ASECAP STEERING COMMITTEE, 02.03.2015
Reports to the Steering Committee, primarily the report of ASECAP Secretary General, presented the latest developments in the EU transport world crucial for ASECAP, proposal of ASECAP 2015 Work Program by focusing on toll collection system, adopted legislation on concessions and public procurement, priorities related to Road safety and sustainability fields, ITS, i-mobility forum, Radio Frequencies and the related problems of 5,8 - 5,9 MGZ. The Steering Committee examined the reports of the Sec Gen highlighting the political priorities of the EU institutions, specific ASECAP interests and ASECAP positions regarding the actions plans of the association.
The reports and minutes of COMEX indicate the aspiration of ASECAP to become a key factor in future tolling/charging regime (after REETS project ends by the end of 2015). Reports of Secretary General highlight the area of concessions, road tolling/charging and road sustainability with the principles of user pays and polluter pays.
On the road safety, the report underlines the field of EU activities in the safe infrastructure management, the tunnel safety and the cross border enforcement of road safety related infringements. Concerning the ITS as an area of specific ASECAP interest, the report describes the interest of ASECAP members to focus on the use of radio frequencies as a key factor for the future of a modern tolling/charging regime.
The Steering Committee agreed that the reports describe the key ASECAP priorities and actions and the willing members were invited to provide ideas to ASECAP Secretariat and the COPERs. ASECAP strong role in the EU institutions was also welcomed as well as the presence of ASECAP in the EESC and the EP Hearings on the White Paper. High level meetings of ASECAP are planned with Transport Commissioner V. Bulc and TRANS President Cramer which are believed to safeguard the support of ASECAP interests.
COPER I chairman Bruno De la Fuente presented the work regarding the finalization of the ASECAP Concessions study carried out by the PWC where C. Boutin of ASFA, which will be presented in Brussels 30/3/2015 in the EESC Headquarters. He added that specific actions were taken regarding the cross-border enforcement of the safety related infringements. Steering Committee approved this document prepared by COPER I, COPER II and Secretariat (see attached doc).
ASECAP has safety as a key field of action and COPER II chair Malika Seddi indicated that tunnel safety experts from ASECAP members (13 participants) at the meeting in Paris discussed the revision process in order to give a clear overview of the possible future developments. The thoughts of European Commission – DG MOVE will be examined after 2016 because the two key safety Directives (Directive 2004/54/EC on Tunnel Safety and Directive 2008/96/EC on Safe Infrastructure management) might be merged. COPER II has underlined that the above two directives should not be merged as there are no clear benefits and each directive covers specific fields. This position is shared by PIARC where many of the ASECAP Experts are also engaged.
Ms. Seddi made reference to the 2nd ASECAP Marketing Workshop (6th of February 2015 – Paris) that was the result of ASECAP Think Tank, which was a productive session with about 30 participants. The next ASECAP Marketing Workshop will be held in Rome, Italy in 2016.
COPER II has undertaken a number of Benchmarking activities regarding fatalities and the figures were presented on 03/03/2015 during the Vienna Road Safety Conference. COPER II will soon start working on a common definition of injuries for which inputs from the different members will be needed. A key issue is the opening of a corridor of communication between ASECAP and ACEA regarding sustainability matters. (CO² reduction + ASSIST project).
COPER II will invite ACEA Representatives to present their initiatives in a future COPER II meeting in Brussels. Ms Seddi indicated that as it will be no European Safety Day this year it would be important for ASECAP to participate to an exhibition at Berlaymont – EC building.
COPER III chairman Marko Jandrisits indicated that “as long as the Co-Existence among DSRC and ITS G5 is not clear, the frequency regulation for ITS G5 should not be changed”. The same line of argumentation is good to be used to in the next level of radio frequency policy decision-making in Europe (namely in the ECC -Electronic Communications Committee). ASECAP political bodies have already taken note of the activities in C-ITS Platform of DG MOVE, which has already started to discuss the usefulness of a “Universal On-Board Unit” for vehicles. The aim of this activity is to analyze the requirements for such an On-Board Unit which should integrate all different On-Board functionalities (tolling, digital tachograph, weights & dimensions, C-ITS etc.)
Fabio Stefanato from the ASECAP Secretariat, as chair of COPER IV, presented the members’ traffic data for the 2014 and indicated once more that the individual members’ curves and their gathered data could result in misleading total ASECAP results, due to the differences in methodologies. For this reason the Steering Committee agreed that COPER IV in cooperation with the other COPERs will take action to get towards “harmonized data gathering procedures”. Mr. Stevanato informed the members about the preparation of intranet in ASECAP.
The 2014 Budget execution was unanimously adopted as well as the agenda, which are attached to this document.
- The President informed the Steering Committee that he has received the candidacies of SEOPAN President Mr. Nunez as 2nd ASECAP Vice President, and Klaus Schierhackl and Jean Mesqui as voting members in the ASECAP COMEX and informed the members that M. Schintu will not be the one to continue as ASECAP president after May, and, instead, his post will be covered by the AISCAT President Fabrizio Palenzona. The Steering Committee gave its political agreement.
- ASECAP members discussed their individual activity reports at the round table (attached to these minutes).
K. Koutsoukos informed that a Concessions Association under the name HELLASTRON has been created in Greece. The Steering Committee agreed on the session in Lisbon in May 2015 the Greek interests will be represented by HELLASTRON representatives whose details must be formally sent to the ASECAP Secretary General.
Members are also informed about other activities for this year, as follows: - 2015/3 Steering Committee: Rome, 30/11, for 2015 ASECAP Days: Info by APCAP: Information was provided that 2016 ASECAP Days will be held by SEOPAN (Madrid, date tbd) and 2016/1 Steering Committee session + 9th road safety event: Poland, Warsaw (date tbd).
