Recreational craft industry: exhaust and noise emissions from boat engines (amend. Directive 94/25/EC)

Following a series of trialogues, the Conciliation Committee reached agreement on the draft directive. The compromise package was as follows: - seven amendments were accepted by the Council without modification relating to the scope of the directive, the use of synthetic biodegradable lubrication oils, transitional arrangements or sound measurement tests; - on comitology, agreement was based on a new text which includes a list of issues to be dealt with, as well as a negative list of issues which should not be dealt with by the executive committee; the latter includes the revision of the Froude and P/D ratio values; - the exclusion of steam powered craft with regard to design and construction; - replica diesel engines installed in craft built for own use will be exempt from the exhaust and noise emission requirements; - there will be a minimum 3dB noise allowance for all engine types; - the Commission will submit a report on the possibilities of further improving the environmental characteristics of engines and will consider the need to revise the boat design categories; - Parliament dropped its demand for a specific provision creating a system of in-use compliance; - finally, the dates for transposition and implementation were postponed by one year to take account of the time taken by the legislative procedure. �