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Regulatory •
Coastal and Maritime Tourism

The European Boating Association (EBA) in principle supports the development of an EU strategy to address the challenges and opportunities for Coastal and Maritime Tourism in the EU and any initiative that enhances and facilitates the unhampered movement of recreational boats across Member State borders.

Recreational boating and Yacht Tourism are important elements of the EU economy. In order to increase the contribution these activities make to the economy, efforts should be made to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and expense.

Recognition of Flag State Law, rather than the imposition of Coastal State Law for visiting recreational boats (not engaged in trade) and simplified procedures for arriving and moving around other countries without the need for cruising permits, and with local rules and restrictions clearly published, would enable Yacht Tourism and encourage boaters to venture further afield.

Adoption and / or formal recognition by member states, of the International Certificate for the Operation of a Pleasure Craft (commonly referred to as the ICC) created under Resolution 40 of the UN Economic Commission for Europe Inland Transport Committee would greatly ease the movement of recreational boats between member state borders.

The EBA supports the adoption and recognition by individual state governments, not only those of EU Member States, of any initiative that facilitates unhampered movement of recreational craft as a prime enabler for nautical tourism. Yacht Tourism should be encouraged, not hampered by regulation.

The EBA will

  • Encourage its members to recommend full adoption of Resolution 40 to their respective governments where they have not already done so.
  • Work towards recognition of the ICC as a reasonable and appropriate certificate of competence for an operator regardless of Flag State.
  • Work with its members to gather information on the regulations applicable to visiting foreign boats and encourage the publication of this information on national Government web-sites.

The EBA will not support any proposal which seeks to impose unreasonable additional regulatory burdens or controls on private recreational boaters.