Press Release: Summertime: Safer and less polluting leisure boats

The European Commission has proposed new legislation that will make the use of jet skis and sailing boats less harmful for European waters.

Scientific studies show lakes and seashores can be seriously polluted by the concentration of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions resulting from some six million jet skis and motor and sailing boats cruising in the EU.

The proposed revision of the Recreational Craft Directive (RCD) sets stricter limits for NOx, hydrocarbons (HC) and particulate matters for new recreational crafts. The proposal also improves market surveillance, for example by updating the rules on CE marking1.

Member States will have to ensure that adequate checks are performed both at the EU external borders and within the Union itself, also through visits at the premises of economic operators that will guarantee the immediate prohibition and confiscation of non conform recreational boats.