G. Plakiotakis: A new era for Yachting with Greece as the protagonist

The new institutional framework for the development and operation of pleasure boats, as well as the day ships of the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy was approved today by the Parliament.

As the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy Giannis Plakiotakis stressed while speaking to the Parliament, “the new legal framework leads the maritime tourism sector to a new era with security, plan and vision”, while, as he pointed out, “now places Greece on the map of powerful states of modern yachting “.

“The new legal framework”, Mr. Plakiotakis underlined, “incorporates all the modern trends of maritime tourism, marking a new era for yachting since its forecasts now enable Greece to fully utilize its comparative advantages, gaining a lot and significant benefits not only for the Greek economy, but also for Greek society.

“Yachting”, added the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, “is for us both as a government and as a party an extremely important chapter.

That is why “, he continued,” our legislative intervention is holistic and not fragmentary. It fully utilizes the comparative advantage of our homeland and does not cancel it.

It is based on a thorough study of space, based on the vision and belief in the values ​​of a liberal economy, which produces wealth and social prosperity at every level and not on ideologies and anachronistic perceptions that put a brake on growth.

More specifically, the new legislative framework moves in three main areas:

a) The modernization and codification of the existing institutional framework,

b) Introducing innovations and successful international practices, and

c) The creation of the digital grid that will connect the stakeholders with the state – quickly, flexibly and efficiently.

The basic cuts envisaged for the first time solve problems that have arisen from the implementation of the existing framework and have stood in the way of the development of the industry.

For this reason, the establishment of a modern, simplified and clear framework for the activity of yachts in our country, should focus on:
-In the promotion of island and sea space as a key element of the productive fabric of the country,

-In the regional development of the local economies of the islands and the coastal areas,

-Creating a stable environment for promoting entrepreneurship and raising capital, and

-In the parallel development of the port infrastructure and the general promotion of the Greek navy and culture.

With the new legislative framework:
The barrier to the activation of super-mega and gigayachts is removed, which will now be able to start and end their voyages in Greek ports under strict terms and conditions. For a limited number of days, with the payment of a special fee, with prepayment of VAT and of course through a license issued in full and exclusively digitally.

A new fee is introduced – public revenue for pleasure boats that while they start and end abroad, however, essentially all their journey, all their tourist activity takes place in our seas and islands. These boats always retain the ability to raise the Greek flag and can operate permanently in Greece through their inclusion in the National Register of Pleasure Boats, in order to avoid the payment of this new fee.

The staffing issues are holistically reformed from January 1, 2023 – insurance – employment. With the agreement of the institutions and taking into account all the necessary parameters and real needs with a view to the protection of human life and the safety of navigation and the improvement of working conditions and conditions on pleasure craft.

Contradictory insurance provisions are addressed currently in place in the current legislation specifically for governors.

For the first time, the insurance of other and auxiliary staff is regulatednon-nautical specialties of the pleasure boats employed, in addition to the observed organic composition.

Exemptions are instituted in the individual movements of an empty passenger ship – the so-called empty-runs.

Procedures are fully digitized concerning the establishment of NEPA, as well as a number of other actions related to the industry such as e-EIPA, e-charter agreement, e-departure / e-arrival, e-open sea, e-holiday and e- immobility, but also the upgrade of the e-Register of Ships.