonardo Da Vinci project. The aim of the project is to train and promote better skills across the EU.

"We want to make sure that training and competence across the EU is improved, especially in Eastern Europe. The main target will be the 10 accession states," said Cave.