Directive 94/25/EC

DIRECTIVE 94/25/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to recreational craft

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 100a thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (2),

Acting in accordance withth e procedure laid down in Article 189b of the Treaty (3),

Whereas the internal market is to comprise an area without internal frontiers in which the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is ensured; Whereas the laws, regulations and administrative provisions in force in the various Member States relating to the safety characteristics of recreational craft differ in scope and content; whereas such disparities are liable to create barriers to trade and unequal conditions of competition within the internal market; Whereas harmonization of national legislation is the only way in which to remove these barriers to free trade; whereas this objective cannot be satisfactorily achieved by the individual Member States; whereas this Directive merely lays down the requirements vital to freedom of movement for recreational craft; Whereas this Directive should cover only recreational craft of a minimum lengthof 2,5 m and a maximum lengthof 24 m, derived from the ISO standards; Whereas the removal of technical barriers in the field of recreational craft and their components, to the extent that they cannot be removed by mutual recognition of equivalence among all the Member States, should follow the new approach set out in the Council resolution of 7 May 1985 (4),

Which calls for the definition of essential requirements on safety and other aspects which are important for the general well-being; whereas paragraph 3 of Article 100a provides that, in its proposals, concerning health, safety, environmental protection and consumer protection, the Commission will take as a base a high level of protection; whereas the essential requirements constitute the criteria with which recreational craft, partly completed craft and their components when separate and when installed must comply