Greek Tax! - MERGED 4 THREADS

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by chuckr

it really seems the eu med countries are trying to do all they can to discourage boating here - but that is just our opinion and others may think otherwise

Actually fundamentally the problem is the opposite. The med has probably the worlds largest population of sailing vessels , ( well Europe in general has) and particularly the Adriatic , Ionian end is the most popular. Hence some countries now see it as a valuable source of taxation revenue. If that thins the field a little, so much the better for visitors. The primarily problem is sailing is too popular !!

The mooring buoy situation has generally been spread by environmental concerns over anchoring , but most countries privatised or semi privatised the service and a lot of it was due to concerns that mooring buoys would lead to competition for the marinas. Hence the price structures in some countries , especially Croatia.

The Schengen issue is an unfortunate un-intended consequence of greater integration, visting long stays Boaters simply don't register on Brussels radar.

Dave

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by jckb

Let's see now. Uk surveys show about 7,000 boat owners base their craft overseas. It's very unlikely that more than a quarter of those are in Greece . . . So, who do the other 28,000 belong to?


and, errm, how many Greek marinas are there? And how big? Enough to hold 30,000 foreigners, plus all th Greek owned boats?


And Greece expects to raise 20,000,000 euros from their entire boat park. If that's an average of 500 euros a boat, that implies a total boat park of 40,000


Some very dodgy figures being quoted by the marinas, or being misquoted, by an order of x 10 . . .

Not to mention , that of course , there's 30000 free berths in Croatia ( where there is a tax ) and turkey ???

Dave

[yeloya]

Everybody believe that there will be a massive flow of boats from Greece to Turkey. I'd doubted it very much..
-Most of marinas here are filled up anyway and there is a shortage of berth.
-the marina prices (generally speaking) are significantly higher than in Greece.
-Turkey has always had a competitive advantage over Greece anyway for better craftsmanshift at a better price, hence, anyone who needs some work to be done on his boat will come sooner or later to Turkey regardless further taxes are imposed in Greece or not..
Said this, we are as stupid as Greeks and I wouldn't be surprised if Turkey introduces or invent new taxes for boaters..
One would expect just the opposite, but the life for boaters is getting more difficult every day.Not only from financial perspective; every government who sees the boaters as a milking cow but the buraucracy, new rules and regulations imposed in every country added to the crime which is in steady increase in every corner of the globe..
Cheers

Yeloya

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by yeloya

Everybody believe that there will be a massive flow of boats from Greece to Turkey. I'd doubted it very much..
-Most of marinas here are filled up anyway and there is a shortage of berth.
-the marina prices (generally speaking) are significantly higher than in Greece.
-Turkey has always had a competitive advantage over Greece anyway for better craftsmanshift at a better price, hence, anyone who needs some work to be done on his boat will come sooner or later to Turkey regardless further taxes are imposed in Greece or not..
Said this, we are as stupid as Greeks and I wouldn't be surprised if Turkey introduces or invent new taxes for boaters..
One would expect just the opposite, but the life for boaters is getting more difficult every day.Not only from financial perspective; every government who sees the boaters as a milking cow but the buraucracy, new rules and regulations imposed in every country added to the crime which is in steady increase in every corner of the globe..
Cheers

Yeloya

Cheery post. Positive outlook of life sort of stuff

Dave

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by beneteau-500

the latest news and data they have collected. Greek marinas association is that up to 30,000 boats will leave greek waters mainly poms, Germans and Italians and french boats make up this number and they stated most are heading to Croatia or turkey,

the greek marinas association are starting to crank up the unions on this new tax

It sounds like the Greek marinas association must use the same accountants as the Greek government used when bidding for the Olympics and telling the EU they are meeting all of the requirements to join the Euro

[goboatingnow]

It sounds like the Greek marinas association must use the same accountants as the Greek government used when bidding for the Olympics and telling the EU they are meeting all of the requirements to join the Euro

good strategy , worked before!

dave

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

good strategy , worked before!

dave

It will fail. In the past the Greeks pulled the wool over the eyes of the EU, ECB and the IOC. The Greek government will not fall for the same trick that they perfected 😜

[goboatingnow]

The Greek government will not fall for the same trick that they perfected

The Greek government will not fall for its own trick, that would be a first.

