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On 4 April 2019, coinciding with the beginning of the motorcycle riding season, the European Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc addressed a video message to motorcyclists, in which she encouraged riders “to embrace a responsible approach to motorcycling and to attend voluntary advanced safety training on a regular basis”.

Commissioner Bulc pointed out that: “Europe has some high-quality training schemes on offer” and that the European Motorcycle Training Quality Label will help motorcyclists “to identify the very best motorcycle safety training courses available in Europe”. The European Commissioner added: “We are grateful that the European Motorcycling Training Quality Label has been set up, responding to our call for voluntary commitments”.

Stefan Pierer, President of ACEM, the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers, and CEO of KTM, said: “We are delighted that the European Motorcycle Training Quality Label has the support of the European Commissioner for Transport. Quality post-licence training helps motorcyclists to improve their riding skills. It can also make their experience not only more enjoyable but also safer. This label, which is part of the sector’s long-term safety strategy, will have a very positive impact on motorcycle safety across Europe”.

The European Motorcycle Training Quality Label is a certification scheme open to a wide range of organisations based in Europe offering advanced safety training. It was launched in 2015 by ACEM and DVR, the German Road Safety Council, with the aim to help motorcyclists to easily identify high-quality post-license training programmes across Europe. Later on, the International Motorcycling Federation, FIM, joined the partnership and the European Transport Safety Council, ETSC, provided its endorsement.

To date, a total of 28 post-license motorcycle training programmes have been certified in Sweden, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Austria and Germany, and further applications are undergoing evaluation (https://motorcycle-training-label.eu).

Media

ACEM press release – European Commissioner for Transport endorses the European Motorcycle Training Quality Label supporting high quality safety training [pdf]

Video message from the Commissioner for Transport

Today the “advanced motorcycling course” of the Honda Safety Institute in Barcelona, received the European Motorcycle Training Quality Label. The award, which recognizes the best post-license training programmes delivered in Europe, was granted after an onsite visit by safety experts from the German Road Safety Council (DVR), the most important German NGO active in the field of road safety.

The European Motorcycle Training Quality Label is a voluntary certification scheme launched in 2015 by ACEM, the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers and DVR, to help motorcyclists clearly and easily identify high-quality post-license training programmes in Europe. The label is open to a wide range of organisations based in Europe, including training schools, motorcycle manufacturers and public bodies. To date, a total of 27 post-license motorcycle training programmes have been certified in Spain, France, the Netherlands, Austria and Germany.

The Honda Safety Institute is the latest centre to have received this award. The centre was created in 2009 to provide motorcycle safety training courses and is located in Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, close to Barcelona’s metropolitan area. The HSI has 20,000 square meters of tracks and facilities, designed exclusively to train motorcycle users and is the largest facility of its type in Europe. More than 20,000 motorcyclists have been trained at the HSI since its opening in 2009. In 2017 alone, about 3,000 people were trained by Honda at this facility.

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Commenting on the award of the European Motorcycle Training Quality Label, Vito Cicchetti, General Manager of the Motorcycle Division at Honda Motor Europe declared, “I am delighted that our Safety Training Institute has been recognized with this important quality label. Motorcycle safety is at the heart of what Honda does and we want to make sure that people enjoy riding in a safe manner. We, as managers of motorcycle companies, have an important responsibility for how people use our products”.

According to Antonio Perlot, Secretary General of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM), “the motorcycle industry set up the European Motorcycle Training Quality Label, to help motorcyclists identify the best post-license training options. It is extremely important that people learn through adequate and professional training, instead of through trial and error. We are convinced that this initiative will make a positive difference for motorcycle users in Europe”.

Albert Cavero, Public relations ands Motorcycle Safety Manager at Honda Motor Europe Iberia stated: “Riding a motorcycle is much more than simply handling a machine. Basic skills are important, no question about that, but motorcycle safety is more than riding techniques, body positioning, throttle control or braking. That is precisely why at our training centre, we not only teach motorcyclists about motorcycle riding but also about the importance of defensive riding, that is anticipating potentially difficult situations and avoiding them”.

Press contact

Dr. Veneta Vassileva
ACEM Road Safety Coordinator
Email   
Phone +32 (0)22 30 97 32

Documents available to download

PRESS RELEASE – Honda Safety Institute receives the European Training Quality Label award – English [pdf]
PRESS RELEASE – Honda Safety Institute receives the European Training Quality Label award – French [pdf]
PRESS RELEASE – Honda Safety Institute receives the European Training Quality Label award – German [pdf]
PRESS RELEASE – Honda Safety Institute receives the European Training Quality Label award – Italian [pdf]
PRESS RELEASE – Honda Safety Institute receives the European Training Quality Label award – Spanish [pdf]

Press photos

You can download all the photos from here. No copyright applies

Today, two of KTM’s Riders Academy training programs were awarded the European Training Quality Label. The award was granted after a site visit and inspection by safety experts from the German Road Safety Council (DVR), a German NGO active in the field of road safety. To date, a total of 24 post-license motorcycle training programs have been certified in Austria, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

The Academy, which was launched in 2018, provides courses that build on the latest empirical research on rider behavior and training, as well as the experience of Klaus Schwabe, one of the leading German experts in motorcycle safety. Training sessions are conducted in small groups of no more than six riders per trainer, and are open to motorcyclists using any brand of bike. The KTM Riders Academy plans to organise between 40 and 50 training sessions in Austria and Germany, involving about 300 motorcyclists

Commenting on the award of the European Training Quality Label, Stefan Pierer, President of KTM AG and current President of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) says, “I am delighted that the two KTM Riders Academy motorcycle training programs have received this important recognition at the European level. Training at our Academy aims to improve both the cognitive and the motor skills of the motorcyclist, increasing both safety and the pleasure of riding”.

