A contribution was submitted to the EU public consultation on the review of the Concessions Directive (part of the larger review of EU public procurement legislation=, setting out sector priorities for marinas, yards and other marine businesses operating under concessions on public land. The paper recalls the scale of nautical tourism and recreational boating in Europe and underlines the role of marinas and marine businesses as essential infrastructure for access to the water, regional tourism and the wider boating value chain.

The position highlights that marina concessions are long-term, capital-intensive investments and argues that EU-level rules should better reflect their specific characteristics rather than treating them as generic commercial contracts. It calls for concession durations that are long enough to amortise infrastructure and meet financing needs, particularly as operators face growing investment requirements linked to the green and digital transition, including alternative fuel and charging infrastructure, environmental performance and climate adaptation.

The paper also stresses the importance of clearer treatment of investments at renewal. It supports approaches that encourage modernisation by ensuring business certainty, including fair valuation and appropriate compensation for significant fixed investments when a concession changes hands, so that operators remain incentivised to invest throughout the concession period.