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A total of 913,723 motorcycles were registered in 2017 in the EU according to the final figures published today by the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM).

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers, ACEM, hosted today its 13^th annual conference in Brussels. The event, titled ‘Sustainable motorcycling in Europe, attracted more than 250 attendees from all over Europe, including businesses, representatives from the European Commission, the European Parliament, Member States, NGOs and other organisations. The discussions addressed the role of the motorcycle industry in the sustainability of transport in Europe.

Stefan Pierer, CEO of the Austrian motorcycle manufacturer KTM and current President of ACEM said: “Our industry is committed to sustainability, which we understand as a complex process related to environmental performance of vehicles, road safety and economic viability of our operations”.

“Since 1999, our sector moved from the Euro 0 to the Euro 4 standard. Carbon monoxide emissions were reduced by 91%. Nitrogen oxide and carbon emissions considered together went down by 92%. Even more, this reduction in limit values took place at the same time that new and more stringent testing procedures were introduced in European legislation”.

“In the coming months, we will start working on the implementation of the future Euro 5 environmental standard. However, manufacturing vehicles requires complex planning and we urgently need clarity from the European Commission regarding the technical content and implementation timeline of Euro 5”.

Antti Peltomäki (Finnish), Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate General for internal market and industry (DG GROW) said: “The motorcycle industry is undergoing similar structural changes to the ones we see in other European industries. In our recent industrial policy communication we looked into how Europe’s industrial sector can become smarter, cleaner, more sustainable and, at the same time, gain a competitive edge. We must remember that road transport still represents about 25% of Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions”.

Bernd Lange (German), member of the European Parliament: “For the urban side, we may see an increase in electrification. On the leisure side, however, the picture is different. Lots of motorcyclists like the idea of having vehicles with conventional engines. Here we need to guarantee that leisure motorcycles have the same emissions limits as cars”.

In his concluding remarks, ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot said:

“Motorcycles are part of today’s mobility and will continue to be so in the future. They are an answer to the mobility needs of people, particularly in urban settings, as shown by the fact that today there are about 35 million mopeds and motorcycles on Europe’s roads”.

“Regarding the future Euro 5 step it is essential that policy-makers create a clear and predictable legislative framework for the industry to plan its manufacturing operations”.

The motorcycle sector, for its part, has a forward-looking vision and will continue to invest in R&D and new and advanced safety technologies. We will also work with our counterparts with in EU institutions to secure further improvements in areas such as transport emissions and road safety”.

The European motorcycle and mopeds markets in 2017

ACEM also presented the provisional statistics for the motorcycle industry in 2017. The latest figures showed that a total of 931,445 motorcycles were registered last year. This represents a decline of 9.5% compared to 2016 registration levels. The largest motorcycle markets in Europe in 2017 were: Italy (204,579 units), France (162,828 units) and Germany (140,667 motorcycles).

On the other hand, the electric motorcycle market grew from 3,496 units in 2016 to 4,121 units in 2017 (+20.4%). However, it still remains at niche levels. Only 0.45% of all motorcycles registered in Europe in 2017 were electric.

The European moped market went from 316,662 units in 2016 to 399,426 in 2017. This represented an increase of 26%. The largest markets for mopeds in Europe were: France (107,322 units), Netherlands (86,826 units), Germany (33,254 units), Poland (29,633 units) and Italy (26,030 units).

Antonio Perlot, ACEM Secretary General, said: “The slowdown in European motorcycle market is the result of the final transition to the new Euro 4 standard. A large number of Euro 3 vehicles were registered in late 2016, which explains why fewer mopeds and motorcycles are being registered in 2017. We expect the market to perform better in the coming months, thanks to the launch of the new models that will replace older pre Euro 4 vehicles. In any case, we are still below the pre-crisis levels”.

Vehicle exhibition of new technologies

During the ACEM conference several European and international brands dispayed some of their latest models and prototypes.

