The Annual General Meeting of  the Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations (FEMA) was held at General European Union Road Federation (ERF), Rue de Belliard, Brussels 1040, and online, via Teams, on Saturday 11th February 2023.

The meeting was chaired by Anna Zee, President, also Director of Political and Technical services, of the BMF.

The attendees, 27 from 18 National Motorcycle organisations (NMO), including 7 online, both inside and outside of the EU, with apologies from a further 3 NMOs, and 2 partner organisations, approved the agenda, and the minutes of the October ’22 meeting, held in Koln.

A financial report from FEMA Treasurer and  BMF chair, Jim Freeman, reported an operating loss of 1,225 euros, against a projected loss of 1,018 forecast in the 2022 budget, the overall position was a solid foundation for 2023 However, the budget for 2023 was more difficult. There were two options, V1 & V2, both of which projected major losses for 2023, caused by inflation and likely staff changes. The Committee voted for V2 which projected a maximum loss of 25,000 euros.

The Committee voted to accept the financial operations of the Board, approving the usual disclaimer for the past year, 2022.

Elections were held for the Management Board; these candidates were approved:
President: Anna Zee
Treasurer: Jim Freeman [BMF]
Board: Jesper Christensen [SMC], Odd Terje Dovik [NMCU], Steinmar Gunnarsson [BLS], Lene Michelson [MCTC]

The annual NMO fees increase, generally proposed in line with inflation, would be waived, because of the member’s widespread difficulties, with inflation and the war in Ukraine.

There followed Secretariat reports from Dolf Willigers, General Secretary, and Wim Taal, Communications Officer.

The primary guest speaker, Ludovic Basset, Director Corporate and Public Affairs at Association of European Motorcycle Manufacturers, (ACEM) presented the ongoing attempts to harmonise licencing and Training and Testing of electric Powered Two Wheelers (PTW) versus Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) bikes. The nominal power output, versus the perceived power delivery, which make the 11 KwH power output, of a 125cc ICE bike, unrealistic.

The survey results on historic vehicles were used to create an FEMA position for the European Union, essentially 30 years old and returnable to an unmodified condition.

Following an FEMA tradition, dormant during the pandemic, a National Motorcycle Organisation presentation by Emily Rochester, Government Relations Executive, on the current lobbying work of the BMF, and her role in it. Not least the work of the BMF’s Communications Committee, directed by Sheonagh Ravensdale, with operational control by Helen Hancock.

The next FEMA Committee meeting will be hosted by NMCU, on Saturday 3rd June 2023, in Kristiansand, Norway, as a hybrid meeting.

Report by Jim Freeman.

Key:

SMC – Sveriges MotorCyklister (Sweden)

NMCU – Norsk Motorcykkel Union (Norway)

BLS –  BLS (Iceland)

MCTC – The National Association of Motorcyclists (Denmark)