Break your
purchase into separate steps
1. Bill of
Sale and proof of
ownership
Is the vessel currently
Panama flagged? If so, or if it is flagged to any country, then you need to de-flag the
boat. This can be simple or complicated depending upon the country and how solid the proof of
ownership papers are and if there are liens on the
boat.
2. Then you need to choose a new flag. If the U.K. then with your de-flag paperwork and bill-of-sale you could do a Part III registry. The vessel doesn't need to be in U.K. or EU in order to be registered and no VAT is due.
3. I believe that you will need to have proof of "CE"
Certification in order to
import the boat into the EU unless it is older than a certain number of years
4. VAT assessment is best discussed before heading into EU waters with the tax authority of the country that you intend to clear into the EU. If you show up with an invoice of "Bought for USD1" then they'll surely decide to make their own determination.