The members of the RESOLVE consortium (see NOTE FOR EDITORS) presented two electric prototypes of tilting four-wheelers belonging to the L2e and the L6e category. The project was funded by the EU with 6.8 million Euros from the European Horizon 2020 programme. The consortium is composed of 14 companies that are led by Italian manufacturer Piaggio. Austrian motorcycle manufacturer KTM also participates in this project.

The members of the Connected Motorcycle Consortium (CMC), the R&D platform to foster cooperation in research and development in the field of cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) exhibited some of their latest vehicles. The CMC, which is open to a wide range of organisations including motorcycle OEM, automotive companies, automotive part suppliers and research institutions, aims promote timely and comprehensive use of C-ITS systems offering the potential to improve safety for motorcyclists.

Press materials

• Conference photos (free of copyright) 
• Conference documents (.ZIP 38.6MB)
• 2017 European market statistics (provisional) [XLS]

Note for editors

About ACEM. The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) represents manufacturers of mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers and quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. ACEM members include 17 manufacturing companies and 17 national industry associations. About 156,000 jobs depend on the motorcycle, moped, tricycle and quadricycle industry in Europe. ACEM manufacturing members, which include some of the largest multinationals in the sector, are: BMW Motorrad, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), Ducati Motor holding, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, KYMCO, MV Agusta, Peugeot Scooters, PIAGGIO, Polaris Industries, Renault, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph Motorcycles and Yamaha.

About RESOLVE. The RESOLVE consortium brings together 14 European companies including PIAGGIO (leader of the consortium), KTM, BOSCH, MARELLI and other organisations. The objective of the consortium is to develop affordable, energy efficient and comfortable electric vehicles ideal for daily urban commuters. To learn more about RESOLVE and see the full list of members please visit: http://www.resolve-project.eu 

Press contact

Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM communications manager
E. 
M. +32 496 52 65 17

Image gallery

Photos of the event available here.

On 1 November 2017 experts from the motorcycle industry, the European Commission, the U.S. Department of Transportation and other organisations met at the ITS World Congress in Montreal, Canada, to discuss the future of intelligent transport systems and motorcycling. The discussions took place during the ‘Motorcycle talk ITS’ roundtable moderated by the Secretary General of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM), Antonio Perlot. The participants examined some of the most important initiatives in the field of connected vehicles as well as as the challenges and opportunities offered by cooperative ITS.

Commenting on the future of technology, Hennes Fischer, senior advisor to Yamaha Motor Europe and member of the Connected Motorcycle Consortium, said: “Vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems will have a considerable effect on motorcycle safety. Technologies such as ‘motorcycle approach indication and warning’ will enhance the digital conspicuity of motorcyclists and reduce the probability of accidents, such as those that happen at intersections because of car drivers overlooking motorcyclists”.

Mr Fischer also explained that “Our industry is working together with other stakeholders in a large-scale European project to set the basis for an embedded eCall system for motorcycles that can operate across the European Union. This project will be completed by the end of the year and will pave the way for a future standard for eCall devices for motorcycles”. Under the European eCall Regulation, the European Commission must present a report in 2021 assessing whether the scope of this regulation should be extended to other categories of vehicles such as motorcycles and mopeds.

Matthias Mörbe, Vice-president for two-wheeler engineering solutions at Bosch, discussed whether motorcycles can be fitted with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) developed for cars. In this respect, he said that “powered-two wheelers require a dedicated approach and specific engineering solutions. Intelligent transport system applications designed specifically for cars cannot be directly transferred to motorcycles”.

John Lenkeit, Technical Director at Dynamic Research, an American company specialised in vehicle dynamics and accidentology, stressed that “ADAS for cars should be able to detect all vulnerable road users including motorcycle riders”. As a recent study released by Dynamic Research points out: “If ADAS systems are unable to correctly identify motorcycles, a possible consequence of broad ADAS implementation may be an increase in car-motorcycle accidents even as car accidents decrease”.

Stephanie Leonard, Policy officer responsible for intelligent transport systems at the European Commission said: “As we expressed in our recent GEAR2030 report, the European Commission sees connectivity and increased automation of transport as major trends that are shaping the future of European mobility. We believe that the automotive industry as a whole must embrace the upcoming revolution of digital, automated and connected driving”.

