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Newsletter March 2025
Towards Harmonized Boating Licenses in Europe: Supporting the Mutual Recognition of ICC Certificates
The current state of recreational boating licenses in the EU is marked by fragmentation and inconsistency, creating widespread challenges for both boaters and businesses across Europe. A recent study commissioned by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) highlights the need for action—and the most effective way forward. Despite the EU's commitment to the free movement of people and services, national discrepancies in licensing standards persist. These differences—ranging from medical certificate requirements…
On 19 March 2025, the European Commission announced the introduction of definitive anti-dumping duties on glass fibre yarns from China, with rates ranging from 10.3% to 30.7%. The decision follows an investigation confirming that Chinese exporters were selling these materials at unfairly low prices, harming EU producers. Glass fibre yarns are a vital input in the boatbuilding sector. While the new duties aim to protect European manufacturers and restore fair competition, they may also lead…
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) have both adopted formal opinions on the European Oceans Pact, calling for a more robust and coordinated governance approach and greater involvement of local and regional stakeholders in shaping the future of ocean policy. Both are EU institutions with a crucial role in advising on policy development from their unique perspectives. In its opinion, the EESC underlined that the pact…
The EU Commission has published its evaluation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), finding that while the Directive has advanced marine protection policy, it has not led to significant improvements in the state of Europe’s seas. Although the framework is well-established, it suffers from limited coherence with other EU legislation and lacks clear, enforceable objectives. The evaluation highlights that most EU seas remain in poor environmental condition, and the 2020 goal of achieving Good…
The MRV Regulation currently mandates the monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of greenhouse gas emissions from large ships (5,000 gross tonnage or more) calling at EU/EEA ports, with the scope expanding to include offshore ships and general cargo ships of 400 GT and above. The European Commission has published a report reviewing the possible extension of the MRV Regulation (2015/757) to vessels between 400 and 4,999 GT, which includes certain larger yachts. These smaller ships…
The EU Commission has launched the Union of Skills, a new initiative aimed at tackling labour and skills shortages across Europe. It introduces a set of targets for 2030 and focuses on enhancing basic education, upskilling and reskilling opportunities, and improving the recognition of skills across Member States. The initiative includes several key actions: a Skills Guarantee pilot to support workers facing restructuring, the expansion of EU Skills Academies aligned with the Clean Industrial Deal,…
The OECD has released the report "The Ocean Economy to 2050," which provides detailed forecasts and analyses on the future of marine sectors. Recognising the ocean as a powerful economic driver—equivalent to the world’s fifth-largest economy—the report emphasises significant transformations expected in the marine economy by 2050. Recreational boating is notably discussed within the broader category of marine and coastal tourism, identified as one of the largest segments in terms of economic value and employment.…
The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) has released the third edition of its report, “Advancing Towards a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Mediterranean,” offering a comprehensive overview of the region's maritime sectors and their sustainable development. This edition places a particular emphasis on coastal and maritime tourism, a sector closely linked to the recreational boating industry. The report highlights several areas relevant to the boating sector. It emphasises the need for sustainable practices in coastal…
EBI strongly opposes tariffs and underlines the potential risks to businesses on both sides of the Atlantic and the entire value chain. The boating industry is globally integrated and North America and Europe are the largest markets. Tariffs disrupt businesses, hinder economic growth, and jeopardise jobs, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that form the backbone of the boating industry. We welcome the EU’s objective to reach a negotiated solution with the US and…
On 18 March, EBI hosted a webinar presenting the outcomes of the Blue Boat Horizon project, including the Version 1 of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology developed for the boating industry. The session outlined key aspects of the project, such as the alignment with EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) standards, practical testing of the LCA tool, and the global collaboration with NMMA and ICOMIA. Member testimonials from British Marine and the Beneteau Group underlined…
Together with sustaining member IMCI, EBI has developed guidance and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the new EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR). The GPSR is in place and applicable since 14 December 2024. Despite the specific regulation for parts of the boating industry – the Recreational Craft Directive and in parts the Personal Protective Equipment Regulation – several requirements of the GPSR are relevant for all products and should be carefully considered. The FAQ provides…
EBI proudly participated in JEC World 2025 in Paris, a global event for the composites sector. The event highlighted the latest innovations and applications of composite materials, also showing the rising importance in the marine industry and the push towards sustainability. One of the highlights was the panel discussion titled “Setting Sail Towards Sustainability: Composites in the Marine Industry,” moderated by EBI Secretary-General Philip Easthill. The session featured perspectives from across the value chain, stressing…
EBI Secretary-General Philip Easthill spoke at the European Ocean Days in Brussels on skills for maritime professionals. The conference is organised by the EU Commission and is a key opportunity to engage with policy-makers and stakeholders around maritime and ocean policy. EBI emphasised the key needs and role of the boating industry, including the variety of jobs in the boating industry, the importance of a lifecycle approach to improving environmental performance, as well as the…
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