Funding for deconstruction of pleasure craft revised downwards
As discussed in March 2019, on the occasion of to the question by Didier Le Gac, M.P Concerns about the method of financing the APER, Association pour une Plaisance Eco-Responsable (Association for Eco-Responsible Yachting), which is responsible for managing the recreational boat dismantling sector. Debates in the Senate on 25 November 2019 confirmed these fears. The government opposed the amendment by Côtes d'Armor Senator Michel Vaspart. The latter wanted to include in the 2020 budget law the allocation of a share of the annual francization fee of 3% in 2020, 4% in 2021 and 5% in 2022 for the operation of the APER, in accordance with the commitments of the Interministerial Committee for the Sea in 2017. The executive preferred to maintain its project which foresees the only 2% allocation in 2020, a stagnation, without any commitment for the following years.
Decrease in the objectives of the nautical sector
Officials of the Federation of Nautical Industries, which is at the origin of the APER, are concerned about the consequences of this decision. They are already reducing the number of ship dismantling operations financed by the REPA. "The concrete consequence of this decision is that the number of deconstructed boats will be reduced by 700 for next year. Moreover, no funding is currently listed for 2021 and 2022, which jeopardizes the balance of this unique sector in the world. This disengagement of the State is a very bad signal a few days before the next interministerial council of the sea, while the eco-organization APER has registered more than 1000 requests for deconstruction in 4 months"
The signal is worrying for the management of the APER, which needs to be able to organise itself to manage the influx of requests. Deconstructors were already indicating to BoatIndustry that they were waiting for the APER, which was struggling to validate the numerous quotes requested by boaters.
