The TRAN (Transport and Tourism) Committee of MEPs is to hold a public hearing, involving two expert panels, on roadworthiness checks and road safety as well as their impact on citizens and business.
This committee is dealing with the Commission’s proposals for European wide Road Worthiness Testing (RWT), registration documents for vehicles and roadside inspections of commercial vehicles.
For motorcycles the proposal for European wide Road Worthiness Testing (RWT) includes mandatory Road Worthiness Testing for L3e (that’s low-performance, medium and large size) motorcycles!
Although the UK has Road Worthiness Testing known as the MoT, not all European countries test Powered Two Wheelers (Motorcycles – Scooters – Mopeds), thus, there was strong lobbying from rider organisations within these countries against the proposal.
There have been suggestions that if the proposal were accepted, this would change our UK MoT to a “Super MoT” for motorcycles, although there is no evidence that this is the case.
In December 2012, the Council of the European Union, within its general approach, did not retain the Commission’s proposal to extend periodic tests to motorcycles.
On the day of this public hearing, the TRAN committee is scheduled to discuss the proposal, while the IMCO (Internal Market and Consumer Protection) and the ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy) Committees are also scheduled to offer their opinions on the roadworthiness proposal.
It looks like both the TRAN Committee meeting and the public hearing, will be held in the European Parliament in the Jozsef Antall building on the afternoon of the 22nd January 2013.
Ironically or not, on the same day in Brussels, the 9th ACEM – The Motorcycle Industry in Europe – Conference will be held (between 12 and 3.30 p.m.) – it is entitled “Motorcycling Matters”. Perhaps a quick dash from one building to the other would be in order. As ACEM comments – “A growing number of European citizens use PTWs on a daily basis to beat the traffic and find a parking place in city centres.”
It will be interesting to hear what the committees’ opinions are and the outcome of the public hearing regarding motorcycles.
For example, whether they agree with the deletion from the European Commission’s proposal for mandatory Road Worthiness Testing for motorcycles as proposed by the European Council!
Read the article and comment on Right To Ride EU – Click Here
Links Information
TRAN Committee website – Click Here
9th ACEM – The Motorcycle Industry in Europe – Conference – Click Here
