The Cyprus Department of Merchant Shipping has announced the publication of the Essential Requirements (Recreational Craft and Personal Watercraft) Regulations 2017. The new regulations repeal the earlier version and align Cyprus law with the latest EU directive on the matter.
Like the earlier regulations, the new regulations set required standards for design and construction, exhaust emissions and noise emissions. They apply to recreational craft and personal watercraft, both complete and incomplete, specified components when placed in the European market, engines and engine conversions, and substantial modifications to vessels. The list of vessels outside the scope of the regulations (which includes watercraft intended solely for racing, boats designed to be propelled solely by human power, surfboards, windsurfers, owner-built vessels, vessels specifically intended to be crewed and to carry passengers for commercial purposes, submersibles, air cushion vehicles and hydrofoils) is the same as in the directive.
Under Regulation 5 (1), products within the scope of the regulations may be placed on the market or put into operation only if they conform with 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.
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