General News: Public Authorities and ITS Nationals meet in Brussels

Date: 07 March 2008

ITS voices throughout Europe gather to discuss ways forward.

The Public Authorities Platform, comprising ERTICO – ITS Europe Partners from Public Authorities across Europe, were welcomed to the ERTICO office in Brussels on 28 February by ERTICO Chairman Monica Sundström and ERTICO Chief Executive Officer Hermann Meyer.

Thirteen countries were represented at the meeting (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland), each providing an update as to the most important ITS related activities taking place in their country.

The meeting was very constructive with a review on current ERTICO activities and new developments including the recently launched ERTICO Partner Topic Groups (PTGs). Hermann Meyer encouraged members of the Platform to participate fully in the PTGs as they will be the driving force behind future ERTICO activities, and added that the Public Authority Partners should take the opportunity to contribute ideas for new activities. In addition, ERTICO Project Manager Oene Kerstjens gave a very informative presentation on European Tolling Solutions and the possibilities of advancing interoperability across Europe.

Members of the Platform were also given the latest updates on the upcoming Congresses, including a presentation from Birgitta Holmström on the ITS World Congress taking place in Stockholm in 2009.

The next meeting will take place on September 23 in Paris.

Meeting of the ITS Nationals
The ERTICO-hosted Network of ITS National Associations also met in Brussels on 29 February where Chairman Christer Karlsson welcomed 21 out of its 27 members, commenting that the large number present indicated the importance of the Network. Hermann Meyer suggested strengthening the cooperation between ERTICO and the Network even further. In addition, the two organisations should do what they can to achieve their common goals together.

What was a Network of 27 members at the start of the meeting ended as a Network of 28 members at the end of the meeting. The launch of ITS Network Germany, the public face of German ITS Associations, enabled both ITS Munich Germany and ITS Niedersachsen to step down and concentrate on regional issues. Two other new members, ITS Portugal and the Polish Association of Transport Telematics were welcomed to the Network after both giving informative presentations about their Associations. Other Network members present also had the opportunity to present the ITS priorities for their countries.

The next meeting will take place in Athens during the autumn.

For further information, please contact ERTICO Membership Affairs Coordinator Anna Limbrey