The review of the Recreational Craft Directive (RCD) has started with the European Commission selecting a consortium of companies tasked with carrying out a study. These are Panteia (the Netherlands), TNO (the Netherlands) and Emisia (Greece). The study has a 10-month timeline and will concentrate on the following major issues as required by the RCD (Article 52): 1) Exhaust emissions, 2) Evaporative emissions and 3) Design categories.

EBI has already held an introductory meeting with the consortium and will be closely following the process and putting forward its position as set out in the position paper that has been prepared over the past months. Following the study, the Commission will prepare a report that sets out the conclusions of the study, as well as potentially other areas to address. At the same time, the Commission will decide whether the current RCD is suitable or whether legislative changes should be proposed. The deadline for this is January 2022 and would then be followed by the legislative process in the European Parliament and Council of the EU (representing Member States).