whats the difference
FIMO is for inexperienced drivers (don’t know what it stands for but the F will be ‘formation’ = ‘training’). It is a 3 week course and probably costs thousands!
FCOS = Formation Continue Obligatoire de Sécurité for drivers of goods vehicles over 3.5T or more than 14 cu.m. volume and who have more experience (probably 10 years, didn’t arise with me).
The course is of 24 hours over 3 days and costs about €450 and the validity of the certificate is 5 years.
My 5 years is up this May and as I am now retired with little prospect of the only sort of part time work I would accept (long distance 1 week in 4 or so) it was going to be the end of the road for me. I’m not forking out that kind of money plus €50 for a digi tacho card just for the fun of it.
But!!! Because I took out my certificate to answer this question I read the small print underneath the bit which says it runs out in May.
For drivers who have retired in the intervening period the validity is extended by 2 years 
Thanks Hitch, I’m back in the market again 
That is just another way that the french circumvent EU regs,unless one has one of the two F`s,it is ny on impossible to get a job in France.The EU and level playing field mean nothing to the french re the walk by the french pres from an EU meeting when the speaker spoke in english,out now while the UK can.What next end of the rebate and all the uk workers paying more EU taxes.How long did it take to get british beef into the EU and then into France,who got(the french) fined by the EU and never paid a penny,EU ■■■■■■■■.
No Euro law against FIMO & FCOS which you may have gathered by the fact that a similar thing is soon to be introduced in Britain.
Don’t know about the rest of the Union, perhaps members in other countries may come in on this.
the 2 f’s dont guarentee a job, i have made 46 enquiries and have so far had 5 dear john letters 
FIMO - Formation Initiale Minimal Obligatoire
i didnt pay for mine, the french government did, bless their little cottons
salut
chris
is this anything to do with the cpc that will be required all over europe from 2009 for drivers?
also will an ordinary cpc be ok,or will we all have to go back to school
greg50:
is this anything to do with the cpc that will be required all over europe from 2009 for drivers?
No.
greg50:
also will an ordinary cpc be ok,
No.
greg50:
or will we all have to go back to school
Yes. 
worse luck.
have to start gtetting my spelling up to date,and where to put un the commas and stops etc.
i got very lazy over the yrs
Coffeeholic:
greg50:
is this anything to do with the cpc that will be required all over europe from 2009 for drivers?No.
Surely it is Neil? A rose by any other name…etc.
You got the rest of it right though
i have a cpc.i did have my own motor from time to time. a dead loss i might add.
i dont think i will ever go it alone again.
i just read a while ago about this driver cpc that going to be needed from 2009.
anyone know whats involved.
sorry this is of topic.i will start a new topic if ness.
i have found that the FIMO course has really helped my driving, as it teaches you lots more than the 4 days driver training before taking the test.
it goes through all major aspects of the mechanics of a truck ie air braking system, different retarders and how they work and how to use them properly, and even the priniples behind how the engine works.
it really is back to school on the driving frount, they refine the finer points of wagon driving.
the only really boring section was on the socio-european economic policy for transport
still was a paid 6 week course so couldnt really grumble 
isnt the uk version going to bean NVQ (Not Very Qualified)■■?
as a cpc is another thing all togther 
salut
chris
caveman:
isnt the uk version going to bean NVQ (Not Very Qualified)■■?
as a cpc is another thing all togther
salut
chris
As I said above to Coffee, whatever you call it National Vocational Qualification, Certificate of Professional Competance, FIMO, or FCOS, it all will amount to the same thing I would think.
But whatever it is, it won’t be a Transport Managers CPC, which is what we normally think of when we read those initials.
Spardo:
Coffeeholic:
greg50:
is this anything to do with the cpc that will be required all over europe from 2009 for drivers?No.
Surely it is Neil? A rose by any other name…etc.
You got the rest of it right though
It has been around far longer than the idea of a driver’s CPC in the UK and it only applies to France. It’s nothing to do with the proposed driver’s CPC, it may, or may not be along the same lines but there is no direct link between the two things.
Coffeeholic:
Spardo:
Coffeeholic:
greg50:
is this anything to do with the cpc that will be required all over europe from 2009 for drivers?No.
Surely it is Neil? A rose by any other name…etc.
You got the rest of it right though
It has been around far longer than the idea of a driver’s CPC in the UK and it only applies to France. It’s nothing to do with the proposed driver’s CPC, it may, or may not be along the same lines but there is no direct link between the two things.
Ah! I see it depends on the interpretation of his words ‘anything to do with’ .
I was taking it to mean ‘along the same lines’ which I expect it will be.
I agree David.
Anything to do with - NO.
Along the same lines as - Yes.