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20 YEARS DEFENDING EUROPEAN RIDERS RIGHTS
 The Federation of European Motorcyclists' Associations has announced its 20th Anniversary.
2008 marks 20 years of pro-active lobbying in Brussels and in Geneva and will be celebrated with a series of events throughout the year.
Reducing congestion, pollution and accidents while at the same time increasing mobility is one of Europe's main challenges. The use of Powered Two-Wheelers clearly offers major advantages to the transport mix as well as solutions to many of the transport problems faced by EU Member States.
Recognition of their positive contribution has been one of FEMA members' main reasons for creating the Federation in 1988. 20 years later, promoting fairer and appropriate legislation for motorcyclists remains FEMA's main task.
On 25 June 1988, motorcyclists' associations from France, Germany, United Kingdom, Greece, Austria and Luxembourg decided to form a European citizens' organisation in order to make European riders' voice heard in the political debate: The Federation of European Motorcyclists (FEM) was born.
Ten years later, on 10 January 1998, FEM and the European Motorcyclist Association (EMA) merged to form the Federation of European Motorcyclists' Associations (FEMA). The two associations joined their forces to offer motorcyclists the best representation possible. Today, FEMA counts on a 4 person office in Brussels.
In 2008, 24 national road riding motorcyclists' organizations from 19 European countries will hence celebrate 20 years of riders' representation in Brussels.
Throughout the year, FEMA will disseminate information about its history and how it works, but it will also organise a series of activities, such as participation to shows, workshops and conferences, interviews of keynote representatives, and a special edition of the MEP Motorcycle Ride in Brussels.
The detailed programme and additional information are available on the FEMA 20th Anniversary dedicated website
www.fema.ridersrights.org/20years
Aline Delhaye, FEMA General Secretary, says: "I would like to take this opportunity to underline how local decisions are increasingly linked to European policies. European motorcyclists need to get stronger to face coming challenges."
"As in the early days, there is a need to ensure that motorcycling is rightly and fairly considered in crucial debates, such as Intelligent Transport Systems or Congestion Charging Schemes, to only mention two examples."
"I warmly thank FEMA members and partners for their faith in the work of the Federation and I call all motorcycling stakeholders (industry, media, clubs, individuals) to support the Federation and give it the means to promote motorcycling through the next 20 years and beyond".
When the member association of FEM and EMA untied in 1998 to form FEMA they signed a “Riders’ Charter”. At the FEMA spring meeting in June, which MAG is hosting this year in Edinburgh, the national organisations of FEMA will be “resigning” the riders’ charter. The purpose of this, in MAG’s view, is to reassert the commitment of the national organisations, both old and new, to FEMA and to reflect on the changes over the last ten years that have taken place in FEMA and European riders’ rights.
The original riders’ charter: We pledge to promote, protect and preserve motorcycling and the interests of riders; to promote safe and responsible road use; to oppose all forms of discrimination or measures which unfairly disadvantage riders; to preserve and extend the freedoms enjoyed by riders; to oppose all exploitation of riders; to co-operate with and lend aid to similar riders’ organisations throughout the world; to educate and inform the general public as to the true nature of motorcycling and motorcyclists.
MAG was instrumental in setting up FEM, which went on to become the FEMA, of which MAG is an active member organisation. A portion of your MAG membership goes towards funding FEMA, giving riders a voice in Europe and in Global Issues to advance and protect riders’ rights.
www.fema.ridersrights.org
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