New standards for recreational and personal craft

The Department of Merchant Shipping recently announced(1) the publication of the Essential Requirements (Recreational Craft and Personal Watercraft) Regulations 2017(2) in the Official Gazette.(3) The regulations align Cyprus law with the EU Directive on Recreational Craft and Personal Watercraft (2013/53/EU) and repeal the Essential Requirements (Recreational Craft) Regulations 2003 to 2006.

Like the previous regulations, the new regulations set required standards for design and construction and exhaust and noise emissions. They apply to:

• recreational and personal craft, both complete and incomplete;
• specified components when placed on the EU market;
• engines and engine conversions; and
• substantial modifications to vessels.

The list of vessels outside the scope of the regulations is the same as for the directive and includes:

• craft intended solely for racing;
• boats designed to be propelled solely by human power;
• surfboards;
• windsurfing boards;
• owner-built vessels;
• vessels specifically intended to be crewed and carry passengers for commercial purposes;
• submersibles; and
• air cushion vehicles and hydrofoils.

Under Regulation 5(1), products within the scope of the regulations may be placed on the market or put into operation only if they meet the required standards and do not endanger the health and safety of persons, property or the environment when properly maintained and used for the purpose for which they are intended.

For further information on this topic please contact Costas Stamatiou at Elias Neocleous & Co LLC by telephone (+357 25 110 110) or email (costas.stamatiou@neo.law). The Elias Neocleous & Co LLC website can be accessed at www.neo.law.

Endnotes

(1) Circular 7/2018, dated February 26 2018.

(2) Περί Βασικών Απαιτήσεων (Σκάφη Αναψυχής και Ατομικά Σκάφη) Κανονισμοί (ΚΔΠ 191/2017).

(3) Annex III(I), 5021, dated June 16 2017.