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On 22 June, the FIA Region I Summer Cocktail gathered over 60 mobility stakeholders, EU officials, and European FIA Mobility Club representatives, for a networking evening at the Residence Palace in Brussels.
The annual FIA Summer Cocktail serves as an opportunity to gather and thank the FIA Region I partners.
Thomas Møller Thomsen, FIA Region I President, began the event by expressing gratitude to all mobility stakeholders at the event.
“Thank you for listening to us, for what we achieve together, and even for the occasions when we fight – respectfully – and must simply agree to disagree,” said Thomsen in his opening remarks.
Thomsen shed light on the different issues affecting our world today, including Russia’s war on Ukraine and the urgency of addressing climate change.
He reiterated that FIA Region I welcomes and supports the EU’s ambition of becoming climate neutral by 2050 but warned against the temptation of simplistic responses: “Complex problems demand complex solutions; they cannot be overcome by single, isolated measures,” he stated.
European Commission’s Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans was present at the event and addressed the audience.
As leader of the Commission’s work on the European Green Deal, Timmermans spoke about the value that FIA Clubs bring in ensuring cleaner mobility in their respective countries.
“Your Clubs will be an essential element in ensuring dependable mobility for their members, ensuring that both mobility and tourism can be sustainable,” said Timmermans.
Timmermans remains optimistic about the future of mobility and believes that it will and should be inclusive and affordable. He is also hopeful about the drive towards electrification but recognises the challenges on the way such as adequate infrastructure and limited natural resources.
FIA Deputy President for Automobile Mobility and Tourism, Tim Shearman, was also present at the event and shared the FIA’s vision on sustainable mobility for all.
Shearman mentioned some of the efforts of the FIA in supporting sustainable mobility; he spoke of the Green NCAP programme and its life cycle assessment tool, as well as the UNEP project on Safer and Cleaner Used Vehicles in Africa, both supported by the FIA.
At the event, FIA Region I showcased the My Car My Data campaign and the importance of putting the consumer in the driver seat. The campaign is part of the FIA European Bureau’s effort in bringing forward fair and inclusive access to data with free market principles of consumer protection and innovation.