For his part, Robert Kreeb, Chief of the intelligent technologies research division at the U.S. Department of Transportation, said that: “Connectivity and increased automation hold the promise of addressing many of the major challenges facing today’s transport system, such as user safety, energy efficiency, air quality, traffic congestion, and to enhance the drivers’ comfort and convenience. In the long run, automation could have a revolutionary impact on travel behaviour, social inclusion and urban development, environment, entertainment and commerce, growth and jobs.”

Huei-Ru Tseng, Deputy Technical Manager of the Taiwan Industrial Technology Research Institute, said: “C-ITS technologies will give motorcyclists as digital presence, increasing their safety”. He added that ITS systems “must be specifically designed for motorcycle riders”.

In his concluding remarks, the Secretary General of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers, Antonio Perlot said: “There is no doubt that connected vehicles will play a major role in increasing transport efficiency, sustainability and mobility in Europe. Cars and motorcycles must be part of this new connected world”.

Panelists of the event

• Stephanie Leonard. Policy officer for intelligent transport systems. Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission.
• Bob Kreeb. Chief, Intelligent Technologies Research Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
• Huei-Ru Tseng. Deputy Technical Manager, Taiwan Industrial Technology Research Institute.
• Hennes Fischer. Senior Advisor to Yamaha Motor Europe / Japan. Member of the Connected Motorcycle Consortium.
• John Lenkeit. Technical Director at Dynamic Reserach Inc.
• Matthias Mörbe. Vice-president for two-wheeler and power sport engineering solutions at Robert Bosch GmbH.

About ACEM

• The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) represents manufacturers of mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers and quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. About 156,000 jobs depend on the L-category industry in Europe. There are about 35.3 million motorcycles and mopeds on Europe’s roads.

• ACEM members include 18 manufacturing companies: BMW Motorrad, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), Ducati Motor holding, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, KYMCO, MV Agusta, Peugeot Scooters, Piaggio, Polaris Industries, Renault, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph Motorcycles and Yamaha. ACEM also represents 17 motorcycle industry associations in 14 different European countries.

About the CMC

• The CMC is an R&D platform to foster cooperation in research and development in the field of C-ITS. It is open to a wide range of organisations including motorcycle OEM, automotive companies, automotive part suppliers and research institutions. The key objective of the CMC is to promote timely and comprehensive use of C-ITS systems offering the potential to improve safety for motorcyclists.

• The CMC was created in 2016 by BMW Motorrad, Honda and Yamaha. Since then, more members have joined the consortium: Kawasaki, KTM and Suzuki (development members) as well as ACEM, the Technical University of Dresden, the Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, VUFO GmbH and the Würzburg Institute for Traffic Sciences (associate members). For more information about the CMC please visit www.cmc-info.net

Press contact

Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM Communications Officer
  
+32 (0) 496 52 65 17

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers, ACEM, reacted to the GEAR 2030 report, published yesterday by the European Commission. ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot said:

ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot participated in the International Motorcycle Federation’s annual debate “Motorcycles and scooters: a new boost for electric mobility?”, which took place on 28 September 2017 at the Stanhope Hotel in Brussels.

Panelists included representatives from the STORM Eindhoven Project, Scooty (e-scooter sharing platform), the European Commission, Transport & Environment and FIM, and discussed the challenges and opportunities tied to the deployment of electric motorcycles and scooters in Europe.

Mr Perlot said: “Motorcycles and mopeds fitted with internal combustion engines have high fuel efficiency levels and are already making a valuable contribution to the sustainability of Europe’s transport systems”.

“At the same time, motorcycle manufacturers are also bringing to market new electric models which can take full advantage of the features of mobility in urban areas: trips in high-traffic density zones, short travelling distances, and limited availability of parking spaces”.

Mr Perlot emphasized that “motorcycles ad scooters must always be eligible to the financial and tax incentives developed for other electric means of transport. We also need further support for charging infrastructure in European cities”.

