În data de 27 Ianuarie a.c., aproximativ 60 dintre antreprenorii Europei au luat parte, în cadrul Parlamentului European, la o sesiune de informare din partea Federației Europene a Drumurilor- ERF în ceea ce privește managementul rutier.
Evenimentul de succes, găzduit de Gesine Meissner, membru al Parlamentului European și membru al Comisiei pentru transport și turism, a fost o ocazie unică pentru autoritățile rutiere naționale din cadrul UE și reprezentanți ai industriei, de a împărtăși cunoștințe și experiența lor cu privire la gestionarea de unul dintre activele europene cele mai importante.
Pentru mai multe informații regăsiți mai jos comunicatul de presă oficial emis de ERF și agenda ședinței.
Christophe Nicodème, ERF Director General, opened the event thanking MEP Meissner for hosting this event. He underlined the importance of the transport sector in Europe and described ERF activities within the road financing programme and gave an overview on what Road Asset Management (RAM) is. Subsequently, MEP Meissner welcomed all the participants and elaborated on the importance of Europe’s road network roads by highlighting its essential role as a link between all transport modes.
The floor was then passed to Jean-François Corté, Secretary General of PIARC, who highlighted the worrying trends concerning road maintenance, stressing that declining investment in road maintenance is leading to the a serious degradation of the condition of the road transport system. Mr. Corté underlined the need for a multi-annual vision and approach to road asset management, stressing that this can lead both to savings at authority level and provide incentives for contractors.
Having set the general framework, the event continued with the presentation of good practices in selected European countries. More specifically, Yann Lefeuvre (Highways Term Maintenance Association), Stefan Gerwens (Director of Pro Mobilitaet), Roos Meilink from Interprovinciaal Overleg and Bjarne Bylov Jensen (Sales and Marketing Manager of Grontmij) respectively presented some experiences on RAM in the UK, Germany, Netherlands and Denmark.
A roundtable debate followed that touched upon a number of items, amongst others, ways of promoting the concept of RAM at authority level as well the need for a greater acceptance of the RAM principles amongst policymakers. In addition, participants debated the potential benefit that the establishment of an EU Road Agency could bring as a means of achieving a better and more strategic approach for road maintenance. All participants agreed on the need for a paradigm shift in how roads are funded and preserved and stressed the need for further actions to improve the current funding shortage.
The event was closed by MEP Meissner who thanked the ERF for putting this important item on the ‘political agenda’ and stressed her continuous support for safe and secure EU road network.
Proceedings of the event
Mr Nicodème (ERF) presentation
Mr Gerwens (Pro-Mobilität) presentation
Mr Lefeuvre (Highways Term Maintenance Association) presentation
Ms Meilink (Interprovinciaal Overleg) presentation
Mr Jensen (Grontmij) presentation
