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Recreational craft and personal watercraft

2011/0197(COD)

The Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection adopted the report by Malcolm HARBOUR (ECR, UK) on the proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on recreational craft and personal watercraft.

The parliamentary committee recommends that the European Parliament’s position at first reading, following the ordinary legislative procedure, amends the Commission proposal as follows:

Scope of application: an amendment clarifies thatwatercraft also used for charter or for recreational boating training shall also be covered by this Directive.

Definitions: Members introduced changes to the definitions:

  • recreational craft: ‘recreational craft’ means any vessel of any type intended for sports and leisure purposes of hull length from 2.5 m to 24 m, measured according to the harmonised standard, regardless of the means of propulsion;
  • personal watercraft: the proposed definition is replaces with that in Directive 2003/44/EC which is the international definition including the relevant ISO standard;
  • propulsion engine: the amendment ensures all types of hybrid installation will have to confirm to the exhaust emission requirements of Annex I. B;
  • major craft conversion: the amendment provides a more precise definition to avoid that any change to the engine’s attributes inadvertently qualifies as a major conversion
  • manufacturer: the amendment addresses the current ambiguity faced by those manufacturers who adapt engines for marine use and do not change the emissions characteristics of the engine, ensuring they are now clearly able to use the original engine manufacturer's proof of conformity.

Exchanges of best practice: the Commission should facilitate the exchange of best practices between Member States by setting up an adequate system for such exchanges. Members take the view that such an exchange of views on best practices would help to avoid disproportionate measures.

Free movement: an amendment stipulates that the Member States shall not impede the making available on the market or putting into service of propulsion engines, whether or not installed in watercraft, which comply with this Directive.

Manufacturers’ obligations: an amendment clarifies that manufacturers must ensure that their product is accompanied by instructions and safety information provided in a language or languages easily understood by consumers and other end-users in the Member States in which they place their products on the market. That language shall be determined by the Member State concerned.

Objections to a harmonised standard: a horizontal legislative revision of the EU standardisation system is currently underway which covers this general provision on objections to standards; Members propose the deletion of this article in this proposal for a sectoral Directive.

Restoration of the rules in force since 1994: Members wish to maintain the existing testing by notified bodies on large craft over 12m likely to sail in the open sea.

Changes to Annex I: Members’ amendments seek to:

  • provide more details on the precise application of a certain number of important safety requirements (buoyancy, electricity, gas and ventilation of fuel tanks);
  • offer an up-to-date system for the definition of boat design categories which removes the existing link between design category and intended use according to geographical location (e.g. off shore or sheltered waters) to instead leave wind strength and wave height as the main 2 parameters.

Report: no later than five years after the date of transposition, and and taking into account any major market initiatives, the Commission shall submit a report on the technical feasibility of further reducing the emissions of recreational marine engines, taking into account the cost-efficiency of technologies and the need to agree globally harmonised values for the sector. The report shall be accompanied, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal to that effect.

Review: in the two years following the date of transposition, the Commission shall present a report on the impact of the boat design categories listed in Annex I, which are based on resistance to wind force and wave height, taking into account developments in international standardisation. That report shall include an evaluation of whether the boat design categories require additional specifications or subdivisions, in order to provide better information on actual use for consumers. The report shall also include an evaluation of the impact for the boat manufacturing industry. Where appropriate, it shall be accompanied by a legislative proposal.