RWT – Open Letter

Biker with helmet and offeringThe Federation Of European Motorcyclists Associations (FEMA) reports that it has written an “Open Letter” regarding the present Road Worthiness Testing (RWT) proposal to MEPs in reference to the inclusion of motorcycles from the European Commission.

As we know the Parliament’s position which disagreed with the TRAN (Transport and Tourism) Committee’s position of deleting motorcycles (PTWs – Powered Two Wheelers) from the proposal, which was in line with the Council of Ministers position, was referred back to the TRAN  committee.

The TRAN Committee subsequently voted in favour of a mandate to enter into negotiations with the Council and the Commission to try and agree a common position before a further vote in Parliament.

These negotiations consist of a series of technical meetings and formal trialogues. We are led to believe that these should be completed in November (this month), which would lead to a common position, an agreement to formally adopt a text and take the proposals to the European Parliament possibly in February/March next year – 2014.

Open Letter

The “Open Letter” to MEPs  and specifically to those MEPs who are rapporteurs (MEPs in “charge” of the proposal for the European Parliament) urges them, to not let technocratic Europe win over socio-economic facts and reality.

FEMA states that the, “EU Parliament and Member States must reach agreement on testing regimes for motorcycles and mopeds.”

Therefore it appears that FEMA has taken this step now to write in particular to the rapporteurs in charge of the negotiation with the Council.

In the open letter from FEMA, the President, Frédéric Jeorge argues, “Now, Council and Parliament will have to reach an agreement and FEMA wants to take this last opportunity, before the next European Elections, to express citizens’ concerns with regards to the EU decision making process.

Decisions based on flawed statistics and theoretical principles, miles away from European citizens’ social and economic reality, especially in times of financial crisis, widen the gap between the European Institutions and its citizens and dig the bed of euro-scepticism and nationalism.”

Alternative Data

bmwbikesFEMA has given a link to alternative data, which they say provides a wider and more objective view of this issue – PTI Alternative Data – pdf – and while the European Commission et al push the road safety benefits and the reduction in casualties that the proposal promises, FEMA says,The solution to improve the road safety is to take into account the particular needs of all modes of transport, as bicycles, motorcycles, pedestrians, cars, lorries or public transport. There are other really efficient ways to improve the safety for motorcyclist.”

What those other “efficient ways” are, is not expanded on by FEMA.

Back in  August we wrote an article entitled “Throw It Out?” in that article we commented on the – The Voting Riding Citizens View? and FEMA’s statement on the proposal:

The Federation of European Motorcyclists Federation (FEMA) has now stated that the proposal:

  1.  fails to justify the harmonisation of testing frequencies;
  2. is based on biased evidence which is neither representative nor sufficient to justify the economic and regulatory burdens involved;
  3. is completely disproportionate to the size of the problem;
  4. goes against the principle of subsidiarity which enables Member States to design specific national measures for national road safety priorities.

At Right To Ride we tend to agree with this FEMA statement, “FEMA believes that the conditions under which PTW could be subject to periodical technical inspections (PTI) depend from national parameters, and should therefore be up to member states, and thus PTWs be deleted from the scope of the directive.”

However, we would like to point out that we actually consider road worthiness testing to be beneficial for motorcycles because it ensures a minimum standard of technical quality for motorcycles on the roads.  However we are also of the opinion that this must always be a national decision based on the needs and requirements of each country and their citizens.

In other words, based on all the evidence, it is blindingly obvious that these are the wrong proposals at the wrong time.

These proposals demonstrate once again that the European Commission is out of touch with the Member States and has not considered the economic impact that these proposals would have on the various countries within the European Union.

Simply, our view is that the three proposals in the Road Worthiness Testing package need to be thrown out: no more amendments, no more compromises, no more opinions – just withdrawn!

FEMA – EU Parliament and Member States must reach agreement on testing regimes for motorcycles and mopeds

18th November 2013

fema_logo_circle180whiteFollowing Parliament’s vote in July, which showed profound division concerning motorcycles and mopeds (PTWs), Members States, the Commission and EU Parliament’s rapporteurs now have to reach a compromise under the Lithuanian Presidency of the European Union.

European Citizens and riders have written an Open Letter to MEPs and urged rapporteurs not to let technocratic Europe win over socio-economic facts and reality.

Whilst the proposal of the European Commission to further decrease the minimum testing intervals for vehicles and include all powered two-wheelers into periodic roadworthiness testing (RWT) regimes is currently being discussed between the Council of Member States and the European Parliament (with the objective to find an ultimate compromise before the end of the Lithuanian Presidency), FEMA, the Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations representing tens of thousands of paying riders across the EU, calls Council and Parliament’s delegates to work at finding a reasonable solution for all, favouring European citizen’s real needs and acting on sound evidence and statistics instead of technocratic principles.

You can read here the FEMA President ‘s Open Letter to MEPs KUHN Werner (EPP/Germany), ŢICĂU Silvia-Adriana (S&D/Romania), BENNION Phil (ALDE/UK), DURANT Isabelle (Greens/Belgium), ROSBACH Anna (ECR/Denmark), RUBIKS Alfreds (EU/Latvia).

FEMA – Alternative data – pdf – Click Here

Original Source – www.fema-online.eu

Information

Right To Ride EU – A Long Tale – Click Here

If you are writing to MEPs remember they may have voted against the amendments and proposal.

For Example in Northern Ireland our MEPs voted thus: Diane Dodds – Against – James Nicholson – Against – Martina Anderson – Abstained.

You can find out how MEPs voted at Vote Watch EU – Click Here

Contact details for your UK  MEP – Click Here

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