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Press Release: from the Federation of European Motorcyclists' Associations

24th November  2006

Third  Driving Licence Directive

FEMA amazed by MEP's debate against  motorcycling

The 3rd  Driving Licence Draft Directive was voted on by the TRAN Committee. The Motorcycle provisions did not move an inch. Motorcycling is unreasonably paying  the cost of a clumsy compromise.

The Federation of European Motorcyclists (FEMA) is amazed but not surprised by the recent vote and debate in the TRAN Committee (Transport and Tourism) in the European Parliament regarding the 3rd European Driving Licence Directive.

The TRAN Committee in the process of adopting the EU draft directive rejected several motorcycle amendments tabled by MEPs BRADBOURN (UK) and WORTMANN-KOOL (NL). The amendments supported by FEMA and  that were designed to bring sense to the motorcycle aspects of the directive has left motorcycling across Europe paying the cost of this clumsy compromise.

The clear debate in the TRAN Committee, attended by FEMA and representatives from its twenty two national rider’s organisations, revealed  that the majority of MEPs have limited knowledge of the issue that will have a  major consequence for motorcycling and their riders.

FEMA restates its  opposition to the motorcycle provisions provided for in the compromise. FEMA  views the motorcycle aspects of this “mammoth directiv” as totally  unsatisfactory, access to small motorcycles for young and new riders as discriminatory and unjustifiably complicated.

Motorcycling will unjustly pay the cost of this clumsy compromise, which sought with regards to motorcycling to harmonize motorcycle tests and licences across Europe but has  only resulted in satisfying European Member States’ sense of identity and interests by offering a complicated range of motorcycle testing and access that  member states can pick and choose from.

The next step to bring the directive closer to a close will include a vote in Plenary session of the  European Parliament before the Council’s second reading will most probably not  see any advantageous changes for motorcycling.

FEMA will now double its efforts to keep MEPs highlighted regarding motorcycling facts and data, key  safety issues, best practices for motorcycle awareness by other vehicle drivers  and motorcycle friendly infrastructure, in order that politicians fully understand the rider’s issues and to prevent them from voting such nonsense  through in the future.

END

Note to  editors:

1.FEMA detailed  position on the 3rd driving licence directive can be found following this link:Here pdf 11kb

2. Pictures available upon request to FEMA Secretariat

FEMA - Federation of European Motorcyclists' Associations
Rue des Champs 62,
1040 Brussels,
Belgium

Tel: +32 (0)2 736 9047 / Fax: +32 (0)2 736 9401

E-mail:  fema@chello.be
www.fema.ridersrights.org

Don’t forget to sign the petition on the campaign website Here