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EU workshop on harmonisation of boater's licences in Europe

The complexity surrounding boater's licences in Europe took centre stage at a recent workshop co-hosted by the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG Move) and the consultancy Panteia. It is a topic of great importance both nationally and within the European community. The diverse array of national frameworks governing the license certificates poses a significant challenge in establishing a unified regulatory framework. This fragmentation not only creates obstacles to the formation of a cohesive system within European countries but also cannot ensure open borders and enhance safety standards.

The European Commission, in collaboration with Panteia, is implementing a study in order to address the problem, with the goal of framing the actual European situation and finding possible solutions. The first phase of the study that concluded with the workshop, showed the results collected by the surveys that have been circulating around industry stakeholders and the general public/boaters. A different array of stakeholders and national organisations, including several EBI members, gathered to discuss the current situation and the actual issues and needs caused by the fragmented national frameworks. During the workshop, the need for a unified regulatory approach was emphasised to streamline operations and enhance safety standards across EU member states. Most participants agreed that the best way forward would be to make the International Certificate of Competence (UNECE Resolution 40) compulsory for all EU countries.

Participants delved into the economic significance of the boating industry, underlining its total value of approximately 16 billion euros. With varying degrees of boating activity observed across countries, the workshop underscored the urgency of harmonising regulations to facilitate smoother operations and ensure clarity for boaters navigating different jurisdictions.

As part of the study, the two surveys will remain open to provide feedback to the European Commission. EBI urges all stakeholders to respond to and share the surveys.