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Erik Oddershede is the director of the Danish trade association Danske Cykelhandlere; ETRA’s member in Denmark. He has been a member of the ETRA Committee for 15 years.
Maurice Manders, who was elected President of ETRA in 2009, stepped down earlier this year in order to take up a new job in another sector.
Oddershede said:
“I want to thank the past president Maurice Manders for his good work for ETRA and its members, which strongly improved ETRA’s financial and political position."
Oddershede added: “I will do my best to help members deal with future challenges. Electric vehicles are a growing market and will without any doubt play an important part in the future of dealers of bicycles and power two-wheelers.
"Therefore it is very important that ETRA make the European Institutions aware of the many benefits of electric bicycles, scooters and motorcycles as a key element of a sustainable urban transport system.”
ETRA is currently lobbying the EU to change the laws on electric bikes, allowing them to be faster and more powerful.
A statement on the ETRA website says:
"If you want the market to remain limited to bicycles with pedal assistance up to 25 km/h and a motor output limit of 250W, there is no need to read any further."
It then goes on to promote the need for ‘speed pedelecs’ and other forms of e-bikes. ETRA represents European moped and motorbike dealers as well as bicycle dealers.
