In March, the Association of Employers of Slovenia (ZDS), in cooperation with the Federation of German Industries (BDI), organised a two-day study tour to Brussels, aimed at getting acquainted with the transport sector players, acting in Brussels, with the trends and best practises as well as lobbying methods and decision-making process in the EU institutions.
The tour was intended for the representatives of transport sector companies, employers’ associations and transport associations from South Eastern Europe, project partners are the employers’ or trade associations for transport in Slovenia (Transport Association, GZS), Croatia (HUP - UPP), Macedonia (BusinessMacedonia - ZRSV), Montenegro (UPCG) and Bulgaria (BIA - SOAT) as well as the Federation of German Industries (BDI).
The BDI’s main role in the project is to provide expertise in the area of transport and restructuring; therefore, the study tour took place in Brussels, where the BDI has its liaison office.
The two-day event (21-22 March 2012) comprised workshops and visits of institutions. It was attended by 24 representatives of companies, employers’ and transport associations from the partner countries. The participants of the study tour got acquainted with some transport associations and companies, operating in Brussels and with their work and lobbying strategies, decision-making process in the institutions of the European Union as well as the best practices and future trends. The study tour was an excellent opportunity to establish business contacts.
The study tour programme started with a workshop on the European road safety standards. Walter Nissler, the representative of the European Commission introduced to the participants the EU objectives in road safety and the actions taken by the EU institutions to meet such objectives. The EU has set a goal of »zero fatalities in road transport by 2050 and a 50% reduction of the number of fatalities during the 2010-2020 period«. In the period between 2001 and 2010, the number of fatalities dropped by 43%, yet in 2010, the number of fatalities on the EU roads still accounted for 30,800. In order to materialise the »zero deaths« vision the same level of safety will have to be provided in all EU Member States, an integrated approach to problem solving and the responsibility assumed by all the players and not solely by the authorities.
Oliver Deiter then presented the German company DEKRA and its activities aimed at ensuring road safety, mainly in the field of roadworthiness tests and professional driver training (courses, train-the-trainer programme, driving training simulators, etc.).
Next on the agenda was a tour of the European Parliament and a meeting with Dr. Romana Jordan, Slovenian MEP. The participants were made acquainted with the organisation and work of the European Parliament, European Commission and European Council, they learnt how they could get involved in the decision making process and how they could influence the preparation of policies. Here, good organisation, integration in European associations, a head office in Brussels and above all, being active from the very beginning of a decision-making process (when the Green Paper is first available online so that anybody can give comments or proposals) are essential.
The first day of the study tour ended with the workshop on ways of getting involved in the EU decision-making processes. Dirk Saile (BGL) and Jean-Paul Peers (Siemens) introduced the current EU initiatives in transport sector and their lobbying experience.
On day two of the study tour the participants visited Antwerp, the second largest port in Europe and the tenth largest in the world in terms of the total tonnage. After the initial presentation of the port, employing as many as 65,000 people and offering 5.4 million m2 of covered storage areas, a bus tour followed. The participants were made acquainted with the operation and organisation of the port, information on companies operating within the port, took a closer look at some docks and learnt about the cargo handling and the challenges the port faces.
At the end of the study tour, a presentation and a discussion about the current situation and future challenges in road freight transport took place. Marco Digioia, Secretary General of UETR (European Road Haulers Association) highlighted some serious issues, such as unfair competition, problems with contractors, taxation, financial crisis, administrative burden and strict laws. He pointed out in particular the problem of contractors, demanding lower prices from operators, and attracted the participants’ attention by presenting the law on minimum prices, adopted in Italy. They managed to adopt the act by linking it to the road safety act; often, due to excessive demands by the operators from the contractors the latter ignore road safety rules. The act lays down severe sanctions for contractors and it does not apply to the international transport.
Project RITS is co-funded by the European Commission.