Once the ECCE initiative consolidated, the idea of creating an organization on a global scale dealing exclusively with civil engineering issues was proposed by ECCE’s Spanish Delegation and ratified by ECCE’s General Assembly on autumn 2002 in Athens. The acronym WCCE (World Council of Civil Engineers) was chosen, following the idea of ECCE.

A working group chaired by Prof. José Medem was set up comprising members from UK, Portugal, Germany, Greece and Ireland. A document on the creation of WCCE was produced as well as a set of draft statutes. Furthermore, Spain’s Colegio undertook to financially sponsor all administrative costs during the initial start up period of WCCE until its formal foundation.

On the 13^th November 2005, during a meeting hosted by ECCE in Istanbul, the organisations present -12 ECCE members and 3 organisations from the Americas- agreed to the creation of WCCE . (Minutes)

Four Working Groups were created (budget, members, communication and statutes). The findings of these 4 working groups together with the conclusions from the Coordination Committee, the former working group chaired by Prof. José Medem, would finalize the foundational documents to be sent to all the civil engineering organisations, those currently  participating in Istanbul and who may have interest in participating, prior to the formal foundation of the World Council of Civil Engineers in Mexico on July 22^nd 2006.