Belgium - Is it worth going now?

[sailorman]

Sorry Roger, I'm none the wiser?!

i was asking what fuel the continentals are provided with

 

[rubberduck]

This is all rather silly, I think I will keep my £s in the UK. They're all a bunch of foreigners anyway.

 

[maby]

This is all rather silly, I think I will keep my £s in the UK. They're all a bunch of foreigners anyway.

It's certainly getting silly - and hard to see what the eventual solution will be. The only thing that seems likely to produce a solution for us is the suggestion made somewhere here that all marine diesel should be unmarked and taxed at the full rate with provision for the purchaser to reclaim tax where appropriate.

 

[Stork_III]

I have approached the Dutch Embassy in London and received the following reply:-

"In answer to your email of 20 December I can give you the following information.



We have required information from the Dutch Customs about their policy concerning red diesel and received the following information from them. They are aware of the fact that it is not possible for British yachtsman to fuel their thanks with anything else then red diesel at the moment. Therefore there is a special arrangement in place for British Yachts coming from the UK.



You can fill up your tanks with red diesel, but not take more fuel with you then the amount of your tanks. You have to be able to show the receipt, which can’t be older than 1 year old. On the receipt should be written that “the difference in tax between white and red diesel is paid by the UK Government (the 60/40 notice)”. According to the Dutch Customs this should be on the receipt automatically.



If you would like to have more information about the policy of the Dutch Customs you could contact them directly:



Douane

Postbus 3070

6401 DN Heerlen

The Netherlands

Tel.: +31 45 574 3031

www.douane.nl



I hope this information will help you further. And we hope that you will still be considering visiting the Netherlands on your summer cruise.



With kind regards,





Lieke Conijn

Office Manager
........................................................................
Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Economic Section
38 Hyde Park Gate | SW7 5DP | London
........................................................................
T +44 20 7590 3259
F +44 20 7581 3450
E lon-ea@minbuza.nl

W www.hollanduktrade.nl

........................................................................

Twitter: www.twitter.com/HollandUKTrade

Nederlandse ambassade, Londen: www.dutchembassyUK.org

Economische afdeling, Nederlandse ambassade, Londen: www.hollanduktrade.nl

Netherlands Business Support Office, Manchester: www.nbso-manchester.co.uk

Agentschap NL, Den Haag: www.agentschapnl.nl"

Hope this helps anybody planning dutch trip, doesn't help with Belgians unfortunately.

 

[maby]

I ...
Hope this helps anybody planning dutch trip, doesn't help with Belgians unfortunately.

Well, it does help - never intended to stop in Belgium anyway - just wanted to avoid such along single crossing as the one to Holland direct...

 

[Colvic Watson]

That's useful, but only with relatively small tanks - we can carry several hundred litres in the main tanks, some of which may well be more than a year old. Still, with a proper receipt I reckon the Dutchies will be fine, shame about Belgium though we used to enjoy cruising there.

 

[pks1702]

Thanks for that Pete.

The Dutch do seemed to have a more laid back attitude.

 

[sailorman]

Thanks for that Pete.

The Dutch do seemed to have a more laid back attitude.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3309683#post3309683

 

[pks1702]

Belgium

Dear Mr Calver,

I apologize for the somewhat belated reply to your last email but I wanted to make sure I had all pertinent information in my possession before coming back to you.

Although I understand the difficult position you and other British cruisers are in, I have to confirm that Belgium will indeed continue to fine pleasure vessels using dyed diesel. EU legislation clearly does not allow the use of dyed diesel for leisure vessels and Member States have to conform to this. It is worth noting that Belgium also used to allow for an exemption for pleasure vessels but put an end to it on the 31st of December 2006 in order to be in conformity with said EU legislation.

Belgian authorities have been in contact both with their British counterparts and with the Commission to explain it had no other choice but to implement EU legislation. Not doing so could be considered as an infringement. The Commission has never berated Belgium for its practice of fining the use of dyed diesel. Quite to the contrary, it is my understanding that the Commission has asked British authorities for explanations pertaining to its continued use of dyed diesel and started an investigation against the UK . Some of the confusion surrounding this question arises from early letters from the Commission which unfortunately contain some inaccurate information. As mentioned in my first email, we are currently waiting for a decision from the Commission and will in the meantime continue to respect and implement the EU legislation on the use of diesel.

