Boat with Italian, Polish or Slovenian flag? And how much does the boat license cost? What needs to change

There is a treasure, we will never tire of repeating, that is worth billions and that our country has yet to figure out how to make the most of. It is nautical tourism, in all its forms.

Nautical tourism 2025, what to do

In 2024, although undoubted steps forward have been taken(boating license, new equipment, eco-incentives…) the world of boats (and of all those who enjoy boats, at every level) is still burdened, above all, by endemic vices. Beginning with a slow and complex bureaucracy, byzantine laws, asphyxiating obligations, excessive charges, inadequate, expensive and elitist landings, constant sea controls, and poor services. So let’s come up with some ideas, suggestions (in some cases, advice) to improve the industry by making boating (and nautical tourism) more efficient and accessible to an ever-widening public.

In multiple installments, theme after theme we will dissect problems and proposals to solve them for the 2025 beginning.

After dealing with the still-standing professional skipper title, telematics boat registry, end-of-life boats, and tourist ports and marine protected areas we tell you about foreign-flag registrations and what can still be done to improve the Italian boating license.

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There is still time (until July 15) to apply for the 2025 ecobonus and get the electric motor!

Foreign flag, watch out!

The growth of boats abandoning the Italian flag to acquire a foreign one (+256 percent in three years) is a consequence of the problems that we also try to highlight in this article: high boat operating costs, excessive equipment, high bureaucracy, oppressive controls at sea, etc. It is difficult to curb the (legitimate) phenomenon without solving the problems. However, it is also necessary to warn those seeking easy landings. Individual nations (and the European Union) are well aware of the “foreign flag” trend and are progressively tightening the mesh. Belgium, one of the last countries (after France) to have experienced an abnormal boom in foreign shipowners’ entries in its maritime registers, “forced” recently to change the rules by requiring residency of the boat owner.

Now the latest wish-list is the Polish (partly the Slovenian) one, with easy, quick and online registrations skyrocketing in just a few years from 2,000 to 77,000, which, however, also seem to have attracted unscrupulous people. So much so that crimes (especially drug transport) committed with boats flying the Belgian flag have greatly increased ending up alarming international organizations (such as Unodc) that have turned a beacon on boats sailing in the Atlantic under this flag. Also for this reason, Poland has recently been placed on the gray list in the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris Mou), and Greek authorities also appear to have intensified controls on Polish-flagged boats. Signals. A further deterrent from reflagging could also come with the “Enhancement of the sea resource” bill approved on November 25 by the Council of Ministers: for residents in Italy with foreign-flagged boats (and sailing in Italian waters) there is a requirement to apply for a safety certificate if the vessel does not have such a certificate.

Proposals – More than proposals an advice. Carefully weigh the pros and cons of changing flags and, above all, keep abreast of regulatory developments in the industry, both in our country and the country of boat registration.

Boating license: fees alert

One of the most important new features of the new Regulations implementing the Recreational Code launched last October was definitely the regulation of the new D1 boating license, the “patent” that allows from the age of 16 onward daytime boating within 6 miles of the coast with vessels up to 10 meters (from the age of 18, with boats up to 12 meters) and with a maximum of 115 hp of power. A simplified qualification intended to breathe new life into the boating license market.

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What is likely to cause the opposite effect is the sting of the new mandatory “minimum” fees for all boating licenses. Introduced in 2023 with the “Regulations Governing Boating Schools” had gone unnoticed, but they will go into effect in September 2025 and the consequence will be a generalized increase to the detriment of users and in defiance of the principle of free competition. Suffice it to say that a course for the A license “without limits from the coast” will not be able to cost less than 1,400 euros (including 5 one-hour outings) and for each additional practical outing it will be necessary to shell out no less than 90 euros for an hour. Prices much higher (even double) than many offers currently on the market. The same minimum fee schedule, to say the least, is not provided for driving schools (which often also conduct boating school activities). Double standard, double standard?

Proposals – Abolish the minimum fee schedule for boating schools. Alternatively, revise the fees downward.

Boating license on app

As of Dec. 4, all citizens can enter their car license, health card and European disability card on their smartphones in a digital version via the IO app. The digital version has the same validity as physical cards and can be shown to authorities instead of the paper one. The government announced that other documents may also be added to the app in the near future. There has been no mention of boating licenses, which we believe should be rightfully included in this new “digital wallet.”

Proposals – Include the boating license among the digital documents that can be uploaded to the IO app as soon as possible.

European boating license

About the lack of mutual recognition of national boating licenses in the EU, and the many problems it creates, we talked about it extensively in a recent article. There are two options on the (EU) table: single EU boat license or mutual recognition of national licenses.

Proposal- We believe the quickest and most effective solution is mutual recognition of national ratings, as is the case with car licenses.

Fabrizio Coccia

• In episode 1: Professional skipper, telematics registry, end-of-life boats
• Previous installment: Marinas and Marine Protected Areas.
• In the next installment: Endowments, vessels, good examples