Buying a new yacht in France, but want to buy accessories etc in Australia and send o

[djbjb]

We are buying and picking up a new yacht in France, to sail back to Australia over a few years. But because of various reasons (Schengen visa time limit, language, knowledge of who suppliers and manufacturers are, etc) thought we would get made or just buy here in Australia things like water maker, solar panels, etc, as well as some household goods. We have access to good freight rates and Australian gst exemption for exports for the new things.

These things will become part of the boat and its inventory. We know the boat itself will be VAT free as long as it leaves the European tax zone within the proscribed time 18 months. But what about things we bring in from Australia? VAT and duty paid on entry? Can we get a refund? Is there a form we need to have or some sort of documentation to prove that it all goes with the boat?

Is there an agent anyone could recommend that could help? I've been looking through EU websites but although they exist,Temporary Import Permits seem to be quite specific in their application and I'm not sure whether applicable.

Perhaps someone has already done this and could share their experiences.

Debra

[Anders]

Can't answer your question but I believe that EU sail away scheme is 6 months not 18 but you can probably return right away after going to a country outside the EU VAT area.

[Jim Cate]

Hard to believe that ANY marine product would be cheaper in Oz than in the EU or UK... but perhaps I'm just confused.

Jim

[boatman61]

Buy it all from UK chandlers etc and get it shipped to the boat.. do not get the dealers/builders involved as from what owners who've done that have told me its an arm and a leg.

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Buy it all from UK chandlers etc and get it shipped to the boat.. do not get the dealers/builders involved as from what owners who've done that have told me its an arm and a leg.

Does not seem like a good idea. Better to purchase everything in France and have the commissioning/local guys install it.
Less customs complications and if you have problems with any item's quality and/or installation the seller/vendor will be near (and on the same clock...) to solve problems.
BTW - you may purchase any equipment in France by yourself and have it delivered to the boat if you are worried that the agent will rip you off. However, it is rather strange if you do not trust your agent but still purchase a boat through him...

[RaymondR]

I suspect from the amount of stuff I have bought X USA via Amazon over the last few years that the cheapest way to equip your boat may be to sail back here via the US and pick it all up on the way.

[djbjb]

Originally Posted by Anders

Can't answer your question but I believe that EU sail away scheme is 6 months not 18 but you can probably return right away after going to a country outside the EU VAT area.

I've double checked. It is 18 months, see https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_custom...ivate-boats_en.

Cheers
Debra

[djbjb]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Hard to believe that ANY marine product would be cheaper in Oz than in the EU or UK... but perhaps I'm just confused.

Jim

Hi Jim, appreciate the comment, but there are world class manufacturers here & in NZ who do barbecues, water makers, etc, and we just have some other things to add.

Debra

[chall]

Hi Debra,

I guess it also depends on how much stuff, how big it is and umm well how you want to go about it.

We are going to do as suggested above and get quite a few things through Force 4 in the UK.

In terms of what we are bringing from OZ.....well it is going in suitcases in our excess luggage basically.

[savoir]

Originally Posted by djbjb

Hi Jim, appreciate the comment, but there are world class manufacturers here & in NZ who do barbecues, water makers, etc, and we just have some other things to add.

Debra

Jim is right. You are doing this the expensive way. If I were in your position I would be buying the hardware through either Gibraltar or Jersey/Guernsey. There is also a lot to recommend buying in USA.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by meirriba

Does not seem like a good idea. Better to purchase everything in France and have the commissioning/local guys install it.
Less customs complications and if you have problems with any item's quality and/or installation the seller/vendor will be near (and on the same clock...) to solve problems.
BTW - you may purchase any equipment in France by yourself and have it delivered to the boat if you are worried that the agent will rip you off. However, it is rather strange if you do not trust your agent but still purchase a boat through him...

The owner of a new Bali 4.5 would disagree with you.. on everything you posted..
What customs problems.. the UK is still in the EU and VAT is also not an issue and can be claimed back at the last EU port.. usually Las Palmas in Grand Canaria.

[kas_1611]

Originally Posted by djbjb

Hi Jim, appreciate the comment, but there are world class manufacturers here & in NZ who do barbecues, water makers, etc, and we just have some other things to add.

Debra

And we don't have world class manufacturers in the UK or EU? I know it rains in the UK a lot but we still build "barbies" that will char your burgers

Honestly it probably isn't worth the paperwork to ship it over from the antipodes to EU then have to go through all the export paperwork again when you leave. Buy it over here (Jimmy Green, Force 4 in the UK are great) and you can probably get the ex VAT price, especially if you are registering the boat in Australia.

You might want to double check the EU Sailaway scheme as you have to remove the boat from EU waters within 6 months to qualify for Sailaway and it must be under your own power ( HMRC VAT Notice 703/2 ). Note this is from the UK side, France might be different so be aware. The 18 months is the "temporary import licence" for non EU flagged boats owned by non EU citizens.

[b_rodwell]

I bought a new Lagoon 400 S2 in late 2013. I bought a lot of gear in Oz before I left and shipped it to Le Sables d'Llone before I left. There were 25 cartons of personal gear and bought gear.

I declared my shipment 'to yacht in transit' and paid no duty. I picked it uo myself. The gear was installed in le Sables d'Llone. I found a lot of stuff was cheaper in Australia than it would have been from Europe or UK. Getting gear from UK should be OK but I would be wary of getting anything from the US. You may get on to a bureaucratic merry-go-round. European customs officials don't like imports from the US.

Naturally there can be no guarantees that you could do the same. Good luck!

Cheers

Brian

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by djbjb

I've double checked. It is 18 months, see https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_custom...ivate-boats_en.

Cheers
Debra

18 months is temporary importation, not applicable for exporting.
Check with your builder. They typically prepare the paperwork for export and they know the details in and out.


You are technically not a yacht in transit. You are exporting a newly built yacht, and thats a difference.
If you send over things for your boat (and I have never done this) then you officially import these goods from OZ. So you pay import taxes / VAT and (hopefully) reclaim VAT when you leave.
Reclaiming should in my view not work in Las Palmas, as the Canary Islands are a special VAT exempt area and not part of EU VAT territory.


Warranty is honored only by the manufacturer. No dealer is going to fix a broken watermaker for you. So dealership is unimportant for parts / gear.

If I were you I'd do some internet shopping in UK, Italy, Germany and even France. I doubt it makes financial sense to send a BBQ half way around the world when you can buy most brands here for similar prices.
You should be able to reclaim VAT on these goods without problems.



I often shop wherever my boat is when travelling (e.g. chain ordered in Italy and delivered to a marina in Sardinia, my AIS was ordered in Spain and delivered to a spanish marina, parts from overseas were delivered in gibraltar, etc ). So far I never had a problem, all things were delivered as promised (sometimes a bit late but still OK).

What I would certainly not do is ask a local french marine professional. But thats just me, I like to be in control and do things my way.

[boatman61]

Well.. its worked for two previous owners.. Lagoons collected in La Rochelle, stuff bought along the way, La Coruna, Lisbon and Las Palmas.. including 42" Smart TV and other electronics.. filed the claim with the Port Customs Office in Las Palmas, paper work and receipts and the owners received payment into their accounts within 3mths.
They may not charge VAT as such however it all gets dealt with by a central Fiscal agency..