European Boating Industry (EBI) has been officially accepted as Partner of the Mediterranean Action Plan (so-called Barcelona Convention) at its meeting in December 2023. The confirmation became official in mid-January.

As partner, EBI will work closely with Mediterranean national governments and the structures of the Barcelona Convention to improve the marine environment and coastal regions of the Mediterranean. It is a regional cooperative effort involving 21 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the European Union. This puts EBI in the premier position as the only representative of boating and the boating industry to monitor and influence important developments in Mediterranean Sea. It follows the confirmation of observer status for EBI in the equivalent bodies for the Baltic Sea (HELCOM) and North-East Atlantic (OSPAR).

EBI members in the Mediterranean will work together with the EBI Office to provide input and monitor relevant developments for the recreational boating industry.

EBI celebrated a year of achievements at its General Assembly held during boot Düsseldorf. The gathering saw the addition of two new full members, the Irish Marine Federation, and the Latvian Cruising Association, along with sustaining member Brunswick Corporation, expanding EBI's representation to 25 members across 19 European countries.

The assembly marked pivotal decisions shaping EBI's future. With a focus on advocacy, sustainability, and preparations for the upcoming EU elections in June 2024, President Robert Marx expressed optimism, stating, "Our new members strengthen our collective efforts to drive positive change and ensure a thriving future for the European boating industry."

Find the full press release at this link.

EBI is taking the lead in a European action on developing a network of marinas in Europe that can contribute to environmental data and ocean science. This is led by EBI together with JPI Oceans, which is a pan-European platform aiming to increase efficiency and impact of research and innovation for the seas and oceans. Its members are the national ministries of Maritime Affairs and Research & Innovation, both within the EU and beyond.

The aim is to make use of the approximately 10,000 inland and coastal marinas and elevate their importance and support their digital and sustainable transition. The current step is to scope the action of a “European Marinas Network” to explore different avenues to capitalise on the value and potential of marinas as infrastructures for ocean observation, ocean research and citizen science.

This can add to the body of ocean science and policy-making data via an integrated European network of marina-based data hubs. This will empower marinas, boaters, and visitors to assume more collaborative and proactive role. In addition, it can provide ocean stewardship roles, and advance the digitisation transition by contributing to the generation of a digital twin of the boating sector.

With water-based facilities and structures such as floating pontoons that can support sensors, and often managing a strong multi-channel communication platform, marinas offer a perfect set of conditions for generating and transmitting environmental data. Given the much smaller nature of marinas compared to commercial ports and being widespread across Europe, they provide plenty of potential locations for data gathering. Marinas could therefore be used to improve observation data quality, coherency and coverage.

More information can be found here. Members that would like to get involved can contact the EBI Office.

The Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU will span from 1 to 30 June 2024.  The presidency's program, centred on protecting European citizens and fostering cooperation, focuses on six key areas, with special attention given to unwavering support for Ukraine. Addressing the urgent challenges of our time, Belgium commits to diplomatic efforts, pandemic resilience, energy solutions, countering disinformation, and navigating extreme climate events.

For more information, read the full programme.

Among the key priorities of the Belgian Council Presidency is the topic of end-of-life recreational boats. Belgium wants to set up a national system for dismantling and recycling of boats and encourage other countries to follow suit and set up measures at EU level. For this purpose, a conference is organised on 18 March with the title “EU dialogue on end-of-life recreational craft”. It is organised together with the European Commission and EBI.  

For more information, please click here and EBI members are invited to participate in this important event by registering here. Spots are limited.

European Boating Industry (EBI) welcomes the Transition Pathway for the European mobility industrial ecosystem published by the European Commission. It is the result of a two-year process between industry stakeholders and policy-makers, including EBI, that identified the challenges, opportunities, and actions needed to lead the green and digital transition. It highlights the strategic importance of the boating industry, in stating that the “building, maintenance and refit of recreational boats is also a sector in which the EU is leading globally with production having remained and grown in Europe.”

