[EDITO]

Dear Reader,

It is a privilege to write my first editorial as ACEM President at a time when Member States, in the wake of the Lisbon summit and of the adoption of the new Reform Treaty, are about to sign the final text of this document affecting European citizens and businesses.  Amongst several institutional changes, it is positive for ACEM to notice that new supporting competences on ‘tourism’ and ‘sport’ are now foreseen at European level.

Powered Two-Wheelers, motorcycles and scooters, are used for recreational touring purposes, as well as in sport activities, from leisure, to amateur and professional levels.  These activities not only benefit an individual’s personal, cultural and social development, they contribute to Europe’s economic prosperity.  In some situations, they also support charities with noble goals, adventuring towards horizons way beyond Europe’s boundaries.

Back to the daily preoccupations of European cities, within the current debate on the Green Paper on Urban Mobility, the Motorcycle Industry looks forward to contributing to the creation of a new urban mobility culture in Europe.  Powered Two-Wheelers are effective solutions to the problems caused by urban congestion, providing citizens and businesses with improved mobility and accessibility, again benefiting the user, the community and the economy. 

As responsible mobility providers, ACEM manufacturers are committed to working together with policymakers and stakeholders towards free-flowing, greener and safer cities: the upcoming 4th ACEM Annual Conference on Urban Mobility will gather contributions by industry, European policymakers, government agencies and city authorities associations.  I look forward to meeting you there and to an excellent opportunity for further constructive exchange of ideas and best practices on this important topic.

More broadly, I wish to continue the work developed by ACEM under the Presidency of my predecessor Herbert Diess (BMW Motorrad), and continue to engage with policymakers to improve the competitiveness of the Motorcycle Industry in Europe.

Enjoy your read!

Stefan Pierer
President, ACEM
Managing Director, KTM