Ten Years of Growth / Trailer Industry Association Calls for Simpler Driving Licence Regulations
As today's leading European representative body, the Trailer Industry Association (Trailer Industrie Verband - TIV) has been championing the interests of its members for ten years.
Berlin/Dresden. Car trailers are for doers – for people who want to get things moving. Exactly those kinds of people can be found in the Trailer Industry Association. Within the TIV, manufacturers and suppliers have joined forces to combat bureaucratic missteps that needlessly complicate life for their customers. A total of 39 companies – 23 manufacturers of passenger car trailers (OEM) and 16 suppliers – have joined forces.
Based in Berlin and Brussels, the TIV represents the interests of its industry to policymakers and public authorities. It offers to contribute its consolidated practical expertise to European legislative processes in a timely manner and actively advises on current legislative and standardisation procedures. Topics include, for example, the emerging revision of the European Driving Licence Directive, the harmonisation of safety regulations such as technical inspections and periodic testing, the standardisation of wheels and tyres, as well as the definition of uniform interfaces between vehicles and trailers. The association is conducting research into the future of trailers in autonomous driving and electromobility, and views trailers as a contribution to environmental protection.
At the general meeting (held on June 26th and 27th) at the association’s founding site in Dresden, the Chairman of the Executive Board Michael Jursch stated: "In the ten years since the founding of the Trailer Industry Association, we have demonstrated remarkable growth. Today, we are a strong voice in Europe for an industry that makes vital contributions to sustainable transport concepts of the future. We invite policymakers and public authorities to incorporate our expertise even more extensively into transport and industrial policy decision-making. In particular, the confusing driving licence regulations urgently need to be simplified."
The TIV represents 39 manufacturers and suppliers from ten European countries. Germany (17), Netherlands (5), Belgium (4), France (4), United Kingdom (2) Poland (2), Austria (1), Czech Republic (2), Slovenia (1), Romania (1).
Members of the Trailer Industry Association 2025 at the Congress Centre Dresden. Front row (from left to right): Executive Board: Henk Sturme (Drotech BV), Chairman of the Executive Board Michael Jursch (STEMA Der Anhänger), Board Member Gunnar Bregler (UNITRAILER Holding), and Chief Representative Karlheinz Spägele (formerly AL-KO Vehicle Technology)
Concentrated industry expertise (from left to right): Board Member Gunnar Bregler (UNITRAILER Holding), Chairman of the Executive Board Michael Jursch (STEMA Der Anhänger), Chief Representative Karlheinz Spägele (formerly AL-KO Vehicle Technology), and Board Member Henk Sturme (Drotech BV)
