The German Tunnelling Committee (DAUB) was established in 1972 on the initiative of the Federal Minister for Transport and registered in 1973. The call to set up national tunnelling committees dates back to a recommendation during an OECD conference dating back to 1970 in Washington/DC, USA, at which the representatives of 20 nations proposed the establishment of an international organisation for the foundation engineering sector. The International Tunnelling Association (ITA) was founded in April 1974 in Oslo, with 20 constitutive members including Germany. The ITA?s objective is the preparation and worldwide propagation of technically founded principles relating to underground construction to ensure healthy urban development in built-up areas and improvement of mobility in regional and interregional transport. The national committees produce recommendations and other publications pertaining to important, topical subjects on underground construction in their countries and with their members in international working groups.