Background

• Total registrations of electric mopeds, motorcycles and quadricycles between January 2017 and June 2017 in the EU reached 13,089 units. This represents an increase of 30.5% compared the same period of 2016, when 10,576 units were registered.
• During the first six months of 2017, 10,204 electric mopeds, 1,995 electric motorcycles and 1,610 quadricycles were registered in the EU.
• The countries with the highest number of motorcycles registered were: France (615), Spain (444) and Germany (325) and Austria (146). The largest registrations of mopeds were recorded in France (3,116), the Netherlands (2,516), Belgium (2,013) and Spain (774).
• For more market data about electric vehicles please visit: http://www.acem.eu/market-data 
• For more info about FIA’s event please visit: http://www.fim-live.com/en/article/fim-policy-debate-in-brussels

Press contact

Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM Communications Officer
+32 (0) 22 30 97 32.
 

The French Association for the Training of Motorcyclists (AFDM, Association pour la formation des motards) has been awarded the European Training Quality Label by ACEM-DVR. The award follows an on-the-sport inspection of ADFM’s programme “Stages of perfectionnement” carried out by independent experts on 13 and 14 May 2017. The programme delivered by the AFDM was considered to be a robust and high-quality post-license scheme that helps motorcyclists to substantially improve their riding skills.

The AFDM, a non-for-profit organisation that has been working to promote motorcycle training in France for more than 35 years, also applies different quality monitoring systems in the riding schools that are part of its network, to ensure that their programmes are delivered to a high standard.

Commenting on the award, Dr. Veneta Vassileva, ACEM’s safety coordinator, said:

“We are delighted to announce that the AFDM is the first French organisation to have been granted the European Training Quality Label. This award is a testament to the quality and to the long-standing commitment of the AFDM in the field of road safety. We are particularly impressed by the quality of the work done by the AFDM and would like to encourage French riders to apply to these training programmes”.

“Only 10 months after the launch of the European Training Quality Seal, 21 training programmes in different countries have already been assessed and awarded the label. We hope that more training providers will soon apply and that this scheme will make a positive difference for the safety of motorcyclists in Europe”.

About the European training quality label

The European Training Quality Label is a label that helps riders to clearly and easily identify high-quality post-license training programmes. This voluntary certification procedure is open to a wide range of organizations based in Europe, including, amongst others, training schools, motorcycle manufacturers and public authorities. Voluntary post-license training is vital since it allows riders to increase their safety awareness, as well as enhance their hazard perception skills.

About ACEM

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) represents manufacturers of mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers and quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. ACEM members include 18 manufacturing companies and 17 national industry associations. About 156,000 jobs depend on the motorcycle, moped, tricycle and quadricycle industry in Europe.

About DVR

The German Road Safety Council (DVR) is a German NGO active in the field of safety. It deals with policies related to traffic engineering, traffic law, awareness-raising campaign and traffic education. DVR coordinates a wide range of activities for its 200 members, including the European Training Quality Label. To learn more about DVR please visit: https://www.dvr.de/ 

Press contacts

Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua
ACEM Communications Officer
+32 (0) 22 30 97 32.
 

Stefan Pierer, CEO of KTM AG, will start serving today as President of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM), the industry association that represents motorcycle manufacturers in Europe. Mr Pierer succeeds Mr Stephan Schaller, whose mandate comes to an end.

Mr Schaller, who serves as President of BMW Motorrad and the International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association, will become one of ACEM’s Vice-presidents. Mr Michele Colaninno, member of Piaggio’s board of directors and CEO and COO of the Immsi Group, becomes the other Vice-president of the European association.

This team of motorcycle industry executives will lead ACEM until July 2019, when the association’s general assembly will decide on the next senior leadership team.

It is not the first time that the CEO of KTM AG is appointed President of ACEM. He had served in this position between July 2007 and 2011 and ad interim between September 2012 and March 2013.

Quote

Commenting on his election, Stefan Pierer said:

- “Mr Schaller has done an excellent job at positioning ACEM for the future. I know I speak for the whole European motorcycle community in stating how much this work is appreciated”.