Regards,
Serge Dickschen
Counsellor - Political Affairs
Embassy of Belgium
17 Grosvenor Crescent
London SW1X 7EE
020/7470 3727

Dutch

"In answer to your email of 20 December I can give you the following information.

We have required information from the Dutch Customs about their policy concerning red diesel and received the following information from them. They are aware of the fact that it is not possible for British yachtsman to fuel their thanks with anything else then red diesel at the moment. Therefore there is a special arrangement in place for British Yachts coming from the UK.

You can fill up your tanks with red diesel, but not take more fuel with you then the amount of your tanks. You have to be able to show the receipt, which can’t be older than 1 year old. On the receipt should be written that “the difference in tax between white and red diesel is paid by the UK Government (the 60/40 notice)”. According to the Dutch Customs this should be on the receipt automatically.

If you would like to have more information about the policy of the Dutch Customs you could contact them directly:



Douane

Postbus 3070

6401 DN Heerlen

The Netherlands

Tel.: +31 45 574 3031

www.douane.nl

Laid back might be a tad over optimistic interpretation but I know which I'd take my chances with

 

[davidfox]

Its all a bit of a shame really, the Dutch seem to have got the balance about right in understanding that we cannot generally fuel with anything else. The Belgiums really do seem to be jobs worths on this. I wonder how much this will cost there local economy, £500k or so? I know that the racing fleet that was in Ostende last time I was there was having a good crack at it.
Vlissingens not bad and not much further?

 

[sailorman]

Its all a bit of a shame really, the Dutch seem to have got the balance about right in understanding that we cannot generally fuel with anything else. The Belgiums really do seem to be jobs worths on this. I wonder how much this will cost there local economy, £500k or so? I know that the racing fleet that was in Ostende last time I was there was having a good crack at it.
Vlissingens not bad and not much further?

the Belgian chap could only state what his governments line actually is.
What actually happens on the ground may well differ from that

 

[ditchcrawler]

You may wish to look at the original thread on R2R where information from the standing orders of the Dutch Customs Office is posted which says that they will only allow dyed diesel where the 100% tax rate has been paid and you have a receipt which says so.Stork has gone back to the Dutch Embassy who will be responding further.

 

[sailorman]

You may wish to look at the original thread on R2R where information from the standing orders of the Dutch Customs Office is posted which says that they will only allow dyed diesel where the 100% tax rate has been paid and you have a receipt which says so.Stork has gone back to the Dutch Embassy who will be responding further.

I am fully "Up to Speed" thanks

 

[Koeketiene]

You may wish to look at the original thread on R2R where information from the standing orders of the Dutch Customs Office is posted which says that they will only allow dyed diesel where the 100% tax rate has been paid and you have a receipt which says so.Stork has gone back to the Dutch Embassy who will be responding further.

Read it too.
Does not help much - why would you fill up with 100% taxed red UK diesel, when 100% taxed white continental diesel is cheaper?

 

[maby]

Read it too.
Does not help much - why would you fill up with 100% taxed red UK diesel, when 100% taxed white continental diesel is cheaper?

'cos you do not have enough red in your tank to reliably make it to somewhere you can buy white cheaper?

 

[ditchcrawler]

The point is if you filled up at the end of the season with red and got a receipt for 60/40 you can go back to the supplier and ask for a receipt showing 100% tax paid.A friend who is going to Holland has done this at Ipswich Haven and they have agreed to provide a receipt showing 100% tax paid.I have not yet asked at Levington.They may require payment of the extra tax.

 

[sailorman]

The point is if you filled up at the end of the season with red and got a receipt for 60/40 you can go back to the supplier and ask for a receipt showing 100% tax paid.A friend who is going to Holland has done this at Ipswich Haven and they have agreed to provide a receipt showing 100% tax paid.I have not yet asked at Levington.They may require payment of the extra tax.

photoshop anyone

 

[Stork_III]

photoshop anyone

But don't tell Interpol.

 

[sailorman]

But don't tell Intepol.

 

[Stork_III]

Your quote can't spell Interpol.