European Boating Industry (EBI) and European Boating Association (EBA) welcome the publication of the European Commission’s Guidance Note for Pleasure Craft. The guidance provides much-needed clarification for recreational boat owners and business on the treatment of recreational craft under EU customs and VAT rules.

The publication follows continued engagement by EBA and EBI, which have consistently called for clearer, more practical and harmonised interpretation of EU customs rules affecting recreational craft. These issues have long created uncertainty for boat owners and businesses, particularly in cross-border cruising, second-hand boat sales and vessels returning to the EU after time spent abroad. The guidance represents an important step towards greater certainty for boat owners, dealers, marinas and the wider recreational boating sector.

The Commission guidance confirms several key principles of importance to the boating community, including that pleasure craft used within the EU are generally presumed to have the customs status of Union goods. There is no general requirement to prove Union status every time a boat returns to its berth. However, a boat registered outside the EU may be subject to customs controls more often according to the Guidance. It also confirms that the nationality or residence of the owner, and the country of registration or flag of the boat, do not in themselves determine whether a boat has Union status. This is a key clarification for a cross-European boating market in which ownership, registration and berthing arrangements frequently cross borders. The document also provides explanations on proof of Union status and other customs and VAT questions

Carol Paddison, Secretary of European Boating Association, said:

“We are pleased the European Commission has recognised that recreational boat users need clearer guidance. Although it doesn’t address the longstanding issue of missing paperwork, the document published by the European Commission provides welcome clarification which could enable more consistent application of customs and VAT regulations across EU member states.”

Philip Easthill, Secretary-General of European Boating Industry, said:

“We welcome the publication of this guidance, which addresses several long-standing questions for recreational boating. Clearer interpretation of customs and VAT rules is essential for boat owners, businesses and authorities alike. EBI has worked closely with the EU Commission to highlight the practical challenges faced across Europe, and this guidance is a positive result of that engagement. There are however still outstanding issues that need to be clarified to ensure a pragmatic approach for boating across all regions, such as long-distance cruising outside the EU”

“The second-hand market is an important part of the sector, and this will support on many practical concerns to improve the operational environment. In return, improving the framework for the second-hand market is also a long-term asset for the new boat market”

At the same time, the guidance is not legally binding and practical implementation may still vary between Member States. EBI and EBA therefore call on national customs and tax authorities to apply the guidance consistently and proportionately, and to work with the sector to ensure that recreational boaters and businesses can comply with the rules in practice.

EBI and EBA will continue engaging with the EU Commission, national authorities and industry partners to support harmonised implementation and to address remaining practical questions for the sector.

The guidance can be found on the website of the EU Commission.

On 9 April 2026, EBI, together with the European Commission (DG MARE), co-organised the second meeting of the Network of Stakeholders on End-of-Life Recreational Boats and Composites, bringing together policymakers, industry, and recycling experts.

Discussions focused on practical solutions and policy needs ahead of the upcoming Circular Economy Act. A key message emerged: the challenge is not technological, but systemic. While recycling technologies for composites exist, barriers such as fragmented national approaches, limited volumes, and regulatory complexities continue to hinder large-scale implementation.

Stakeholders highlighted the need for a more coordinated EU approach, improved financing mechanisms, and stronger cross-sector collaboration to achieve scale. The meeting concluded with broad alignment and a shared commitment to contribute to the development of an effective EU framework for end-of-life boats and composite recycling.

On 22 April, EBI, in collaboration with the law firm Cattwyk, organised a dedicated webinar on the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), providing key insights for the recreational boating sector.

The session brought together industry stakeholders to better understand the scope, requirements, and practical implications of the EUDR, which introduces new due diligence obligations for companies placing certain commodities and products on the EU market. Given the relevance of materials such as wood within the boating industry, the regulation is expected to have a direct impact on manufacturers and suppliers across the value chain.

Experts from Cattwyk guided participants through the main provisions of the regulation, including compliance requirements, risk assessment processes, and timelines for implementation. The webinar also addressed common challenges companies may face and offered practical recommendations to support preparedness.

Participants had the opportunity to engage in a Q&A session, raising specific concerns and clarifying how the regulation applies to their activities. The discussion highlighted the importance of early action and collaboration within the sector to ensure compliance while maintaining competitiveness.

This webinar forms part of EBI’s ongoing efforts to support its members in navigating evolving EU legislation and to ensure the boating industry remains informed, prepared, and aligned with sustainability objectives.

To receive the recording and material, please contact the EBI Secretariat.

EBI joined the Waterborne Technology Platform (Waterborne TP) as a member. This marks an important step in reinforcing the recreational boating sector’s role within Europe’s broader maritime innovation ecosystem.

Waterborne TP is a key European platform that brings together stakeholders from across the waterborne transport sector, including industry, research organisations, and public authorities. It plays a central role in shaping research, development, and innovation priorities, particularly in support of the EU’s climate and sustainability objectives.

By joining Waterborne TP, EBI aims to ensure that the interests and specificities of the recreational boating industry are better represented in European discussions on maritime innovation, decarbonisation, and future technologies. The membership will also provide new opportunities for collaboration with partners across the maritime value chain, fostering synergies and knowledge exchange.

This new partnership further strengthens EBI’s commitment to representing the boating industry at the European level and ensuring it remains an integral part of the future of sustainable maritime transport.

The European Parliament, the Council and the EU Commission have signed a joint “One Europe, One Market Roadmap”, committing to a coordinated programme of work to strengthen the Single Market and Europe’s competitiveness by the end of 2027. The roadmap is presented as both a political and operational commitment, with the three institutions agreeing to work to set timelines, review progress quarterly and keep delivery under regular stocktaking.

