The purpose of the first generation of Eurocodes developed in the European Union was to facilitate free access to markets in other member states for construction companies and engineering consultants. Eurocode 7, dedicated to geotechnical design, was produced in 1990 by the Technical Committee for Structural Eurocodes, CEN/ TC250 SC7, "Geotechnical Design." At the same time, it was complemented by a set of testing standards covering all areas of geotechnics, earthworks, and geosynthetics, the fi rst one drafted under the auspices of the Technical Committee for Geotechnical Testing and Investigation, CEN/TC341, "Geotechnical Investigation and Testing."