- “Our sector is confronted to several important challenges. The European motorcycle market has not completely recovered from the economic crisis and the conditions to export to countries like the UK and the US can no longer be taken for granted. We also need to work to ensure that our sector has a reasonable amount of lead-time to implement the new European rules on type-approval of motorcycles, particularly the new Euro 5 requirements”.

- “I am excited to be leading a team that will work hard to ensure that motorcycling has the place it deserves in Europe and beyond – as a solution for mobility and leisure opportunity. Within a forward-looking vision, the motorcycle industry will continue to play this role”.

Antonio Perlot, the Secretary General of ACEM said:

- “I am looking forward to start working again with Stefan Pierer, a widely-respected business leader with substantial global experience, as well as with our two new Vice-presidents. Together, with the full ACEM membership, we will continue engaging with the European institutions and other stakeholders”.

Documents available to download

Press release - Stefan Pierer begins term as President of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (pdf)

Note for editors

• An Austrian national, Mr Stefan Pierer began his career in 1982. In 1987, he founded the CROSS holding group (now KTM Industries group) in which he acts as majority shareholder and member of the Board of Directors. Further to being the CEO of KTM AG, he is also the Chairman of the board at Pankl Racing Systems AG.

• The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) represents manufacturers of mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers and quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. ACEM members include 18 manufacturing companies and 17 national industry associations. About 156,000 jobs depend on the motorcycle, moped, tricycle and quadricycle industry in Europe.

• ACEM manufacturing members, which include some of the largest multinationals in the sector, are: BMW Motorrad, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), Ducati Motor holding, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, KYMCO, MV Agusta, Peugeot Scooters, Piaggio, Polaris Industries, Renault, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph Motorcycles and Yamaha.

Press contact

Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM Communications Officer
+32 (0) 22 30 97 32.
 

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) and the International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (IMMA) hosted a joint Spring Congress in Berlin, from 3 April until 7 April 2017. The event was attended by close to 200 delegates, including some senior industry leaders, from Europe, India, Japan, South East Asia, and South and North America.

A new leadership for ACEM and IMMA

Both associations elected a new leadership team. The ACEM General Assembly appointed Mr Stefan Pierer, CEO of KTM AG, as President of the association as of 1 July 2017. Mr Pierer will succeed Mr Stephan Schaller, President of BMW Motorrad, who will start serving as Vice-President of ACEM on the same date. The association will also have a new Vice-President: Mr Michele Colaninno, who is member of Piaggio’s board of directors as well as CEO and COO of the Immsi Group.

The IMMA General Assembly appointed a Vice-President: Mr Johannes Loman, who currently serves as Executive Vice President Director of PT Astra Honda Motor, President of the Federation of Asian Motorcycle Industries (FAMI) as well as President of the Indonesian Motorcycle Industries Association (AISI). Mr Loman will work closely with Mr Stephan Schaller, the current President of IMMA.

Key topics discussed during the Congress

As part of the Congress, ACEM and IMMA organised an international conference on motorcycling and sustainability. The discussions addressed a wide range of issues including the challenges and opportunities for motorcycling in urban areas, recent developments in the fields of sustainability and road safety, and the need for further harmonisation of technical regulations at global level.

Panellists included renowned policy experts and representatives of civil society organisations: Stefano Ammirati (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, FIA), Edwin Bastiaensen (International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association), Antonio Erario (Italian Ministry of Transport, UNECE), Vito Ippolito (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, FIM), Hannes Jaenicke (actor, author and motorcycle rider), Angel Lopez (Barcelona’s City Council), Dr. Margie Peden (World Health Organization) and Prof. Fred Wegman (International Traffic Safety Data and Analysis Group).

About the International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association

The International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (IMMA) represents the combined skills and interests of the powered two- and three-wheelers manufacturing industry at the global level. It promotes mobility through safe, sustainable motorcycling by advocating the development and harmonisation of technical regulations affecting the motorcycle industry and by advancing inclusive policies for motorcycling. IMMA members include regional and national industry associations from Australia, Canada, Europe, India, Japan, South-East Asia and the United States.