To support the sector in leading the green transition, it highlights the importance of “the provision of alternative fuels and charging infrastructure [...] in pleasure ports (marinas) to support the decarbonisation of both the existing fleet and future boats coming on the market”. Another key element in the Transition Pathway is the recycling of end-of-life of boats and the necessity to implement the European Roadmap on end-of-life boats launched in 2023. To ensure a comprehensive approach to sustainability, the life cycle approach from design to the recycling should be put at the centre of manufacturing.

EBI Secretary-General Philip Easthill commented “The inclusion of the recreational boating industry in the Transition Pathway is a decisive step. It shows our sector’s recognition as a key element of the maritime industry in Europe. EBI will continue working closely with policy-makers and stakeholders towards a strong EU maritime industry strategy and focusing on measures that effectively reduce environmental impact across the lifecycle.”

Dusseldorf, 24 January 2024 – Marking a positive year filled with significant achievements, European Boating Industry convened its General Assembly at boot Düsseldorf. The association proudly welcomed two new full members, the Irish Marine Federation and the Latvian Cruising Association, and one new sustaining member, Brunswick Corporation.

Members of the European Boating Industry (EBI) gathered in person for the inaugural General Assembly of 2024 at boot Düsseldorf. It provided a platform for networking, deliberation on the primary challenges and opportunities for EBI in its mission to bolster the industry, and explore the latest innovations and prospects showcased at boot Düsseldorf.

Several pivotal decisions shaping the future of the association were taken, including the unanimous approval of two new full members and one sustaining member. The Latvian Cruising Association, dedicated to the boating sector in Latvia, and the Irish Marine Federation, representing both commercial and leisure sectors of the marine industry in Ireland, joined as full members. Brunswick Corporation, a global leader with a strong European manufacturing and service footprint in recreational boats, marine engines, and marine parts and accessories, was welcomed as a sustaining member. With these additions, EBI now proudly represents a total of 25 members spanning 19 European countries.

Several activities for the next twelve months were presented at the General Assembly, which will further focus EBI on tackling the key challenges of the industry including advocacy and the sustainable transition. A particular focus will be on the upcoming EU elections in June 2024 and introducing the newly elected Members of the European Parliament to the boating and nautical tourism industry.

Robert Marx commented “As President of EBI, I warmly welcome our new members—the Latvian Cruising Association, the Irish Marine Federation, and Brunswick Corporation. Reflecting on our past year's successes, we're excited about the ambitious plans ahead. Together, we have the power to drive positive change, ensuring a thriving future for the European boating industry."

The next General Assembly of EBI takes place in Barcelona, Spain on 10 and 11 June hosted by its Spanish member, ANEN.

Quotes of new members

Gerry Salmon, President, Irish Marine Federation: “The Irish Marine Federation (IMF) is the national organisation representing both commercial and leisure sectors of the marine industry in Ireland. We are delighted to become a member of the EBI and look forward to working with all its members in 2024.”

Askolds Hermanis, President, Latvian Cruising Association: “This cooperation marks a new chapter in our commitment to advancing recreational boating standards, fostering cross-cultural collaboration, and contributing to the global maritime community. Our objectives align seamlessly with the mission and values of European Boating Industry, and we aim to strengthen our efforts in advocating for effective regulations, particularly in the areas of skipper certification and boat registration.”

Lee Gordon, Vice President Corporate Communications, Public Relations & Public Affairs, Brunswick Corporation: “We are thrilled to be a member of EBI as they do an outstanding job representing the best interests of the marine industry across Europe.  Brunswick has a very large footprint of employees, customers, and manufacturing facilities in EMEA, and we are eager to work closely with the EBI team on issues that are important to all our key stakeholders.”

EBI recently played a key role in the European Tourism Manifesto workshop held in Brussels. The collaborative event brought together stakeholders from Europe's travel, tourism, and cultural industries to identify shared issues and priorities for the long-term interests of the sectors, particularly in light of the upcoming 2024 elections in Europe.

The breakout sessions focused on critical topics such as decarbonisation, digitalisation, resilience, inclusion, skills, data, and tax. The Manifesto, an alliance of over 70 European public and private organizations representing the entire tourism value chain, concentrates on advocating policy priorities for positive change.

EBI, representing boating and nautical tourism, actively contributed to the discussions within the coalition led by the European Travel Commission, European tourism association, and NECSTouR.