POST CONSTRUCTION ASSESSMENT (PCA)
If you plan to buy a non CE'd boat or personal water craft (PWC) then you should read the following carefully before signing the sales contract. It is recommended that you equip yourself with the original text of the RCD.
In accordance with Article 8 of the Recreational Craft Directive 94-25-EC as amended by Directive 2003-44-EC (RCD) the manufacturer shall, before producing and placing his products on the market, apply the conformity assessment procedure foreseen in relation to the boat design category and hull length.
However, in certain cases, it is necessary for craft and PWC with their installed engines and components to be certified, in line with Article 8.1 of the RCD, after they have been built.
These are those craft and PWC, where the manufacturer does not want or is not willing to take responsibility for placing it on an EEA market. These are not necessarily used craft or PWC, but also new ones, where imported e.g. by private persons.
All essential safety requirements are applicable for such craft and PWC. This includes design, construction, noise and exhaust. Where the essential requirements require a harmonised standard to be used, this applies equally to PCA. The post construction assessment report issued by the Notified Body like IMCI has to cover all these requirements and must be an individual assessment of each craft and PWC. In the Directive no modules are defined for post construction assessment. Notified Bodies are urged to follow as far as practical procedures of module G of the RCD and to make use of the relevant ISO standards.
As examples, the following boats are covered by post construction assessment:
- boats that were neither placed on the market nor put into service in the present EEA Member State territory prior to the full application date of the Directive;
- boats built for own use when placed on the market within the first five years of completion;
- boats intended solely for racing or experimental craft, subsequently placed on the market as recreational craft and therefore required to be CE marked in accordance with the Directive;
- craft where the purpose of use has changed to recreational use (e.g. former commercial boats).
Attention is drawn to the responsibility and the legal aspects, having the owner, the importer, or the person placing the craft on the market or putting it into service in the EEA, as applicable, to assume the role of the manufacturer and being identified as the responsible person in this context (not being the authorised manufacturers representative).
IMCI will be happy to assess your craft. Please have a look at the listing of IMCI Inspectors and contact your nearest CE-Inspectorfor the assessment scope "Design & Construction". He will inspect your boat or PWC and inform you about all necessary steps.