On legal uncertainty for EU citizens regarding Belgian-flagged vessels  

The petitioner indicates that, following the entry into force of the Law on pleasure boats on 1 July 2018, at least 50% of the owners of a Belgian-flagged vessel, whether natural or legal persons, must be resident in Belgium. He argues that these new provisions are causing considerable legal uncertainty for all EU citizens who, in compliance with the previous legislation, decided to register their vessels in Belgium. The absence of common European legislation on recreational navigation means that EU citizens are required to comply with very different regulations, depending on the EU flag state. The petitioner is accordingly seeking action by the European Parliament to safeguard the rights of European citizens affected by this legislative amendment, calling on the relevant authorities to respect legal certainty and not to apply the laws retroactively.