Dump your Red Diesel before arriving in the Netherlands?

[Andrew_Fanner]

Not going to Holland looks like a plan now. Pity, I'm rather fond of decent Jenever. Surely the whole point of the EU (sole point IMO) was that goods legitimately purchased in one member state should be freely moveable to other member states, especially if for personal use.

 

[LadyInBed]

Message sent to the Dutch Embassy:
[ QUOTE ]
Can you please confirm that your government (specifically Customs and Excise) acknowledge and accept the United Kingdoms stated position with regard to the use of 'Red' Diesel in private pleasure craft as per Council Directive 2003/96/EC of 27 October 2003 restructuring
the Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity -
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32003L0096:EN:HTML
I draw your attention to an incident reported on -
http://www.sailtales.co.uk/st-tales-article-22569.html

[/ QUOTE ]

 

[theguvnor]

How much is white diesel in Holland ?

 

[thalassa]

about 1,04 EUR/ liter in Holland. About 0,95 EUR/l in Belgium.

 

[H4B]

But we in the UK have now lost our derogation to use Red diesil for liesure purposes. UK government have yet to decide how they are to impliment the new rules. This puts us all in a sort of limbo land to be picked off by EU officials as they see fit. I doubt very much if our poor fellow cruiser will get much support from any UK government body .The problem with this one long term is that the red dye stays in a tank onced used for ages.!!!


Howard. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Athene V30]

Off to Holland tomorrow with a club rally. Receipt onboard. Fingers crossed!

 

[Gwylan]

I'm the poor sucker facing a cutter full of Netherlands Authority at midnight with muttering about impounding the boat and all that that might mean.
I do not have many Customs Lawyers on speed dial

Anyway, I'm pleased that others are alerted and encouraged to keep the receipt.

Also I think the ANWB is the way to go, along with the local tourism development organisations. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Gwylan]

Thanks for that.
We were the victims of this act of extortion.
Frankly when they have you tied alongside they have your full attention

 

[Gwylan]

Just watch out the fine of €4,54 per litre is based on your diesel tank capacity, not what you have on board.

 

[Gwylan]

Well I thought that and intend to make a bit of a fight of it before we are done.
Avoiding have an impounded boat and my right to residence and get back work in Brussels jeopardised we paid up.
But from some of the postings I'm sure that we have a case and will look for the best advice we can get - when the official papers arrive.

 

[Seven Spades]

Gwylan, have you contacted the RYA? This is pricisley the sort of mess they should be interested in trying to sort out. I would also suggest that you write to your MEP's (All of them, most of us are now represented by about 6 from a number of different partys).

I firmly bnelieve that you have sufferwed a misscarriage of justice, I am sure that once the fuel is in free circulation they have no authority to do anything about it. I am not sure that having a reciept would have made any difference given your report.

 

[Gwylan]

As the injured party I look forward to seeing the response you get.

 

[Gwylan]

Yes and they picked up the Sailtales [thanks Norman noBoat] and this thread.
I hope to talk to some people tomorrow and see where it goes from there.
Feverishly searching the bank statements for the card transaction and asked Brighton Marina if they can help with any supporting info.
I really believe that it is wrong and there was an error. But the officers on the boat claim to have consulted a higher authoirty.
We shall see!

 

[Seven Spades]

It's good to see that they are on the ball.

 

[LadyInBed]

Reply:

Thank you very much for your email. In the meantime we have received more emails about this matter regarding red diesel for pleasure crafts. I have contacted the Dutch Customs and I have been told that recently pleasure crafts are not allowed to use "red diesel" anymore. Instead "white diesel" should be used. For more detailed information, I would advise you to contact the Dutch customs directly. Please find their contact details below:



Dutch Customs

Website: www.douane.nl > English

Telephone: +31 45 5743 031 (press option 2)



If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.



Hoping to have been of assistance.



Yours sincerely,

Suzanne Bosman

Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Economic Department
38 Hyde Park Gate
London SW7 5DP
Tel. +44 (0)207 590 3256
Fax +44 (0)207 581 3450
Website: www.netherlands-embassy.org.uk

Reply:

Regarding "pleasure crafts are not allowed to use "red diesel" anymore"
I refer you to: BN70 : Energy Products Directive : Expiry of Derogations
at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2007/bn70.htm
Operative date
The changes will take effect on and after 1 November 2008
As you have received other enquiries on this matter, can you please tell me to whom in the Customs department you referred this matter to.

 

[Emjaytoo]

LadyInBed

Please can you give me the address you sent your "Message sent to the Dutch Embassy" to and I will send the same message. I have this week, left our boat in Vlissingen en route for her permanent home in the Veerse Meer. She has about 40 litres of Red on board.

Perhaps if everyone on the forum was to send the same message to the Dutch Embassy it might make an official there take some notice. I appreciate this is only an issue to a very small minority of sailors, but we could all rally round to help the few.

 

[Emjaytoo]

I seem to have been "Lakesailored" by events

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[rickp]

So to paraphrase the response: "We can't be bothered to find out, suggest you spend hours on the phone on an international phone call trying to find out for yourself". I guess this means that no UK boat should go to NL between now and November 2008 or they risk a fine.

Guess I know where I'm NOT going this summer....

Rick

 

[LadyInBed]

Reply:
Thank you very much for your email. Unfortunately as an Embassy we can not get involved in these matters. Therefore I would advise you again to contact the Dutch Customs directly.

Kind regards,
Suzanne Bosman

So that's a definite sloping shoulders job /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Customs website: 'contact us'

Contact Us
Customs Information Line
Telephone number: 0800 - 0143

Telephone number from abroad: + 31 45 574 30 31

Opening hours: Monday through Thursday from 8.00 to 20.00 hours. Friday from 8.00 to 17.00 hours.

National Customs Helpdesk
Expertise Centre for Cross-Border Authorisations
Tax Administration & international issue
Cross-Border Employment and Enterprise team (GWO)
Addresses of customs and tax offices (in Dutch)
Tax Administration
Complaints and disputes

Please note:

It is unfortunately not possible to send an e-mail to Customs.

 

[Gwylan]

Well done for trying, but not too much more light or clarity.

I've emailed them too for some clarification or a contact for our appeal. We will appeal, if only to keep the thing in the public view!

Not too sure that UK Gov Budget Statement will cut much ice with them.