THE European Car and Truck Rental Association (ECATRA) is to give extra resources and staff to its Brussels-based headquarters.

Its members, which includes leasing and short-term rental companies from across Europe, agreed to provide extra funding 'considering the increasing impact of the European union on the vehicle rental industry', it said.

The association's board also proposed to restructure the association 'in order to improve the exchange of information with and among members and be more proactive and further increase its presence and influence in Brussels'.

Members at its annual assembly in Nice, France, were also told the association's board members plan to attend as many member committee meetings as possible to share European views with vehicle rental companies.

Other topics covered at the assembly included the European Commission's White Paper on Transport and new draft regulations that will affect the car distribution block exemption.