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having done the bringing US flagged boats into the uk/ eu twice now, this is what I think I know.
If you are a resident ( at least of the UK) and have owned the vessel for more than one year you can bring her to the UK as a personal possesion, and she is regarded as tax paid. This does not apply if you are not a resident. One will have the same clearance and customs requirements on a UK or US registered vessel in all of the EU outside the UK. TO register on part 1 of the SSR you MUST be resident in the UK, if its a copropration, it MUST have at least one UK resident officer. THe part 3 of the SSR is recognized the world over as official documentation, even if it is only a small laminated card, but you MUST be a resident of the UK ( but, and in no way am I suggesting that you do this, if you can supply a UK address, perhaps of a friend, they will not check, as long as your post is accepted there).
Having a US flag will make no difference in any of the EU with regards to political concerns, most of the populace is pro- American, and understnds that you are not your government. As a US flagged vessel you are given 18 months inside the EU ( but I would not spend more than 183 days in France, Spain or Italy, where the residency requirements overrule the customs regulations). IF you are in spain, voyaging over to Morocco and back will reset the 183 day clock. Some people have gone to Gib, but oftentimes the Spanish will say that is not leaving the EU ( esp. as they have a claim to Gib).
The esiest method is to keep a US registration and bring the boat to either the UK, or to Turkey, which A/ has some of the finest sailing in the world and B/ is fleixible in terms of how long you stay.
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