Tunisia

[Wrtaylormd]

I’m looking for someplace to go to avoid the VAT, boat is currently in Italy and looking at going south to Tunisia to reset the VAT clock

Any suggestions or other places to go in this part of the med thanks

[Dtm67]

Depending on where in Italy (east coast or west coast or Sicily)…west coast and Sicily Tunisia is probably the easiest. We liked hammamet but there are other marina la that would work as well.

If your on the East coast or the “heel” crossing the Adriatic to Montenegro would be a consideration. Very nice marinas. Albania is an option but not nearly as built up for the cruiser set.

It looks it takes one day out of the EU customs zone backed up with receipts is all it takes to reset EU Temporary import.

[Wrtaylormd]

Actually in southern Sardinia or western Sicily and thinking about Bizerte ?

[Dogscout]

My boat is currently in Port Yasmine Hammamet, Tunisia. I am in the US for a few months. I have not been to Bizerte or Monistir but I can say that PYH is a fine place to visit. The Duoane is takes a bit to be comfortable around but in all the paperwork is simple. The Marina staff are fantastic and will help with any formalities. Spend a few days and go visit Tunis and El Jem.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Wrtaylormd

Actually in southern Sardinia or western Sicily and thinking about Bizerte ?

Bizerte sucks.. Better to do the few miles further on.

[nmuir]

Similar sentiments to Dogscout. We have a boat in Monastir. Everything has been good. Police, immigration and Marina are friendly and efficient. +1 on visiting El Jem. There is fantastic history in Tunisia.

[sv Grateful]

We have really enjoyed Monastir. The formalities are straight forward, the Marina staff is great, and in the years we've stayed there, the nearby fish, veg, meat market is out of this world good, and in the years we've stayed in Monastir, there were vibrant Anglophone and Francophone communities.

[goeasy123]

Originally Posted by Wrtaylormd

I’m looking for someplace to go to avoid the VAT, boat is currently in Italy and looking at going south to Tunisia to reset the VAT clock

Any suggestions or other places to go in this part of the med thanks

You only need to go into and out off international waters to reset the VAT clock. You don't need to land anywhere.

[sv Grateful]

Originally Posted by goeasy123

You only need to go into and out off international waters to reset the VAT clock. You don't need to land anywhere.

Yeah, but given the €'s at stake it sure is a good idea to.have some entry papers to prove that the boat has been out of the EU and Tunisia is the easiest target from.where the OP is now.

[boatman61]

Just checked out Bizerte.. seems the marina is now open though incomplete.. when I was there it was just a quay and the cops chased us off and we ended up in the fishing harbour down the way.. not nice.

[goeasy123]

Originally Posted by sv Grateful

Yeah, but given the €'s at stake it sure is a good idea to.have some entry papers to prove that the boat has been out of the EU and Tunisia is the easiest target from.where the OP is now.

The law says a boat's tax status is simply declared by crossing the EU sea boundary. There is no requirement to have a record. If the boat leaves and returns there is no condition where he would be asked for one or be required to give one.


That said, he could file a passage plan, which he is legally required to do, lodge it with an appropriate authority and then notify that authority on his return that the passage was completed as planned. His actions could be recorded in the deck log. As a document this carries as much weight as any document from a foreign port... which for the purpose of restarting the clock is very little.



Also, depending on where the OP is he could sail to any other port, even if it's in the EU, with a track that obviously transits international waters.

[nmuir]

Originally Posted by goeasy123

You only need to go into and out off international waters to reset the VAT clock. You don't need to land anywhere.

I have heard that too, but then when researching it I heard of stories where it worked and where it didn't. As another poster said, with the $ involved I didn't want to rely on it.

If you try and it works, definitely post the experience back out so we can learn from it!

[goeasy123]

Originally Posted by nmuir

I have heard that too, but then when researching it I heard of stories where it worked and where it didn't. As another poster said, with the $ involved I didn't want to rely on it.

If you try and it works, definitely post the experience back out so we can learn from it!

If the OP was concerned about the potential financial consequences, as opposed to asking our collective forum opinion, he should go to the local HM or revenue office with a print out of the required law and ask them how to evidence the turn around. It would save a lot of time, effort and anguish.


For tax purposes there is no definitive legal document that evidences the boundary crossing, so something, such as entry papers, has as much legal standing and a verbal declaration and less that the boats deck log.

[boatman61]

I would think the Tunisian entry and departure stamp and dates in your passport would have more legal standing than a possible invention in your boats log.

[goeasy123]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I would think the Tunisian entry and departure stamp and dates in your passport would have more legal standing than a possible invention in your boats log.

One would think that that was the case, but not so in strictly legal terms. The boat's log is a legal a document in the EU. A Tunisian entry stamp has no relevance in EU tax law. The passport stamp has no relevance at all as it pertains to the person.
If one is concerned about an authority challenging the status one should get evidence from that potential challenging authority. E.g. the local (EU) harbor master observing your declared departure and return.... some 5 or 6 hours later... assuming a 12 mile boundary and 5ish kn SOG. This much better proof and a lot easier to achieve.