For Greek sailors, it is now a real case of déjà vu: a tax on sailing yachts is now being discussed in the Greek parliament for the third time. Although this had already been decided in 2014 and published as a law, it was never implemented in practice due to massive protests from industry associations and charter companies.
The Greece representative of the DSV's cruiser department, Achim Rollhäuser, now reports on a new attempt. This has been significantly toned down compared to the 2014 version. It is being discussed:
- A charge for sailing boats over twelve metres in length and private motorboats over ten metres in length. Charter boats are expressly excluded.
- From 12.01 to 15 metres the levy should be 100 euros per boat metre, from 15 to 20 metres 200 euros per boat metre, from 20 to 24 metres 300 element not implemented: , over 24 metres 400 Element not implemented: .
- For boats over five years since commissioning, 10 per cent less is payable, for boats over ten years 20 per cent less.
- When paying for six months there is a 5 Element not implemented: discount, when paying for twelve months there is a 10 Element not implemented: discount.
- Penalty for non-payment: 100 Element not implemented: .
In the 2014 version of the law, boats under twelve metres were also to be taxed; at that time, a flat rate of 200 euros up to 7 metres, 300 euros up to ten metres and 400 euros up to twelve metres was being discussed. Charter boats were to receive a 50 per cent discount, but were otherwise liable to pay the tax. The new regulation would be massively more expensive for ships from 15 metres upwards, for which the prices have doubled, tripled or quadrupled.
The big question, however, is whether the tax will be implemented if it is passed. According to KA representative Rollhäuser, the marina association and the association of private boat owners are already up in arms against the new regulation. However, according to Greek insiders, the consultations should be completed by the end of this year. A common trick of the Greek bureaucracy is that a law is passed and brought into force, but then the implementing regulation for the implementing authorities is simply not issued. It therefore remains to be seen whether this will actually materialise in 2017.
The new approach comes as a surprise, especially as the boat tax experiment in Italy a few years ago led to a massive decline in harbour operators and service companies. At the time, the industry association Asso Marinas estimated that over 20,000 pleasure craft were withdrawn from Italy or decommissioned or sold abroad following the introduction of the tax. After the industry collapsed, the state quickly cancelled the tax. The review of the many exemption clauses for the Greek solution also makes simple and efficient implementation rather difficult.
On the other hand, the Croatian transit log, which must be paid by each boat/charter crew depending on the size of the boat, is considered to be much more practicable, but is significantly lower, in the order of around 10 per cent of the Greek plan.
Andreas Fritsch
Editor Travel
