The EUROPA RALLY committee is an association that brings together caravanning tourists from all over Europe. The origins date back to 1961, when Edy Fritsch from Luxembourg organised the first European rally in Remich, Luxembourg. Sixty crews took part, which was a really good result for the time. With his founding friends around him, Edy was elected as the first President of EUROPA RALLY. Together with his friends from England, France, Germany and Belgium, they decided that such events would become cyclical and would always take place on Whitsun, but each time in a different European country. The aim behind the whole event was to forge friendships between tourists across Europe. The non-profit association status of the RCSL Luxembourg Europa Rally was only formally granted at the General Assembly on 20 May 1994 in Ghent, Belgium.
Currently, the Association’s governing body is headed by a Bureau consisting of a President and his deputy, a Treasurer and a Secretary. They are elected for a three-year term by majority decision. The association is currently headed by Kees Splint from the Netherlands. The Europa Rally Committee is made up of representatives from member countries across Europe. There are currently 18 representatives from 13 countries of the Old Continent. Poland is represented by Piotr Pelka (PZM) and Bronislaw Bienkiewicz. The committee members meet every year during the rally and take important decisions on the organisation’s functioning, finances and also consider applications for new memberships. During the meeting, they also evaluate the current rally and decide on the next Europa Rally event, including decisions on which countries and organisations will host the rally in future years.
As the attendance of these rallies has usually been very high, reaching 500-700 crews (1059 crews in 1975 in Munich), the Committee assesses whether future organisers are able to organise a Europa Rally. Each year, before a contract is signed with an organiser, a special delegation inspects the venue and examines the programme proposal. The organiser takes full responsibility for the organisation and execution of the event. In 2022 in Italy, this effort was undertaken by the Camper Club Universo, and next year the Polish Motor Association will be responsible for the rally in Krakow.
It is so fortunate that it is in Poland, in Krakow, that we will celebrate an anniversary – the 60th anniversary of the Europa Rally. Hoping for a fantastic event, the organisers have been working for almost a year to ensure that everything goes according to plan on 25-29 May 2023 and that the rally goes down in history, above all as successful and safe. This requires coordinating the activities of a great many institutions in what is, after all, not a small city like Krakow.
The event received the patronage of the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Sport and Tourism – Mr Andrzej Gut-Mostowy, the Marshal of the Malopolska Region – Mr Witold Kozłowski, and the patronage of the Mayor of the City of Krakow – Mr Jacek Majchrowski. In addition, departments of the City of Krakow and the Malopolska Tourist Organisation are involved in helping to organise the rally. The 60th Europa Rally is also partnered by camper van manufacturer Globe-Traveller. Next year’s rally will be held on the grounds of the Polish Aviation Museum.