On the date of 30 April 2026 FIVA President Dr. Alberto Scuro held back to back meetings with the European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, the Hon. Mr. Apostolos Tzitzikostas and the President of the Parliament of the Hellenic Republic, H.E. Nikitas Kaklamanis. In both meetings he was accompanied by Mr. Michael Georgiakos, the President of the FIVA National Authority (ANF) in Greece, FH FILPA and also a member of the FIVA Technical Commission.
FIVA, as the global authority for historic vehicles, is constantly sought out by policy makers from across the world. Owners, civil society organizations, museums and other actors in the cultural ambit devote their time and resources to preserving this heritage, however, these custodians cannot preserve this valuable heritage alone. They require the understanding and support of regulators as well. Recognition by policymakers is a must. It is within this context that the meetings held by Dr. Scuro together with Mr. Georgiakos are of special significance.
The meeting with Commissioner Tzitzikostas comes at a time when recent studies have shown that historic vehicle events have moved beyond ‘niche enthusiast culture’ to become “highly visible, itinerary shaping elements of heritage tourism calendars”(1). This is further reflected by the fact that historic vehicle events deeply entwine heritage, identity, nostalgia and tourism development (2).
Accordingly, among the subjects touched upon during the meeting included, inter alia, the promotion of the use of historic vehicles for slow tourism and the facilitation of cross border travel.
The meeting with Parliamentary President Kaklamanis also took on special significance as evidenced by the fact that FH FILPA is at the forefront of lobbying in Greece to promote the preservation and use of historic vehicles. In Greece, the issuance of the FIVA Identity Card not only serves to preserve the history and background of a vehicle, but also carries with it special taxation and insurance incentives. Accordingly, during the meeting with Parliamentary President Kaklamanis, Messrs. Scuro and Georgiakos touched upon a number of issues pertaining to the use of historic vehicles, including the fact that in actuality they have a negligible contribution to CO2 emissions.
FIVA works tirelessly to oversee regulatory affairs and institutional relationships and closesly follows and monitors via its Legislation Commission, EU initiatives, policies and legislative files. Many non-European FIVA members use the work product of the Legislaive Commission as best practices to be customized for use in their home countries. The meetings with the Hon. European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Mr. Apostolos Tzitzikostas and the President of the Hellenic Parliament, H.E. Nikitas Kaklamanis, provided an unprecedented opportunity to interact and exchange views on historic vehicles with key decision makers at the national and European level.
It bears mention that in 2025, by way of an invitation of the European Parliament, FIVA rolled out the “FIVA Roadmap”, outlining and providing a framework to the European Parliament a guideline as to how FIVA can work together with European parliamentarians to protect and preserve historic motoring, not only within the context of an organization with its headquarters in Europe but as a truly global organization.