About the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) represents manufacturers of mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers and quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. ACEM members include 18 manufacturing companies and 17 national industry associations. About 156,300 jobs depend on the motorcycle, moped, tricycle and quadricycle industry in Europe.

Press contact

For further information or to receive future ACEM news and press releases please contact:
Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM communications officer
P. +32 (0)22 30 97 32
E.  

According to the latest data published today by the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) registrations of motorcycles and mopeds in the EU have increased by 9.1% in 2016 compared to the the previous year. Total registrations in 2016 reached 1,307,200 units, with substantial increases in all of the largest European markets.

France remains the largest European market for light vehicles (253,067 units, +4.2% in 2016), followed by Italy (219,865 units, +11.8%), Germany (174,264 units, +15.1%), Spain (172,176 units, +15.9%) and the UK (128,637 units, +11.7%).

Strong growth in the motorcycle segment across Europe

In 2016 European registrations of motorcycles (i.e. vehicles with two- or three wheels and an engine capacity of more than 50cc) grew by 13.3% compared to 2015. The largest market for motorcycles in Europe was Italy, with 195,290 units registered (+13.5% on a year-on-year basis).

Other largest European motorcycle markets also showed positive trends: 174,624 vehicles were registered in Germany (+15.1%); 163,335 in France (+6.6%), 155,003 in Spain (+17%) and 119,889 in the UK (+13.4%).

Moped registrations in Europe

Registrations of mopeds (i.e. vehicles with two or three wheels and an engine capacity of 50cc or less) increased in some of the major European markets such as Spain (17,173 units, +7.6%) and the Netherlands (67,825 units, +2.9%), and remained stable in France (89,732 units, +0.1%) and Italy (24,575 units, -0.2%). A total of 327,826 mopeds were registered in Europe in 2016, representing a decrease of 3.5% on a year-on year basis.

Registrations by cylinder capacity

Most motorcycles, mopeds and quadricycles registered in Europe in 2016 have a cyclinder capacity of less than 125 cc (672,551 units, 49%). Vehicles with a cyclinder capacity between 126cc and 500cc accounted for 19% of the total (268,103 units), quite close to the number of registered vehicles with engines between 500c and 1000cc (20.6%, 283,868 units). Lastly, vehicles with engines of 1000cc or more totalled 150,444 units (10.9% of the total).

Registrations of electric vehicles

The largest markets for electrically-propelled mopeds, motorcycles and quadricycles were: France (7,396 units), the Netherlands (5,203 units), Italy (2,385 units), Spain (1,604 units) and Germany (1,501 units). Of all mopeds, motorcycles and quadricycles registered in the EU, 1.6% were electric vehicles. Internal combustion vehicles and vehicles equipped with hybrid propulsion represented 98.4% of the total registrations.

Quote

The Secretary General of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM), Antonio Perlot (Italian) said:

• “2016 has been a very positive year for the industry, with registrations increasing in most European countries, particularly in the largest European markets: France (253,067 units), Italy (219,865 units), Germany (174,264 units), Spain (172,176 units) and the UK (128,637 units)”.

• “Strong demand for light vehicles across Europe is a testament to their inherent advantages. Mopeds, motorcycles and quadricycles have reduced purchasing and running costs, are easier to park than cars, and reduce travelling times and congestion in cities”.

• “Nothwithstanding this, our sector still faces a delicate situation. Although more than 1.3 million vehicles were registered in Europe in 2016, that figure is about half the 2.43 million units registered in 2007 before the economic crisis hit”. 

• “According to our latest estimates, about 156,000 jobs are generated directly or indirectly by our sector in the EU. Activities such as manufacturing of vehicles, parts and componentes, as well as in repair and maintenance of vehicles, or manufacturing of protective equipment to name just a few examples, create jobs all over Europe, particularly in countries such as Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Spain and the UK”.

