Never in the history of political lobbying have so many been empowered by so much to persuade so few. Do not waste it.
‘It is vital for all motorcyclists to realise just how tiny a niche we are against the whole political spectrum’
is not because they are stupid or lazy. The volume of legislation passing through the EU is so great and often so technical that it is impossible for MEPs to be experts in all areas, in fact they are unlikely to be familiar with the detail of any more than a small percentage of the issues on
that the lobbying of minorities like ours is all the more crucial. He who shouts loudest may not always get heard but you can be sure if we don’t shout at all then we deserve to be ignored. Just think about that great spectrum of international concerns amidst which is one small group of people bleating
‘It is a testament to the determination and sophisticated lobbying of our operation, supported by you the members that we are not steam rollered into oblivion’
which they vote.
It is vital for all motorcyclists to realise just how tiny a niche we are against the whole political spectrum. Bear in mind that motorcycles only account for something like one per cent of all traffic and traffic is just one issue among many others competing for the attention of politicians. There is agricultural policy, there is industrial policy there are wars being fought and threatened.
Imagine having this vast raft of concerns floating across your desk every day.
It is against this background
about the technical minutia of vehicle testing or type approval or hi-viz vests. But these things are important to us and can seriously impact the costs or the practicality or the freedom of motorcycling.
And yet our lobby is financially supported by no more than about one percent of the constituency of riders.
It is astonishing that against such competing concerns and in the face of such profound disinterest from the vast majority of our own ranks we ever achieve anything. And yet we have done. It is a testament to the determination and sophisticated
lobbying of our operation, supported by you the members, that we are not steam rollered into oblivion.
The European parliament The high point of the European Parliament’s political activity, the It plenary sittings, ie the ones where the whole parliament sits, represent the culmination of the legislative work done in the committees that examine the detail of issues and in the political groups. The plenary sitting is also the forum in which the MEPs - take part in Community decision - making and express their standpoint vis-à-a vis the Commission and Council. For many years the Parliament was simply a forum for debate, a purely consultative body. But since its election by direct universal suffrage and thanks to the active work of its members, it has been able to secure greater powers and acquire the status of equal partner in co-decision with the Council in areas covering three quarters of Community legislation. Today, the European Parliament has 766 elected members from 28 member states of the European Union.
The Council of Ministers This is not elected by the general population but it does have considerable powers.
Ministers are appointed by member governments and of course those governments are elected by the populations of their respective countries so there is a thread of democratic accountability even if it is less direct than we might like. By joining the MAG activist list we can let you know if there is value in emailing a specific minister whose view expressed within the Council of Ministers may be critical.
When MAG defeated the 100bhp proposal back in the 1990s it was of great value that our campaigning here in the UK reversed the UK Government’s position on the issue.
Our Government then ensured that its minister on the Council of Ministers opposed the 100bhp proposal and ultimately it was defeated. In fact it was so soundly defeated that it is now illegal for any EU government to enforce a motorcycle power limit. We can never rest on our laurels. As long as motorcycles continue to be associated with high fatality rates the calls for more legislation will continue. There is an unrealistic expectation alive today that all forms of transport must be as safe as the safest.
MAG has promoted education programmes and various tactics to address the accident rate but ultimately our role is philosophic. We exist to defend the right to live our lives in way that renders us more vulnerable than others. If we abandon that position then ultimately we surrender the right to ride motorcycles. MAG will not do that.
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