I fully understand the Greek marinas Association tactics, its standard stuff, works the same all over the globe. firstly you create a " crisis", the " its all doom, when all the millions of cruisers leave etc" , thats makes good press. cause the press don't want to hear, " well we believe that 1.23457% of cruisers in ABC1 demographics, with boats in excess of 12.455667m will leave". Nope. They want " Crisis in marinas businesses", "island economy to falter due to draconian tax measure" etc etc, you get the message.

Then " horrified of Athens" starts writing to the media, newspapers, contacting their local representatives, bringing pressure to "end the crisis". Gov then mitigates some measures of the tax, the " crisis is over" headlines appear. and everything goes back to normal.

Simples
dave

[jckb]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I fully understand the Greek marinas Association tactics, its standard stuff, works the same all over the globe. firstly you create a " crisis", the " its all doom, when all the millions of cruisers leave etc" , thats makes good press. cause the press don't want to hear, " well we believe that 1.23457% of cruisers in ABC1 demographics, with boats in excess of 12.455667m will leave". Nope. They want " Crisis in marinas businesses", "island economy to falter due to draconian tax measure" etc etc, you get the message.

Then " horrified of Athens" starts writing to the media, newspapers, contacting their local representatives, bringing pressure to "end the crisis". Gov then mitigates some measures of the tax, the " crisis is over" headlines appear. and everything goes back to normal.

You're exactly right Dave. This press release was sent out by the Marina Association about a month ago. Christmas and New Year is a "no news" hole for newspapers. So they ruffle through the old stuff to find something to fill the space.

Meanwhile, the intelligent marinas which have already thanked us for letting them know about the tax (!), and the first (Ayios Nicholaos in Crete) has already dropped its annual prices to offset the tax effect.

Good move those guys! Far better than knee jerk shouting!

JimB

[beneteau-500]

so just wondering if any one has been asked to pay the new "cruising tax yet "

[NornaBiron]

Originally Posted by beneteau-500

so just wondering if any one has been asked to pay the new "cruising tax yet "

We've been to the PPs here in Elounda a few times over the last few days to get a stamp on the DEKPA and ask about the tax.......they're never in the office!

However, we have been talking to locals and apparently the mechanism for payment is not yet in place so we're not too worried.

[Barra]

Ive emailed the yard my boat is in and have been told the tax has not yet been "officially announced" and so nothing is yet being done to collect it!

The farce goes on and and on.....

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Barra

Ive emailed the yard my boat is in and have been told the tax has not yet been "officially announced" and so nothing is yet being done to collect it!

The farce goes on and and on.....

Why is it a "farce", not unusual , the actual law requires it to be signed into life by the minister, I suspect the usual round of lobbyists are at work.


Late is good not a farce

dave

[Barra]

No a farce is when a tax is set to start (and be collected) before its signed into law ie its supposedly applied from 1 jan 14 supposedly but its not yet law?? that mate is defo a FARCE!!!

Late is when you dont get your act together in time so its delayed and is applied to the next year from 1 jan 15, collected by 31 dec 14... yes that would be good but right now its a FARCE!

How will they go offering the 30% discount for permanent boats when that had to be paid before 31 dec 13? will they apply the 100% penalty rate to all those boats as well because they didnt pay by 31 dec?

FARCE FARCE FARCE !

PS looking at the views is this the most read thread ever in the history of CF - there are plenty that care it seems.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Barra

No a farce is when a tax is set to start (and be collected) before its signed into law ie its supposedly applied from 1 jan 14 supposedly but its not yet law?? that mate is defo a FARCE!!!

Late is when you dont get your act together in time so its delayed and is applied to the next year from 1 jan 15, collected by 31 dec 14... yes that would be good but right now its a FARCE!

How will they go offering the 30% discount for permanent boats when that had to be paid before 31 dec 13? will they apply the 100% penalty rate to all those boats as well because they didnt pay by 31 dec?

FARCE FARCE FARCE !

PS looking at the views is this the most read thread ever in the history of CF - there are plenty that care it seems.

All will be revealed in time , calm is needed now , give the lobbyists some time. Look at it this way , you get to keep more of your money in your pocket for a little longer

Dave