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

The committee adopted the report by Martin CALLANAN (EPP-ED, UK) amending the common position under the second reading of the codecision procedure. It reinstated, wholly or in part, a number of amendments adopted by Parliament at first reading, calling for: - steam-powered craft to be excluded from the directive; - engines on craft built for own use to be exempted from the relevant exhaust emission requirements; - the application of more stringent limit values for exhaust emissions in specific inland waters; - the possibility for Member States to lay down stricter rules for inland waters in the interests of environmental protection and drinking water quality; - Member States to consider promoting the use of synthetic biodegradable lubrication oils at national level as a way of reducing water pollution by recreational craft; - the Commission to submit a proposal within 2 years on a system of in-use compliance testing. On comitology, the committee restated Parliament's opposition to a regulatory committee to advise the Commission on modifications to certain technical provisions, arguing that it undermined Parliament and Council's original right to adopt certain limit values under the codecision procedure. Other amendments called for the minimum 3dB noise allowance to apply to twin-engine and multiple engine units of all engine types, rather than simply to such units consisting of outboard engines or stern-drive engines with integral exhaust, as specified in the common position. The committee pointed out that this allowance had nothing to do with exhaust noise and that fitting better exhaust systems would not negate the need for a minimum engine noise allowance, which should therefore apply to all engine types. Lastly, the committee wanted to introduce a temporary derogation to exhaust emission requirements for small manufacturers (producing fewer than 5000 engines per year worldwide), to give them more time to adjust to the new provisions. �