NYON, Switzerland-Europe’s two paging industry trade associations, the European Public Paging Association and the ERMES MoU Association, announced they have merged, presenting a united front to promote paging on the continent.
The joint organization will retain the EPPA name, and all former ERMES MoU association members will qualify automatically for full EPPA membership. The combined organization is in the process of creating a permanent ERMES Working Group, the chairman of which is Ivan Nedvidek, who also will serve as a new director on EPPA’s board.
A liaison officer between the members of the former ERMES MoU Association and the EPPA board will be appointed in September, while the administration of the two associations will be consolidated.
“The new, international association created by the merger will provide a powerful driving force in taking paging markets forward by introducing the services needed to attract new customers and maintain the current user base,” said Jacques Couvas, EPPA chairman.
“For too long, the growth of the European paging industry has been inhibited by internal wrangling,” added Zsolt Pakozdy, ERMES MoU chairman. “I am confident that, with its two main bodies united in one association, technical developments in paging can be implemented more quickly and stronger marketing initiatives can be undertaken.”
The decision was made following a July 1 meeting between the two organizations in Prague.
