France has announced a new experiment with ‘noise cameras’ to tackle excessive noise from moving vehicles. The experiment is aimed at testing the technological possibilities and will also need to set the legal framework necessary to use noise cameras as a legal way to ‘punish’ excessive noise. On 3 January 2022 the French government published a decree, allowing a two-year experiment with the recording of noise emission levels of moving vehicles by fixed and mobile automatic control devices. The decree also ‘adapts the regulatory part of the highway code in order to specify the constituent elements of an infringement of the regulations on the emission of noise by a moving motor vehicle and to allow its detection by an automatic control device.

Although physical meetings were not possible in 2021, we managed to keep advocating the interests of the European motorcyclists, in- and outside the European Union. In this article we give an overview of our activities. First, we give a summary and then you will find the more detailed actions by the four main topics. Summary of activities On the topic of the environment and the energy transition, we resist actively the present on electric vehicles. We see a future in electric motorcycles and other small (L-category) vehicles, especially in urban environments but we also want to have the opportunity to choose other low- and zero CO2-emission alternatives. At the same time, those riders who want to use electric powered two- or three-wheelers

Electric vehicles like motorcycles and mopeds offer a solution to many of the present and future challenges in urban mobility. That is why they need dedicated charging infrastructure with secure parking places. Part of the ‘Fit for 55’ package that the European Commission launched in July 2021 is a revision of the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Directive and it will be turned into a regulation, which is a binding legislative act. In the draft regulation the Commission proposes binding targets for electric vehicle charging points and hydrogen refuelling points, telling EU Member States they will have to provide for minimum coverage of publicly accessible refuelling and/or charging points. Motorcycle rider organisations and the industry noticed that, even though we earlier filed our views

From 2023 Euro NCAP will start testing driver support systems in cars, such as Autonomous Emergency Braking and Lane Support Systems, on their ability to look for and react to motorcyclists. Motorcycles are often not detected by the sensors of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) or the reaction of the systems is not adequate. In 2016. research by RDW (the Netherlands Vehicle Authority) showed that cars with an innovative driving system, such as an adaptive cruise control, were capable of noticing motorcycles, but when motorcycles rode at the edge of their lane, the adaptive cruise control did not respond well to them. In many tests, action had to be taken by the driver of the car to prevent a collision. RDW investigated

The European Parliament wants robust road safety measures, such as a 30 km per hour speed limit and zero-tolerance for drink-driving, but it also suggests Intelligent Speed Assistance on motorcycles. On 5 October 2021, the plenary meeting of the European Parliament adopted the draft report of the Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Elena Kountoura with a large majority of votes. The report contains many measures to enhance road safety in Europe. One of them is the introduction of Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) on motorcycles. In general, the European Parliament sees a large contribution to road safety in a change to active mobility (walking and cycling) and public transport. Also, better infrastructure, a European road transport agency, speed reduction, and enforcement should

A FEMA survey shows that a possible ban on the sale of new petrol-powered motorcycles is rejected by more than 90 percent of the motorcyclists that took part in the survey. In July and August 2021 FEMA conducted an online survey on motorcycle emissions and a possible ban on the sale of new petrol-powered motorcycles. The survey was available in 12 languages and was filled out by 23,768 people (1,188 women and 22,580 men). When asked ‘What do you think about a possible ban on the sale of new petrol-powered motorcycles?’, 92.91% of the motorcyclists that responded rejected such a ban. There are differences between countries, but the disapproval rate of a possible ban on the sale of new petrol-powered motorcycles does

French president Macron postponed the implementation of the European Union’s requirements for periodic motorcycle inspections. France’s transport ministry hit the brakes on an order for the nation’s army of motorbikers to get their machines tested every two years, after President Emmanuel Macron got wind of the plan. “Now is not the time to bother the French public,” said an aide to the president who asked not to be identified, adding that the government was “already asking a lot” during the Covid crisis. A decree had been issued on Wednesday 11 August 2021, ordering regular roadworthiness tests for motorbikes from 2023, in a long-delayed move to bring France into line with EU legislation. Macron’s move to rescind a decree issued by his own government

The European Commission wants to revise the driving licence legislation and asks for feedback. FEMA asks the Commission to shift the focus from technical skills to better risk awareness and the ability to handle unexpected situations. The European Commission takes the next step to new driving licence legislation and has published a ‘Roadmap’ to a revision of the Directive on driving licences (you can respond here until 21 May 2021). In this roadmap the Commission defines several problems and initiatives the tackle them. FEMA reacted and has sent its views on driving licences to the Commission (you can read FEMA’s full reaction here). In FEMA’s view, the revision must be used to solve several problems that we have already addressed for a

The European Parliament calls upon the European Commission to have all powered two- and three-wheelers periodically tested. On 26 April 2021, the European Parliament - in its plenary meeting - voted on the report about the review of the Roadworthiness Package. The vote confirmed the outcome of the earlier vote in the transport committee. This means that the European Parliament calls upon the European Commission to have all powered two- and three-wheelers periodically tested, although for mopeds and light (<125cc) motorcycles they ask for a cost-benefit analysis first. Literally the report says: "...calls on the Commission therefore to consider extending the obligation to conduct roadside inspections to two- and three-wheel vehicles, including the 5 % minimum yearly inspection target, as these vehicles are

FEMA wants motorcycles and other powered two-wheelers to be included in Europe’s road safety plans. FEMA studied the European Commission's latest road safety plans and wrote an extensive response, stating that the plans focus on cars only and do not sufficiently take motorcyclists into account. FEMA can and will not support an approach that is not safe for all road users, including motorcyclists. The European Commission published its Road Safety Policy Framework, called 'Next steps towards Vision Zero'. The Commission sets new intermediate targets to halve the number of fatalities and serious injuries on European roads by 2030. According to Mrs Adina-Ioana Vălean, EU Commissioner for Transport: "The Framework provides a comprehensive set of measures for priority areas such as improving the