Regulatory Reference Guide

MONITORING SITE FOR THE REGULATORY REFERENCE GUIDE

Welcome to the online Regulatory Reference Guide (RRG). It offers you the opportunity to search, sort and consult the rules impacting the recreational marine. The ICOMIA Secretariat invites all MIAs to check and update their sections frequently. We are sure that you will appreciate this very informative tool.

To browse the RRG, select a country and/or criteria from the dropdown menus

Brazil
COVID-19 Restrictions
April 21, 2020

Brazil is on lockdown for non-essential sectors. Even football matches have been suspended. Yet, given the vastness of the country, measures vary according to regional peculiarities, the denser urban areas are being more restrictive, and the countryside more relaxed. While tourism activities, such as hotels, restaurants, air travel and services in general have been hit very hard, our farming sector (agriculture and livestock) hasn’t been affected much so far.
Some municipalities along the coast have taken drastic measures, suspending the operation permit of non-essential establishments, such as hotels and marinas.
Italy
COVID-19 Restrictions
April 21, 2020

Full lockdown for boat manufacturing companies at least until 14 April, when the current Government measures will be over.
Repair and maintenance businesses are permitted to continue their activities
Marinas are operational but customers are not allowed to access their boats since moving from home to the harbour is considered a non-essential journey.

It has been verified that the continuation of the shutdown of the production activities, according to the elaborations of the Research Office of Confindustria Nautica (based on the trend of the 2008 financial crisis) would lead to the loss of more than 5,000 jobs in the sector with a closure that will continue in the first 15 days of April, doubling with a closure until the end of April.

Phase 2 of the emergency:
The Government is currently discussing the actions to take for the second phase of the emergency in Italy, as the latest figures show a reduction of the virus spread.
It is likely to have a step by step reopening of the industrial activities from mid-April to May, however maintaining all the needed social distancing measures.
The normalization of the social activities – including schools – will certainly be the last step that will be introduced.
Israel
COVID-19 Restrictions
April 21, 2020

Due to the Passover holiday, Israel is in almost full lockdown for 72 hours. People are instructed to stay in their cities.

Marinas -will stay open to arrival and departure of vessels - no permit has been issued to close marinas. Foreign citizens aren’t allowed to enter - except for special instructions and permission in advance by the Population and Immigration authorities. Israelis will be allowed to enter the state in accordance with the Ministry of Health instructions. Every Israeli entering the country will be required to a 14-day quarantine.
Quarantine on sailing vessels is not permitted throughout all marina areas. Checking procedures of sailing vessels will be carried out in a separate pier, the same as it was up until now. Coming in touch with the vessels’ body does not require a special protection uniform. Sanitizing vessels is not required. All costs deriving from the treatments of vessels will be carried out by the vessel owner, with in advance notice.
Business- Permitted business are supermarkets, groceries, bakeries, food shops, pharmacies, optics stores, animal food stores, household maintenance services, electric shops, communication products and services and medical equipment.
Business will operate while maintaining 2 meters of distance from customers. No more than 4 customers per cash register in a store.
Work places- Employers must take employees’ temperature upon entrance to the workplace. Employees are required to fill out a symptom declaration form to be kept by the employers. Employers should work remotely as much as possible. In a workplace, people are to keep 2 meters from each other, open windows and restrict work to 2 people in the same room.
Transportation- When driving in a private vehicle, 2 people are allowed.
Upon operating busses, trains, light rail or shuttles, an empty row that separates drivers from passengers is required. One person per bench. Standing passengers need to keep 2 meters from each other. Ventilation and cleaning of the vehicle is required after each ride. In a taxi, one passenger is allowed in the back seat while all vehicle’s windows are open.
Resident restrictions - When entering public places, wearing a mask that covers the mouth and the nose is required. Gatherings in public places are not allowed.
Canada
Government support of industry during COVID-19
April 21, 2020

The Federal government has announced some significant measures to help businesses in Canada. Nearly $100 Billion dollars in relief which includes paying wages of staff of SMEs up to 75% up to $58,000Cdn to keep their staff for the next three months. There are also additional employment insurance measures to support Canadians out of work.
Croatia
Government support of industry during COVID-19
April 21, 2020

