Regulatory & Technical Services Group

Note: UK VAT paid boats that were in the EU on 31 December 2020 23:00 UTC and did not loose that status aferwards are considered as EU VAT paid boats. A boat can loose its EU VAT paid status if it left the EU for a period of three years or longer, or was sold while outside the EU.

Temporary Admission (TA) is a means of entry for foreign boats for limited periods without the need for formal importation and customs duties.

RATS has seen a notification from the UK Government via social media that there have been changes to the foodstuffs, including certain meat and dairy products, that you can bring back into Great Britain. Note there are different rules for Northern Ireland. This is a temporary tightening of the rules as a result of animal disease outbreaks (including foot and mouth disease) in the EU. These restrictions also apply to pet foods.

Recent press reports have highlighted that the UK Government is investigating potential fraudulent use of virgin palm oil in the feedstock (source material) of the renewable diesel known as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).

On 8 April 2025, Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson Ltd (Imray), a leading publisher of nautical information for recreational sailors, and Austrian cartographic specialist freytag & berndt (FB) announced they have signed a letter of intent to form a joint venture.

In response to the recent (9 April 2025) BBC investigation, the HVO Joint Working Group has issued the following statement:

On 19 March 2025, the CA’s Regulatory & Technical Services (RATS) group hosted their fifth 'Evening with RATS', which was open to members and the cruising community. The recording of the CA’s ‘Evening with RATS’ is now available to watch below.

With just one week to go, don’t miss your chance to register for an evening at the CA’s Regulatory & Technical Services (RATS) group talk and webinar. Mark your calendar for 1900 hrs UTC on Wednesday 19 March 2025 and join us for an engaging and informative session of talks and presentations, packed with insights to help you prepare for the cruising season ahead.

Save the date for an evening with the Cruising Association’s Regulatory & Technical Services group (RATS) at 1900 hours on Wednesday 19 March 2025.

Get set for an informative evening delving into key topics that could impact your cruising plans for 2025. RATS will discuss the current hot topics and share practical advice.

As previously reported in the December issue of Cruising, the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation system (ETA) is now in force for visitors to the UK. This applies to visitors from countries outside Europe (including Australia, New Zealand and the United States) who do not have a visa or other permission to stay in the UK. The ETA costs £10, lasts for two years or until your passport expires if that's earlier.

The Cruising Association (CA), alongside key partners, is calling on the UK’s recreational boaters to back its campaign to make Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) more accessible and affordable.