EU Member States have voted in favour of the EU Commission’s proposal to introduce trade countermeasures against the United States. This is in reaction to the US steel and aluminium tariffs. This once again includes recreational boats as unrelated collateral. The full decision with products covered will be published in the coming days and tariffs on US products are expected to apply from 15 April 2025. According to European Boating Industry (EBI) information, recreational boats and certain equipment (sails, life jackets and life vests) are included with tariffs of 10 to 25 per cent.

EBI strongly opposes tariffs on recreational boats and equipment. The boating industry is globally integrated and Europe and North America are the largest markets with strong specialisation. Tariffs disrupt businesses, hinder economic growth, jeopardise jobs and particularly harm SMEs that form the backbone of the boating industry. We welcome the reduction of the maximum tariff rate from 50 per cent to 10 to 25 per cent as the industry has called for. However, the decision to retain recreational boats in the list directly and indirectly puts companies and jobs in Europe in danger. EBI calls on the EU to change tack and remove recreational boats from the list to protect the EU’s best interests.

We continue to support reaching a negotiated solution with the US and EBI stands ready to contribute with proposals to enhance the recreational boating industry’s mutual success. The permanent removal of tariffs on recreational boats and equipment would support economic growth, jobs and investment on both sides of the Atlantic.

EBI will stay in close dialogue with the EU institutions. The recreational boating industry, uniquely ‘Made In Europe’, consists of over 32,000 businesses and directly employs more than 280,000 people. Over 96% of businesses in the sector are SMEs.

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