The Assembly of the Republic approved, in plenary, draft laws concerning the rules applicable to the use of bicycles and scooters. The proposals now proceed to the competent parliamentary committee, where they will be discussed and voted on in detail, and therefore the rules currently in force were not changed by this vote.
MUBi – Association for Urban Mobility by Bicycle, however, warned in a statement about what it considers to be an incorrect interpretation of the parliamentary vote, after some media outlets reported the existence of a new obligation to wear a helmet.
According to the association, approval in plenary does not determine the entry into force of any new obligation, namely fines for those who ride without a helmet. The projects will still be analyzed in detail, and may be amended before the final vote.
“The House of Democracy is doing its job: the projects were debated and approved in plenary and will now be discussed, amended and voted on in detail,” emphasizes MUBi.
The association argues that the legislative process must be followed rigorously and considers that presenting as decided measures that are still under discussion can contribute to misinformation and harm public debate.
MUBi maintains its opposition to the universal helmet requirement, a position it says is grounded in the available scientific evidence and in the possible effects of this measure on bicycle use.
The association now hopes to be heard by the parliamentary committee during the detailed discussion and aims to continue dialogue with the parliamentary groups on the content of the legislation.
The legislative process will thus still undergo several stages before it is known which of the proposed measures will actually be approved and which rules may come into force.
