EBI expands membership, elects new leadership

European Boating Industry (EBI) admitted two new members this week, continuing a steady growth of the lobby of European recreational boating, a sector facing significant economic challenges. And the Slovenian Marine Industry Association (SMIA) rejoined the association.

ACAP APICAN, the Marine Industry Association of Portugal, and Fédération Française Ports de Plaisance, representing French marinas, joined at an EBI General Assembly in Hamburg, raising the lobby’s membership to 32 marine associations in 21 European nations.

The newly elected council re-appointed Robert Marx (VMWD) president for a second mandate. He told the assembly core issues facing EBI include “supporting sustainability, growth and industrial competitiveness in our sector. With key EU policy developments ahead, we are committed to ensure recreational boating is recognised as strategic and that EU policy strengthens, does not restrain our businesses.

“EBI is more committed than ever to being a strong, united voice for our sector at the European level,” he added.

Dominating discussions in Hamburg touched on the evolving global trade landscape, its implications for the global recreational boating industry, the economic outlook, consumer expectations in a changing market and sustainability.

“Particular attention was paid to how the industry can diversify trade relations, strengthen Europe’s internal market and respond to shifting demands,” said Marx.

Since 2019, EBI has beefed up its lobbying at the European Commission in Brussels that drafts EU laws that impact on Europe’s boating industry and related sectors like boat builders, equipment makers, marinas and service providers. The industry comprises 32,000 companies, mostly SMEs employing 280,000+ people in a dynamic EU policy landscape.

This has lured by now 32 boating associations – up from under 10 in 2019.

The newest members harbour great expectations of benefiting from EBI’s lobbying power.

ACAP APICA president Fernando Sá called his group’s entry into EBI “an important step” in growing the boating sector in Portugal. And Guillaume Nardin, general delegate of the French marinas federation, said his group and EBI “together, aim to foster dialogue, innovation, and collective action to support a sustainable transformation in nautical tourism industry.”

Matjaž Murko, president of Slovenia’s SMIA, said he looks forward to “building a strong, forward-thinking partnership. After a few years of pause, this marks a new chapter of active contribution, collaboration, and shared ambition for the future of the European boating industry.”

The EBI council elections at the General Assembly yielded this outcome for the next two years: president Robert Marx (VMWD/Germany), vice-president & treasurer Anne-Marie Bouweraerts (Nautibel/Belgium), vice-president Jean-Paul Chapeleau (FIN/France).

Elected as Council members: Jordi Carrasco Abad (ANEN/Spain); Mirek Hajdukiewicz (POLBOAT/Poland); Jeroen van den Heuvel (HISWA-RECRON/ Netherlands); Ana Calic (CEA/Croatia); Jarkko Pajusalo (Finnboat/Finland); Fabio Planamente (Confindustria Nautica/Italy) named special representative for the large yacht sector.

Leaving the Council with the gratitude of EBI and the European industry is vice-chair Piero Formenti (Confindustria Nautica/Italy).