The Fédération Française de Ports de Plaisance (FFPP – French Federation of Marinas) announced last week that 53 French marinas had voluntarily signed up to assist boaters with a new system that both broadens and simplifies border controls for yachts travelling to France from outside the EU/Schengen area (and departing from France to a third country).
Using a single generic text document (access form here) which can be completed on a mobile phone, boaters can fill in this form and send it to the participating marinas (see list of eligible marinas and map of official ports of entry (PPFs)) at least 24 hours prior to arrival – or when leaving the previous port outside the Schengen area, if the voyage time is less than twenty-four hours. The marinas will then take care of transmitting documents to the relevant border control authorities and authorise arrival. Entry and departure can be effected in each of the participating marinas, without the need to leave and depart from the same marina, although if entering via a PPF, a boat should also depart from a PPF.
FFPP general manager, Guillaume Nardin, an experienced offshore cruiser himself, announced his satisfaction with the new arrangement:
We’re very happy to have signed this derogation agreement with the French customs and border control authorities and would like to express our thanks to the participating marinas for their interest in helping ease entry procedures for third-country nationals. Naturally we have just started and given that this is a voluntary operation, we ask for a little tolerance while we get underway! Feedback is welcome and we will collaborate with associations to help channel comments and evaluate and optimise the system.
FFPP stresses that this new system doesn’t replace standard Schengen protocols and that those departing by plane or ferry or otherwise requiring a passport stamp, will need to obtain this from official immigration and border control offices (PAF – Police aux Frontières) such as those in the existing PPF (points de passage frontaliers or border crossing points) ports. Logically, if a boater has passports stamped upon entry via a PPF port, they will need to repeat this procedure upon departure. Otherwise, via a participating marina, the same form needs to be submitted 24 hours prior to departure. No authorisation will be given to depart, so it is up to the boater to have zarpe paperwork stamped by the marina.
Regarding the anticipated new digital Entry/Exit System (ESS), this is previewed for the end of 2024 at the earliest and so the current system will remain in place until then.
The relevant documents are expected to be posted online on the FFPP website later this month: https://www.ffports-plaisance.com/
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Read also: FFPP Press release_English version
