BUYING A BOAT IN THE MED.

[KIWI]

boat owners living in the med have to pay VAT that includes charter boats, If you were to hire a charter boat for say 12 months you could cruse where you like and not have to worry about crusing tax's or crusing permits.

My question is;
If you where to buy a boat in say Italy and the vat was paid could you leave the boat regeristered under the Italian flag and then would you be under any crusing restrictions regarding the schengen treaty ????

If this was possible you would not have to worry about crusing tax's the different countrys impose or the time you are allowered to stay

Graham

Graham

[Pblais]

If you where to buy a boat in say Italy and the vat was paid could you leave the boat registered under the Italian flag and then would you be under any cruising restrictions regarding the schengen treaty ????

There are only a few countries that allow non nationals to register boats. Once you buy the boat it is no longer registered since the registration is for the sole purpose of establishing title. The previous owner must surrender the title to you and so the boat becomes unregistered. Last time I checked you can fly any flag you like but when you fly a flag not of your own nationality it can alert authorities that you may have a reason for doing so.

If this was possible you would not have to worry about cruising tax's the different country's impose or the time you are allowed to stay

You would think so wouldn't you. actually if it were possible everybody would. You can do it through shell corporations however in some countries. The trick is that for a reasonable cruise boat the cost of doing so is about the same as the tax. If you owned a 1,000 ft tanker then you now know how it's done legally all over the world.

There probably are a lot of ways to cheat on taxes but it's a topic were just don't choose to allow here. You'll need to go to another site for those types of activities. We frown upon those that would conduct such activities here and we would terminate your membership.

[KIWI]

What if the VAT is paid on the boat I know you can apply for a refund I thought that what it was all about, "VAT", I have chartered a Benneteau at the Greek Islands the boat flew a Greek flag and I had a NZ flag under.

[Pblais]

VAT may have been paid and so no VAT is due. When flag flying it is only customary to fly the flag of registration and is not related to the occupant. You can actually fly any flag you like but it does raise questions when the flag and the registration do not match. Pretending to be something else is never a good idea.

[KIWI]

No one is pretending to be someone else, In the 3 weeks I spent sailing the Greek Islands we were encouraged to fly our home flag under the Greek national flag ,, when anchoring up at night it was easy to pick out the charter boats and "MOST" times you were able to see the nationality of the crew of the other boats

[Jerry Cox]

With regard to to the tax implications. I am trying to establish whether a boat built and paid for in the UK will be exempt from VAT in other european countries. I have just purchased a boat built and paid for in London and am taking her to Greece. I have asked the local port police in Greece with regard to this and other registration issues and they couldnt tell me much about the regs. Do any members have any links on this one. Greece is hide bound by papers and beaurocracy and unfortunately corruption so the answers one receives are sometimes completely inaccurate and loaded with a 'whats in it for me'.

One interesting note is that if I wish to take clients out on charter, myself and any crew must be fluent in Greek..
Otherwise it seems relatively straightforward..(dont quote me!!!)..
I am establishing a small charter business there and will happily report all that is needed to attain the nesc result although I may not have any hair left by then!!!..
Cheers Jerry

[donradcliffe]

The status of VAT paid or unpaid in the EU is independent of origin or registration. If you have proof that VAT has been paid to one of the EU countries, you will not be liable for more VAT.

HOWEVER, if you are an EU citizen, and take your boat out of the EU for more than 3 years, you may have to pay VAT again when you return. See noonsite.com for more info on this problem.

[Jerry Cox]

Thanks for the info...I will look at the site..Cheers