I was going to respond to this post before. but then I forgot
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dockhead  Just one last (I promise) question -- can it be, that the flag status of the vessel and her customs status are two different things, not related? That is -- the boat might be registered in my name in the U.S., but has never been out of EU waters and is thus "imported" into the EU, as it were, VAT paid and all?.....................
............So maybe it's like -- the is imported into some country, has been cleared there, has taxes paid there, but the flag is something completely different and unrelated? |
As I said before, clearing non EU vessels into the EU is a bit outside my knowledge - but what you say does
sound about right, IMO certainly well worth looking into for some (real!) facts. Your later post sounds good,
Quote:
Originally Posted by MoonlightShadow I am surprised however, that David worries about VAT and stuff, as he lives in Jersey which is "special" in tax terms. (Special in other ways too!). You may note, that on your trip down the East Coast from Oysters, you will see a number of "local" boats, which are registered in Jersey and Guernsey, for some reason I have no idea about.
Perhaps David could enlighten us? Is can't be a VAT thing, as these boats stay here all the time. What is the advantage of Channel Island Registration David? |
David is not so much worried about VAT, more very interested in ensuring that any boat
I buy with VAT already paid on it does not get another VAT bill landed on it - if I ever (finally manage!) to spend too long in the EU or want to sell in the EU and need to reassure a prospective buyer. Whatever other folk do is of interest to me, but not my concern.
But on this I will accept that I am perhaps more risk averse than others - possibly compounded by the fact I hail from Jersey which in certain quarters (esp. avec Le French) means I am a probably a tax avoiding money launderer - and historically the French have picked up more than a few quid from Jersey folk on boats, cars, caravans and Motorhomes (RV's) which overstayed their (VAT free) welcome in France - so who is to say they do not have a point? Albeit perhaps not so much as temps passe. And to be fair to the French customs
if I was in their shoes having a closer than average look at either a Jersey (or other non EU) boat's and / or skipper's paperwork would be more likely to generate results (£££ / $$$) than for someone from the Birmingham Navy
Advantages of Jersey Registration? Well, mine is registered in Southampton
and I intend to keep it that way as although I beleive I am very ok on the VAT paperwork (built 1970 - pre VAT) and an english documented ownership and a history of being located on the mainland pre my purchase a couple of years back I figure no harm in also having a UK port (and flag) on her a#se
.......so any Douanes wandering the dock looking for someone to annoy before lunch can instead pick on some tax evader from.........Guernsey
On a straightforward personal yacht registration my undertstanding is that (nowadays) no fundamental difference between UK mainland and Jersey - apart from (from memory) Jersey reg is 10 years instead of 5 (probably not cheaper overall though!) and you can still get a "proper" Blue Book (instead of the laminated A4 piece of paper - how on earth one is meant to waive
that at Johnny foreigner Customs in a meaningful manner is beyond me
).......historically (up to late 80's? / early 90's?) it was possible to register in Jersey and keep the boat in the EU and not pay VAT (note that I avoided saying avoid VAT
)......but then of course every b#gger started doing it rather than simply our lords and masters. Typical of the hoi polloi - ruin things for everyone else simply by weight of numbers
).
So I am guessing a fair few boats are registered in Jersey for historical reasons even though the VAT benefit may have long since dissapeared - in more modern times a Jersey registration often goes with corporate registration via a Jersey Company - and for that the benefits do very much depend on individual circumstances and not always related to tax - part of any benefit may (or may not
) relate to the debate between privacy vs secrecy.........but you need to talk to Obama and Gordon on that one as they seem to think their missing zillions are secreted over here. Unfortunately not - but that's another thread........
But ain't no "magic" benefit to Jersey registration.
I suspect those boats registered in Guernsey are owned by Money laundering Tax evading Terrorists
