SC approved the minutes of Innsbruck session.
On a proposal presented by the President F.Palenzona, the following changes were unanimously voted in the ASECAP presidential Bodies:
- ASETA President J.L. Feito was elected new ASECAP President
- TEO President P. Delimitsos, ASFA President H. Stouff, ASFINAG CFO Klaus Schierhackl were elected 3 ASECAP Vice Presidents.
The Steering Committee elected F. Palenzona as ASECAP Honorary President.
As regards the European issues, the main points considered were ASECAP long term strategy planning within the EU transport, specific organization activities as a response to the EU transport policy, which encorporate the EETS decision and EETS strategy, CESAR IV project presentation, ASECAP safety plan and a common ITS oriented policy.
President F. Palenzona emphasized the need to take into detailed account the great changes in the transport area and properly adjust the ASECAP structures, orientations and strategies, so that the members could benefit from a more efficient framework of activities.
Mr. João Bento presented a document containing his proposals on the way ASECAP should be structured. Those are the following:
- the General Assembly remains unchanged
- the Steering Committee is changed and in its sessions (2 times a year) all the 21 members will participate. Full members have an active role and the associate members participate as non-voting observers.
- A new high level political board is created as a substitute for the COMEX. Its role is to cooperate in the meetings to be held once in every 2 months, and to be actively engaged in the preparation of the political and strategy objectives and functions of the new Steering Committee. This new presidential body is based on the troika principle, consisting of president-elect of ASECAP, president in office and the previous president. Alongside with the presidential troika, there are two more voting members, the Treasurer and a representative of an ASECAP member. The chairmen of the 3 COPERs and the Secretary General are non voting members.
The SC members agreed that time was needed for a more detailed examination, as well as for taking concrete steps and actions in accordance with the above mentioned changes. Moreover, it was decided that all the proposals would be re-examined by the Steering Committee at its next session in Croatia.
The members also had the opportunity to be informed on the developments within the 3 COPER sectors. Firstly, it was pointed out that the main priorities of COPER I would remain in the EETS domain. Additionally, the Steering Committee took note of the remarks of the COPER I chairman that the Eurovignette III on internalization of the externalities, although always appearing as a sensitive issue, did not represent an EU priority in the near future.
As regards the COPER II domain, it was underlined that the EU was ready to push to a more active road safety framework. Although the EC postponed the presentation of its action plan, the matter would remain a burning issue, and it was expected that, by the end of the year, an EU action plan would be presented, as well as that the second phase of Road Safety Charter would be signed by the main stakeholders (ASECAP being one of them). Furthermore, it was proposed that an ASECAP Road Safety event should be organized in Prague.
As for COPER III, its chairman Rui Camolino presented a document illustrating the different ITS developments and active roles of ASECAP and its members therein. He focused on the roles related to IIWG (Intelligent Infrastructure Working Group, Easyway, e-safety, e-call, ITS implementation plan by the E. Commission, etc.)
The Steering Committee concluded with confirming the following sessions and events: its regular third session scheduled for November 30th, 2009 in Croatia, the first 2010 event in Prague simultaneously occurring with 2010 2nd ASECAP Road Safety Event, and the third 2010 event in Athens (Greece).
