Belgium Again!

Seven Spades

Seven Spades

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A yachtsman has just ben fined €500 for having tax paid red diesel in his tanks. I don't know where this has happened but the boat concerned bought fuel in Dover and paid tax on 100% of the fuel but was still fined. Probably better to give Belgium a miss again if you have any red in your tanks.
 
Where does this report come from? Were there no other UK boats with red diesel? When these reports were made in previous years they were anonymous like this one. Why has their policy changed from last year without a formal announcement?
 
vyv_cox said:
The report is on one of the Cruising Association's forums. Although reports such as this are often false there is no doubt that this one is true.
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Seems a bit odd in light of the recent and specific assurances given by the Belgian ambassador. Do you know the circumstances of the case, such as for example whether said yacht had lost the receipt or something?

Either way, thanks for clarification; Belgium will revert to having an X through it until this latest twist is cleared up.
 
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I used to go to Belgium every year but haven't been for the last 5 or 6 due to this problem. This latest report will ensure it stays on the ignore list for the foreseeable future. I go to France instead.
 
Ye gods not again. What is the matter with these people? Don't they realise the damage they are doing to their local trade?
Bloomin annoying. Hoping to go to Holland this year and part of the fun used to be a night or two in Oostende or Blankenberg on the way. A hop from Dunkerque to Cadzand now, I guess, and hope the Belgians don't start jumping on people offshore.
 
CLB said:
I used to go to Belgium every year but haven't been for the last 5 or 6 due to this problem. This latest report will ensure it stays on the ignore list for the foreseeable future. I go to France instead.
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Ditto. Till this came up we were considering doing parts of Belgium we have never done. Will go Netherlands instead again - much more welcoming nation.
 
dom said:
Seems a bit odd in light of the recent and specific assurances given by the Belgian ambassador. Do you know the circumstances of the case, such as for example whether said yacht had lost the receipt or something?
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All I know is that the owner bought fuel in Dover at full price and had the receipt. CA's man is taking it up as assurances have been made specifically to CA that red diesel would be accepted.
 
vyv_cox said:
All I know is that the owner bought fuel in Dover at full price and had the receipt. CA's man is taking it up as assurances have been made specifically to CA that red diesel would be accepted.
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Assurances were given that a blind eye would be turned pending a final EU court ruling.
That ruling has now been made and the UK was held to be in the wrong.

Like it or not, but whilst we are still EU members we have to abide by EU law.
If another EU country now actively enforces EU law, what the **** is the ****ing problem?

And as has been stated many times before, it was never about whether 60/40 or 100% tax, it was about the COLOUR of our diesel.
 
Tin Tin said:
Assurances were given that a blind eye would be turned pending a final EU court ruling.
That ruling has now been made and the UK was held to be in the wrong.

Like it or not, but whilst we are still EU members we have to abide by EU law.
If another EU country now actively enforces EU law, what the **** is the ****ing problem?

And as has been stated many times before, it was never about whether 60/40 or 100% tax, it was about the COLOUR of our diesel.
Click to expand...
https://www.rya.org.uk/newsevents/news/Pages/court-rules-against-HMRC-over-red-diesel.aspx
 
vyv_cox said:
All I know is that the owner bought fuel in Dover at full price and had the receipt. CA's man is taking it up as assurances have been made specifically to CA that red diesel would be accepted.
Click to expand...

Bizarre, thanks for that and JM might consider making this thread sticky for a couple of weeks to help others avoid this recurring trap.
 
mjcoon said:
From Wikipedia: "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy at one point mentions that the word Belgium is the worst profanity in the galaxy."

Mike.
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To be fair, this may be down to a single poorly trained law enforcement officer. It seems a bit hasty to condemn a whole nation on the basis of this incident which may yet be resolved.
That said, this sort of thing would make me think long and hard about visiting the place, were I so inclined in the first instance.
 
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Quiddle said:
To be fair, this may be down to a single poorly trained law enforcement officer. It seems a bit hasty to condemn a whole nation on the basis of this incident which may yet be resolved.
That said, this sort of thing would make me think long and hard about visiting the place, were I so inclined in the first instance.
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Possibly badly briefed but one cannot reasonably contend that enforcing the law of his/her land indicates a lack of training. I'm continually surprised by the naivety of those who rely on a diplomat or politician's statement that law enforcement officers will refrain from policing their laws, I'm struggling to see a similar scenario where the police/HMRC in this country would bow to political direction to not enforce laws (standfast Norther Ireland). From what I can gather it's not as though the UK is taking any steps at all to comply with the ruling, there doesn't seem to have been any steps to make white diesel more available on the south or east coasts or elsewhere.
 
Tin Tin said:
Assurances were given that a blind eye would be turned pending a final EU court ruling.
That ruling has now been made and the UK was held to be in the wrong.

Like it or not, but whilst we are still EU members we have to abide by EU law.
If another EU country now actively enforces EU law, what the **** is the ****ing problem?

And as has been stated many times before, it was never about whether 60/40 or 100% tax, it was about the COLOUR of our diesel.
Click to expand...

+1. The latter point, though simple enough, seems beyond comprehension to many who post herein.
 
While this situation endures, I do not understand why anyone with red in their tank would even consider going there (save in an emergency).
 
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