• “Exports of motorcycles, parts and accesories to foreign countries are essential to sustaining jobs in the motorcycle sector in Europe. In addition to a stronger domestic European market, we need a European trade policy that not only secures strategic free trade agreements with key partners but also one that prevents protectionist policies abroad”.

Documents available to download

ACEM - Statistical data - December 2016 [xls]

ACEM - Statistical press release - December 2016 [pdf]

Press contact

For further information or to receive future ACEM news and press releases please contact:
Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM communications officer
P. +32 (0)22 30 97 32
E.

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) is deeply concerned about the current decision of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to consider imposing additional customs duties of up to 100% on European motorcycle exports between 51cc and 500cc as of March 2017. This potential measure follows a formal petition to the USTR from the American beef industry, which has requested the opening of a Section 301 proceeding under the 1974 US Trade Act. This seeks to impose additional duties on EU exports to the US as a retaliatory measure against EU restrictions on American beef imports.

The new motorcycle tariff currently under consideration could not only inflict considerable damage to European companies that manufacture goods used by American citizens for both leisure and mobility. It would also negatively affect US small- and medium- enterprises that provide distribution, dealership and repair services, and could potentially lead to the destruction of thousands of jobs in the US.

ACEM, in line with the motorcycle sector at large in Europe and in the United States, calls on the USTR to properly assess this potential measure and to avoid creating an artificial and counterproductive trade barrier that will certainly not encourage a favourable resolution of the beef dispute and that will be damaging for both the EU and the US economies.

Quote

ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot said:

“There is no justification for this measure, and the motorcycle sector should not be dragged into trade disputes over food products. ACEM, as the representative of motorcycle manufacturers in Europe, is following this issue closely and presented its observations before the USTR to obtain an immediate exclusion of European motorcycles from the list of products subject to increased duties”.

“We should be looking for new opportunities to promote transatlantic commerce and increase prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic, instead of creating new artificial barriers that hurt European companies, reduce American consumers’ choice and harm jobs in the US”.

“Unilateral measures such as this one will not encourage a favourable resolution of the beef dispute. ACEM calls on the USTR to properly assess the potential measure and counts on the support of the European Commission to ensure that European companies can compete in the US market on fair terms and are not hindered by artificial and counterproductive trade barriers”.

Press contact

For further information or to receive future ACEM news and press releases please contact:
Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM communications officer
P. +32 (0)22 30 97 32
E.

Background

• ACEM, the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers, is the trade association that represents manufacturers of powered-two and three-wheelers as well as quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. ACEM members include 17 manufacturing companies and 17 national industry associations in 14 different European countries. About 156,300 jobs depend on the motorcycle, moped, tricycle and quadricycle industry in Europe.

• ACEM works closely with the EU institutions, as well as with a wide range of stakeholders, in different policy-areas. These include type-approval of L-category vehicles, environmental legislation, road safety and transport policies, international trade negotiations, etc.

• The United States Trade Representative (USTR) is a Cabinet member who serves as the President’s principal trade adviser, negotiator, and spokesperson on trade issues. He is responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade, commodity and direct investment policy.

• Under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974, the USTR is entitled to take unilateral actions and to impose duties upon foreign exports. It is not the first time the European motorcycle industry is targeted by the USTR. In 1999 and 2008, European motorcycles had also been included in – and subsequently removed – from a similar retaliation list.

More information

• ACEM. Position Paper: Request to reinstate action taken in connection with the European Union measures concerning meat and meat products [docket n° USTR-2016-0025) - Comments of the Motorcycle Industry in Europe (ACEM). http://www.acem.eu/publications/item/427-acem-comments-on-the-request-to-reinstate-action-taken-in-connection-with-the-european-union-measures-concerning-meat-and-meat-products 

• Office of United States Trade Representative (USTR). Request to Reinstate Action Taken in Connection with European Union's Measures Concerning Meat and Meat Products. https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=USTR-2016-0025-0001 

• White House. Press release: “Obama Administration Takes Action to Address European Union’s Unfair Trade Practices against U.S. Beef Industry”. https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2016/december/obama-administration-takes-action