BOAT TAX MED

[bootsy]

CAN ANY ONE EXPLAIN THE TAX THAT IS BEING LEVELED AT BOAT OWNERS IN THE VALENCIA AREA WHICH THEY ARE CALLING THE G5 TAX.

COULD ANY PLEASE EXPLAIN IF THIS IS A LEGAL TAX.

ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE GLADLY RECEIVED.

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[Ric]

Yes it is legal. They do the same in Mallorca. The reason they do it is to deter cowboy motor boat hire companies in Spain from registering their boats under British (and Belgian) flags which mean that the boats do not need to meet Spanish safety standards, can be hired to any drunken lout whether or not he has a motor-boat licence, and also do not pay tax to Spain. There have been a number of fatal accidents in Spain (and France) caused by British flagged boats operating without safety equipment and with holidaying drivers who have no idea of even the most basic of collision avoidance regs. In most of the Med, a Brit (or Belgian) flag on a motor boat signals DANGER KEEP CLEAR!!!

The Spanish authorites have therefore decided that any Brit (or Belgian) boat that stays in Spanish waters for longer than six months must either register under a Spanish flag, or pay a large tax (in Mallorca it is ten percent of value of boat). If you don't pay, your boat is confiscated.

It seems perfectly sensible to me. I having several times seen British and Belgian flagged hire motorboats being driven in staggeringly irresponsible ways, eg at high speed directly through the anchorage area in Pollensa bay, while kids etc were swimming between boats. There has to be some form of clamp down before more people are killed.

France is considering following suit.

It is, of course, a shame that many perfectly responsible Brits get caught in the net. If you object, don't complain to Spain (or France). Complain to the SSR, and ask them to tighten up the registration requirements.

Personally I like the way that in Britain you can sail and take responsibility for your own safety. But this only works if people are responsible - which is no longer the case. Maybe another solution is that if British boats wish to leave British waters and enter the territorial waters of another country, they should be obliged to have a minimum of safety equipment and training (as is the case for French and Spanish boats).

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[ubuysa]

Ummm...shouldn't the Spanish authorities go after the "cowboy motor boat hire companies" rather than ALL British registered boats?? Or is that too simple...??

Tony Cross

<hr width=100% size=1>There are 10 kinds of people, those who understand binary and those who don't.

 

[Ric]

Go after them with what law? The cowboy motor boat operators are operating totally legally. If they register their boats under a British flag, they do not have to carry any safety equipment, need no technical inspections, and can rent to anybody they lager lout they like. That is British regulation. The Spanish authorites cannot stop them if their British paperwork is in order.

As I said previously, you should complain to the SSR, not to the Spanish authorities. The Spanish are just trying to protect the public after a series of accidents, and it is the only means available to them, given the reluctance of the British (and Belgian) authorities to tighten their regulations.

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[lindsay]

Another answer is to spend six months there and then move somewhere else, unless you have all the time in the world to dedicate to fighting burocracy.

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[Anonymous]

Ah, so this tax only becomes due after six months? Do you have any other information on the tax, e.g. ... Is that on all vessels flying a British Ensign, sail and power, of all sizes? How do they know when the vessel entered Spanish waters? Who monitors it when it is there?

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[rex]

Have I missed something, I thought charter boats in Britain had to be coded? (Safety equipment, survey etc.)

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[BrendanS]

Not in Britain. In Med. UK flagged, not UK coded

<hr width=100% size=1>There is no such thing as "fun for the whole family."

 

[Ric]

Yes it only applies if you stay longer than six months. You are advised to register when you first arrive in Mallorca in order to avoid confusion later on. Frankly, for those who are genuine cruising sailors it is not a problem at all - you are unlikely to spend longer than six months in Mallorca, are you? It is a bit more problematic for Brits who live in Mallorca and keep their Brit flagged boats there - but by EU regulation if your boat is there for more than six months you should register it Spanish anyway (just as with a car - it should be re-registered Spanish if it stays six months) so they can't complain. Finally, if you do stay a bit longer, you are very unlikely to have problems if you have a well-founded sailing boat. The Spanish authorities apply the law with a certain amount of discretion - they really just want to get rid of dangerous louts in motor-boats, not wealthy tourists in sailing boats.

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[AndrewB]

The laws are probably there.

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

<font size=1>Go after them with what law? The cowboy motor boat operators are operating totally legally. If they register their boats under a British flag, they do not have to carry any safety equipment, need no technical inspections, and can rent to anybody they lager lout they like. That is British regulation. The Spanish authorites cannot stop them if their British paperwork is in order.</font size=1>

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After the oil spill caused by the break up of the tanker Prestige, in November 2002 Spain adopted a law that certain oil tankers passing through their waters could be subject to being stopped and inspected, and that those ships found to be not seaworthy would be prohibited completely. It would sound like a small extension to include rogue motor boats.

The precedent exists. Of course there was enormous fuss a few years ago when NZ authorities refused to grant clearance to foreign yachts without prescribed safety gear. But any yacht approaching the USA, for example, will be checked for its safety gear.

Incidentally, these motor boats cannot be registered on the SSR unless they are private owned. If they are chartered, then they must comply with a number of British safety standards, which the Spanish could undoubtedly seek to enforce.


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[BigART]

Re: The laws are probably there.

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Incidentally, these motor boats cannot be registered on the SSR unless they are private owned. If they are chartered, then they must comply with a number of British safety standards, which the Spanish could undoubtedly seek to enforce.
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Can the Spanish Authorities enforce a British regulation/safety standard?

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[ccscott49]

Just because they do it, in Mallorca, does not make it legal!!!!
Is this a "Tax" or a fine? The spanish authorities are acting illegally, if they impose a "Tax" on an EU registered boat, surely. Just the same as the Greeks with their "cruising tax" Also, does this apply only to UK and belgian boats? If so, it is also discriminatory, not to mention racist. A USA boat can stay in EU waters for 18 months. I thought the whole purpose of the EU was to stop this kind of thing. I may be wrong and probably am, but I would take this up with my MP or The RYA/CA legaL dept.
Ì`m all for stopping the cowboy charterers, but why penalise everybody? There are laws in place to stop cowboy charterers, why not use them.

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[neutronstar]

How are these bods about sailing to an ajacent country for a week or two then returning?

Is it a rolling 6 months in any 12 type of thingimy ?

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