Neuer Präsident der FIVA – Patrick Rollet

Auf der jährlichen Hauptversammlung des Oldtimer-Weltverbands FIVA (Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens) haben die Delegierten aus über 60 Ländern am 16. November 2013 in Split/Kroatien einen neuen Präsidenten gewählt.
Patrick Rollet (Bild im Anhang) aus Frankreich erzielte mit seiner Präsentation eine deutliche Zustimmung und erhielt die meisten Stimmen für seine Kandidatur.

Der bisherige Präsident Horst Brüning hatte dieses höchste Amt in der FIVA seit Ende 2007 inne und konnte gemäß Satzung nicht erneut für das Präsidentenamt kandidieren. Während seiner zweimaligen Präsidentschaft hat der in Schweden lebende Deutsche einen großen Schwerpunkt auf das Wachstum der FIVA gesetzt. Mit ihm wurde der Verband zu einem richtigen Weltverband, denn bis dahin waren Länder wie beispielsweise USA, Russland oder China nicht in der FIVA vertreten. Auch die Anzahl der Mitglieder konnte in den letzten Jahren nahezu vervierfacht werden – der Weltverband zählt derzeit weltweit 1,6 Mio. registrierte Mitglieder. Die Delegierten sprachen einen großen Dank auf die Verdienste von Herrn Brüning aus.

Patrick Rollet wird den bereits begonnenen Prozess der Professionalisierung fortsetzen und die Bedeutung des Weltverbands in der Oldtimerszene weiter stärken. Der Franzose war viele Jahre aktives Mitglied in verschiedenen Arbeitsgruppen der FIVA. Nicht zuletzt aufgrund seiner früheren Aufgabe als FIVA Vizepräsident für Strategie bringt Patrick Rollet eine große Erfahrung in sein Amt ein.

FIVA welcomes Patrick Rollet as new President of FIVA

Delegates from 54 countries gathered from November 14th to 16th  in Split (Croatia) to attend the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA) Commissions’ meetings and the General Assembly. The FIVA has the declared objective of preserving the rights of its member organisations around the globe to use yesterday’s vehicles on tomorrow’s roads.

The main agenda item of the event was the election of the new President.  Out of four candidates, Patrick Rollet (F), was elected as the new President of FIVA for the next three years. He succeeds Horst Brüning (S) who will be remembered as the president who globalised FIVA with the recruitment of countries such as the USA, Canada, China, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Serbia has been the most recent nation to join FIVA.  Consequentially, 64 countries are now members of this worldwide organization which represents more than 1.500.000 individual historic vehicle enthusiasts.

FIVA was incorporated in 1966 and has determined that it needs a more modern and professional structure for the future. The FIVA members accepted the plan for this presented by Bernhard Kaluzza who proposed a completely new FIVA structure to take effect from the next General Assembly meeting in November 2014.

On the political side, FIVA has reinforced its legislative action this year to ensure that “yesterday’s vehicles can use tomorrow’s roads” and has, for example, successfully lobbied the European Parliament to include an amendment to the new Roadworthiness Testing Directive.

The Legislation Commission, chaired by Tiddo Bresters (NL), is preparing to carry out a new Socio-Economic Research Project which will be launched in March 2014.  The last survey organized by FIVA was in 2006 and needs to be updated.

FIVA wants to promote itself as a cultural organization and therefore seeks recognition from UNESCO as an INGO (International Non- Governmental Organization).  This is the next step after the creation of the Charter of Turin presented earlier this year in Stuttgart. A working Group under the lead of Thomas Kohler (CH) is pursuing this objective.

The General Assembly thanked Tony Davies (GB) who for the past six years has held the challenging portfolio of Trade and Skills. He has carried out surveys and has lobbied other FIVA members to take action in preserving the traditional skills, restoring, repairing and archiving all aspects related to the historic vehicle movement.  His successor is Jos Theuns (NL), who was a member of the working group and he will continue to build on the foundations Tony laid.

Mark Gessler (USA), Vice President Technical, presented initial ideas for a new FIVA Technical Code to be implemented in 2015.  The Digital Library and scanning of the issued FIVA ID Cards is still in progress.

The Events Commission of FIVA, chaired by George Ioannides (CY), is considering the future of events.  Due to the economicl situation in most countries, fewer events are being placed on the FIVA Events Calendar.

Carlos Scosceria, Director South America, reported on the excellent cooperation between the countries in this part of the world. He has piloted the model of having FIVA ambassadors covering a region and in the near future, FIVA will replicate this model, appointing ambassadors for Asia and the Middle-East.

Not only cars were discussed in Croatia. Palmino Poli (I) reported on the first international Motorcycle Week in June 2013 and the success of the FIVA World Rally for Motorcycles.

2014 will be a special year for our utilitarian and military vehicles.  Renato Pujatti (I), Director Utilitarian Vehicles, will promote FIVA during the commemoration of the Normandy Landings in June 2014.

FIVA has a triple ‘P’ mission : Protection, Promotion and Preservation.  Promotion is the responsibility of our Director Communication, Peeter Henning (B), who presented the new internet homepage which will be launched very soon with several innovations such as links, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

There were many positive outcomes from the 2013 General Assembly and the new FIVA President Patrick Rollet closed the international assembly expressing his intention to lead  FIVA into the future as a truly professional organisation.