The roadmap is structured around five building blocks: simplifying rules, a more integrated Single Market, stronger trade, lower energy prices with decarbonisation, and digital and AI transformation. For the boating sector, the list of priority deliverables is relevant because it includes several files already on EBI’s agenda, including  the Public Procurement Act, the European Products Act, the Circular Economy Act, the Skills Portability Initiative and the review of the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation, each with target dates for agreement between 2026 and 2027.

The roadmap also includes wider trade and decarbonisation measures, such as ongoing trade agreement work, a proposal on supply chain dependencies, the ETS review, and new energy and digital initiatives. Taken together, it gives a clearer indication of the EU legislative timetable over the next two years and confirms that Single Market and competitiveness files will remain at the centre of the institutional agenda.

The EU adopted the Package Travel Directive revising the rules on package travel, strengthening protection for travellers purchasing combined tourist services such as flights, accommodation, transfers, or excursions in a single package. The revised package travel directive (PTD) adjusts the definition of ‘package’ by excluding linked travel arrangements and enhances information requirements before, during, and after the trip, including payment methods, passport or visa requirements, accessibility, and cancellation fees.

The directive clarifies travellers’ rights in cases of cancellation due to ‘force majeure’, ensuring no termination fees are charged and requiring organisers to provide refunds within 14 days, and introduces rules on vouchers that must be of equal or greater value, valid for 12 months, and transferable once.

It strengthens transparency and protection in cases of organiser insolvency by requiring clearer information on insolvency coverage, complaint-handling systems, and refunds within six months, with possible extensions under certain conditions. 

Following the Council’s approval, the legislative act has been adopted and will enter into force on 20 days after its publication in the official journal. Member States will then have 28 months to implement the new rules at national level.

The EU Commission has presented a new plan to modernise EU lawmaking, with the stated objective of making legislation clearer, simpler and easier to enforce, while improving alignment with the needs of citizens and businesses.

The plan is built around five areas. First, the EU Commission wants to apply “simplicity by design” more systematically when preparing new proposals, with greater clarity on obligations, compliance and enforcement. Second, it plans to strengthen the better regulation framework, including on transparency, stakeholder engagement and efficiency. Third, it will launch a “regulatory deep cleaning” exercise through an action plan to address inconsistencies, overlaps and excessive complexity in 12 priority areas.

The package also includes work on reducing regulatory gold-plating, with the EU Commission aiming to help Member States identify and remove unnecessary complexity and barriers to the Single Market where national rules go beyond EU requirements. In parallel, it plans to reinforce enforcement of Single Market rules in selected areas and reduce the number of long-standing infringement cases.

The initiative forms part of the EU Commission’s broader competitiveness agenda and is presented as a contribution to a more effective and integrated Single Market.

Recent EU trade agreements with Mercosur, Australia and India are expected to improve market access for Europe’s boating industry and support export opportunities for boatbuilders and equipment manufacturers.

With provisional application of the EU-Mercosur agreement confirmed from 1 May 2026, tariffs for recreational boats are set to be reduced gradually over a period of 10 to 15 years, while other products relevant to the sector, such as sails and lifejackets, will see tariff reductions over four years. Current tariffs for exports to Brazil can reach between 20% and 35% for parts of the boating industry.

The recent agreements with Australia and India also open new opportunities for the sector in key export markets. Taken together, these developments are an important step for an industry that relies strongly on exports and on reducing both tariff and non-tariff barriers to support competitiveness and diversification.

For a more detailed briefing, please contact the EBI Secretariat.

EBI participated in the first meeting of the European Ocean Board meeting, marking an important milestone for the representation of the recreational boating and nautical tourism sector at EU level. The European Ocean Board is a high-level expert group established by the EU Commission to support the implementation of the European Ocean Pact. Chaired by the Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadís, and coordinated by the Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE), the Board brings together a limited number of EU-level stakeholder organisations representing the wider ocean and maritime community.

EBI has been formally appointed as a member of the European Ocean Board, ensuring that the perspectives of recreational boating, marinas, and nautical tourism are represented in discussions on the future direction of EU ocean policy.

During the inaugural meeting, EBI highlighted the strategic importance of recreational boating and nautical tourism as integral parts of Europe’s blue economy, underlining the sector’s strong industrial base, high export performance, and contribution to employment and tourism across all EU Member States. EBI underlined the need for clean and healthy oceans as a prerequisite for sustainable sector growth, while calling for policy approaches that balance environmental protection with socio-economic realities. EBI stressed the importance of:

• Supporting sustainable competitiveness through targeted EU measures under the Industrial Maritime Strategy and the Sustainable Tourism Strategy;
• Ensuring that research, innovation and funding programmes reflect the needs of the recreational boating industry, including through the forthcoming European Ocean Research & Innovation Strategy;
• Prioritising marina and boating infrastructure investment, including modernisation, greening and access to alternative fuels;
• Recognising recreational and sporting activities at sea within ocean and maritime spatial planning frameworks.

EBI also encouraged the European Ocean Board to play a proactive role in defining clear sector-based targets, monitoring implementation, and reporting progress as part of the Ocean Pact governance framework. 

EBI’s participation in the European Ocean Board ensures that the sector is represented at the highest political and strategic level in discussions on ocean governance, knowledge, innovation, and maritime economic development. EBI will continue to keep members informed of key developments and opportunities arising from the work of the European Ocean Board as implementation of the European Ocean Pact progresses.