Antonio Perlot, Secretary General of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM), says, “The European Training Quality Label is granted to the best post-license training programs in Europe. It is one of the main elements of the motorcycle industry’s safety strategy, and we are confident that this initiative will help motorcyclists to easily identify the best training programs in Europe”.

Documents available to download

Press photos and full press package [ZIP]

PRESS RELEASE – Two motorcycle training programs provided by KTM AG receive the European Training Quality Label award [PDF]

COMUNICATO STAMPA – Due programmi di scuola guida per motociclisti erogati da KTM AG hanno ricevuto il Label europeo per la qualità della formazione [PDF]

COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE – Deux programmes de formation pour motocycles de KTM reçoivent le prix du European Training Quality Label [PDF]

PRESSEMITTEILUNG – Zwei von der KTM AG angebotene Motorrad-Trainingsprogramme erhielten die Auszeichnung „European Training Quality Label [PDF]

L’Association pour la Formation Des Motards (AFDM), spécialiste de la formation au sein du Mouvement des Motards en Colère, s’est vu remettre le label “European Training Quality Label” par l’ACEM et le German Road Safety Council (DVR) pour la formation post-permis qu’elle délivre.

Après leur mission d’audit, les experts indépendants mandatés par l’ACEM et le DVR ont reconnu le caractère exigeant et de haute qualité de la formation dispensée, qui permet aux motards d’acquérir un comportement mieux adapté à l’environnement dans lequel ils se déplacent.

L’AFDM forme depuis plus de 35 ans les motards à une meilleure sécurité dans leur conduite, par la connaissance de leurs limites et de leur environnement. Cette formation, élaborée et dispensée par des motards, tous bénévoles, et supervisés par des professionnels du réseau de moto-écoles AFDM, est la première en France à recevoir ce label d’excellence européen.

Selon Dr. Veneta Vassileva, coordinatrice sécurité pour l’ACEM, « l’attribution de ce label à l’AFDM est une reconnaissance de leur engagement sans faille et de leur expertise dans le domaine de la formation pour une meilleure sécurité routière. Nous sommes vraiment impressionnés par tout le travail que cette association réalise ».

Pour Pierre Malexis, de l’AFDM, « c’est une fierté que cette approche de formation conçue par des motards, à destination des motards et mise en œuvre par des motards, portée depuis plus de 35 ans par les motards engagés bénévolement au sein de l’AFDM soit ainsi reconnue au niveau européen. Il est plus que temps que l’État comprenne lui aussi l’impérieux besoin de réinvestir dans des formations de qualité à la sécurité de tous les usagers, sur toutes les routes. La répression sans la formation n’est pas, n’a jamais été, une solution pérenne ».

« La Mutuelle des Motards incite depuis très longtemps ses sociétaires à bénéficier de cette formation, en leur accordant une réduction substantielle de leur cotisation d’assurance », explique Patrick Jacquot, son P-DG. « C’est dans notre ADN de Mutualiste, proposant des contrats d’assurance « Prévention comprise » que d’accompagner nos sociétaires vers une meilleure sécurité, et nous sommes fiers que l’AFDM et notre démarche soient ainsi reconnus. »

Pour Fabien Delrot, coordinateur de la Fédération Française des Motards en Colère, « c’est une reconnaissance historique de la démarche de la FFMC qui, parallèlement à ses combats pour la défense des deux-roues motorisés, propose depuis sa création des solutions réalistes et efficaces en matière de sécurité routière. Cette labellisation, au-delà de l’AFDM, rejaillit sur l’ensemble du Mouvement des Motards en Colère et de ses milliers de bénévoles. »

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/

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers, ACEM, hosted today its 12th annual conference, ‘The Safe Ride to the Future’, around the issue of motorcycling safety in the European Union. This edition of the Brussels annual conference attracted more than 150 attendees from the motorcycle industry, European and national administrations and users’ organisations, as well as a wide range of stakeholders.

The event explored key issues around motorcycle safety such as the benefits of advanced vehicle technology for powered-two wheelers, the need to ensure that all road users have adequate behaviours on the road, or the importance of inclusive motorcycle safety plans, particularly at national level.

As part of the conference, ACEM and the German Road Safety Council (Deutscher Verkehrssicherheitsrat) presented a new European Training Quality Label for high-quality post-license training programmes. A motorcycle training scheme run by the Royal Dutch Motorcycle Federation (KNMV) was the first one to receive the certification.

ACEM also organised an exhibition on motorcycle safety technology that featured some of the latest vehicle models launched by the industry as well as innovative safety devices such as a side view assyst system, a wireless airbag jacket and an electronic windscreen.

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ACEM and BMW Motorrad President Stephan Schaller said:

– “ACEM members manufacture some of the most advanced motorcycles and mopeds in the world. But it is also important that motorcyclists have good riding skills and a responsible attitude on the road. This is precisely why we are partnering with the German Road Safety Council to promote the best post-license training programmes across Europe”.

– “Intelligent transport systems (ITS) solutions have also started to make their way into our industry. We expect that in the future vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technologies will help to reduce the risk of accidents by allowing powered two-wheelers to effectively communicate with other vehicles”.

ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot said:

– “There are more than 36 million motorcycles and mopeds on Europe’s roads, which help to save time and money for commuters, increase urban traffic fluidity and reduce congestion”.

– “Today’s discussions clearly showed that motorcycling safety is a shared responsibility, and that it is essential that vehicle manufacturers, European and national administrations and users’ organisations work together to achieve lasting safety improvements”.