[EDITORIAL]
Dear Reader,
before wishing you a refreshing holiday I'd like to announce ACEM's most relevant engagements for the upcoming autumn. On September 9th ACEM will participate with its own stand at the first Motorcycle and Scooter Day in France, a one of a kind event that will combine the virtues of PTWs with the environment, mobility and citizenship. On the occasion of the European Road Safety Day organised by the European Commission that will take place in Paris on October 13th, ACEM will launch a European-wide campaign. Nothing more will be revealed now, however I can assure you that it is one more step towards safety that the motorcycle industry is taking in order to curb road accidents.
And finally I warmly invite you to our 5th Annual Conference, being held in Brussels on the 1st of December. By then the European Commission will have published its Action Plan on Urban Mobility and ACEM is determined to
participate to the debate that will spark from it.
Enjoy your read and good holiday!
Jacques Compagne
Acem Secretary General
[HIGHLIGHTS]
Journée Nationale Moto et Scooter
Motorcycle and Scooter Day in France
On September 9th, ACEM will participate to the first event dedicated to the sustainable use of motorcycles and scooters in France. The environment, mobility and citizenship are the pivotal themes of this event which was supported by ACEM since its conception.
[read more]
[NEWS]
PEUGEOT and CSIAM sign ERSC
The European Road Safety Charter signing ceremony that took place in Paris on July 2nd was a huge success, highlighting the commitment of the Motorcycle Industry towards safety. Two of the signatyories are ACEM members. Peugeot Motocycles and CSIAM made their individual commitments furher stressing the involvement of the motocycle industry in road safety.
[read more]
[NEWS]
Saferider asks PTW users' opinion on technology
On-line survey to serve as basis for EU-wide study
SAFERIDER, a European wide survey on the
use of new technologies for motorcycles was launched in January 2008. It will look into the integration of ADAS and IVIS on PTWs. PTW users are invited to have their say answering a questionnaire on-line. The SAFERIDER project studies the development of new devices to improve the comfort and safety of riders through passive technology.
[read more]
[REPORT]
IRT, from theory to practice
Adopting the Initial Rider Training manual
The manual was publicly used for the first time in Brussels on June 25th. This handbook outlines a comprehensive method to train riders to use PTW, with a particular focus on safety. The MEP ride provided an excellent occasion to put into practice what the Initial Rider Training project encompasses in terms of training methods and safety related instructions.
[read more]
[BUSINESS]
Harley-Davidson to acquire MV Agusta
Harley-Davidson announced the signing of a definitive agreement to purchase the Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta Group. Under the agreement, Harley-Davidson will acquire 100 percent of MV Agusta Group shares for total consideration of approximately 70 million euros, which includes the satisfaction of existing bank debt for approximately 45 million euros. MV Agusta Group is privately held, with the Castiglioni family owning 95 percent of MVAG shares. The acquisition of MV Agusta Group will strenghthen Harley-Davidson’s position presence in Europe.
[read more]
[NEWS]
Husqvarna starts construction of new infrastructure
Cassinetta di Biandronno (Varese, ITALY). On Wednesday 2 July, a foundation-laying ceremony took place at Cassinetta di Biandronno (Varese) for the new Husqvarna Motorcycles HQ which is to be built to supplement the motorcycle manufacturer’s present premises. The new Development and Management Centre of Husqvarna, the motorcycle manufacturer recently aquired by the BMW Group, will be in operation from May next year.
[read more] |
[IN BRIEF]
Greening Transport: new Commission package to drive transport towards sustainability On July 8 the European Commission presented an array of "Greening Transport" initiatives to steer transport towards sustainability. The package includes a strategy to ensure that the prices of transport better reflect their real cost to society, so that environmental damage and congestion can gradually be reduced in a way that boosts the efficiency of transport and ultimately the economy as a whole. The European Commission wants to enable Member States to help make this happen through more efficient and greener road tolls for lorries, with the revenue to be used to reduce environmental impacts from transport and cut congestion. The package focuses on noise reduction from rail freight. It also includes an inventory of existing EU measures on greening transport and a communication on the additional initiatives that the Commission will take before the end of 2009. [Read more].
OECD-ITF motorcycling workshop: final report available. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration, in co-operation with the Joint Transport Research Centre of
the OECD and the International Transport Forum, hosted a Workshop on Motorcycling safety in
Lillehammer on 10-11 June 2008.
ACEM participated to the event. The objectives of the workshop were to identify the real problems of motorcyclist safety, discuss practical
solutions to these problems, and propose a set of measures to improve safety. [download the full report]
MEP ride. On 25 June FEMA celebrated its 20th Anniversary with a special MEP Motorcycle Ride
organised in Brussels. More than 150 people, among which 18 Members of the European Parliament coming from 11 different countries attended. This year, the event offered a broad range of activities. The first SAFERIDER User Forum, two test tracks, where riders could try different types of motorcycles, while beginners - in the context of the Initial Rider Training project – could discover the joys of riding a PTW under the supervision of qualified instructors. [read more] |