Croatian Government confirmed set of measures that are aimed at job protection and postponement or relief of taxes to aid the economy.
- The amount of 1.14 bn Euro is dedicated for job retention in March, April, and May. In total, the Croatian government will pay approx. 700 Eur per employee per month.
- All tax payers affected by this crisis will be fully or partially exempt from paying corporate income tax, payroll taxes and salary contributions due in April, May and June 2020. The companies with a drop in revenues between 20% to 50% will have the right to defer taxes and will be able to pay them in 24 monthly annuities with no interest. Businesses with revenue of less than 1 mil. Euro and with a drop in revenue higher than 50% will be fully exempted from corporate income tax, payroll taxes and salary contributions.
- All financial loans and leasing contracts have been suspended for 3 months, with possibility to extend it to 6 or 12 months depending on the development of the situation
- Payment of the value added tax might be deferred until the invoices issued are paid off.
- The deadline for submission of the 2019 annual financial statements is postponed to 30 June and there is no obligation to pay a fee to the Financial Agency (FINA) for their publication.
- In addition, the Government has launched Financial Agency's digital platform to help with the implementation of the Covid-19 measures. This platform enables submitting an application, collecting the information necessary for the decision making and creating a report.
Poland
COVID-19 Restrictions
April 21, 2020

On Tuesday 31st March, Poland introduced further restrictions. The penalty for violating them is a fine up to a maximum of 30,000 zloty (EU6,600). They include:
- Pedestrians must remain 2 metres apart from one another, even if they are walking together. This includes members of the same family. Exceptions are made for children under 13 or people with disabilities
- Shops can only admit 3 customers at the same time for each cash register they have
- Outdoor markets and post offices will have similar restrictions on customer numbers
- Customers in all shops must wear disposable gloves
- Workplaces must separate work stations by at least 1.5 metres and employees must wear gloves
- Parks, beaches and various other public recreation spaces are closed
- Hotels and other short-term rental accommodation are closed (apart from those for use in quarantine or isolation, or for medical personnel)
- Grocery shops and pharmacies to only serve customers over 65 years old between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. every day
- Anyone living with a person under a legal quarantine order must also be quarantined

As for the yacht industry, companies are still operating. Producers of boats and yachts see the main problems in the supply of various types of components and equipment. That's why two of the largest Polish shipyards Ostroda Yacht and Delphia Yachts, both being part of the Beneteau Group, suspended production for several weeks. This is a big problem for hundreds of small suppliers, for whom these shipyards were the main recipients of their products or services.
Earlier two shipyards have suspended production - Mirage Boats (Norwegian capital and management) and Viking (aluminum fishing boats mainly for the Scandinavian market).
Poland
Government support of industry during COVID-19
April 21, 2020

The Polish government has introduced a plan to support entrepreneurs, whose main points are
- Exemption from social security, health insurance contributions for 3 months, from March to May for enterprises employing up to 9 people and self-employed
- coverage by the state of 40% of salaries for employees
- loans to employers to help maintain cash flow of companies
Portugal
Government support of industry during COVID-19
April 21, 2020

Many financial measures have been published to help the workers and the companies. Most of them trying to avoid unemployment. Many more will follow as we are far from seeing the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’.
Singapore
Government support of industry during COVID-19
April 21, 2020

An overview of the relief measures for the maritime sector is shown in the link below (some but not all applicable to recreational boating):
https://www.mpa.gov.sg/web/portal/home/maritime-singapore/what-maritime-...
South Africa
Government support of industry during COVID-19
April 21, 2020

Government has introduced a Small Business Relief Fund and commercial banks are looking at various relief measures for customers.

The Unemployment Insurance Fund has offered R3 500 per employee per month (at today’s exchange rate USD195). There is also a Temporary Employment Relief programme offering R17 000 per employee per month (USD947).

Some tax relief measures were announced recently and they generally apply to lower income earners and there will be delays on employee tax liabilities.