New tax for foreign yachts based in Greece from 1st January 2014????

[rivonia]

I don't think there would be a lot of point - it's patently obvious that foreign yacht owners won't like a new tax. The question for them is, whether yachts would move away in droves and make it self-defeating.

I recall a few years back the uproar when the Bahamas introduced a $300 entry fee plus $500 a year tax to continue staying there. Everyone said they would stay away - and so they did, for about six months. Now it is just accepted, and there are more visitors than ever.

Greece is, by European standards, a cheap place to keep a yacht, and would remain so. A tax at this level would not make many leave, nor greatly discourage others from moving in.

For the thousands of liveaboards-it is a different story. I believe that they would simply move on to another area to cruise in and forget about Greek waters.

Peter

 

[Artic Warrior]

Hi Young man,
Nope im in the blinking wet like you, in rainy devon, we will be full time liva boards march 31st,,,,ticket book all ready,
Finally after a very long time

Sadly at work in Hampshire. Expected departure date 01/06/2014. The boat ie the other woman in my life, is in Portsmouth. If I say where are you you're bound to say somewhere hot and sunny aren't you.

 

[Retired in Crete]

For the thousands of liveaboards-it is a different story. I believe that they would simply move on to another area to cruise in and forget about Greek waters.

Peter

Didn't I read that in the UK liveaboards in a marina have to pay council tax? This tax is far less!

Personally, I think that liveaboards in Greece get off pretty lightly when you consider all the taxes that those who live in houses here have to pay.

Just my opinion of course.

John

 

[Steve C Cronin]

Didn't I read that in the UK liveaboards in a marina have to pay council tax? This tax is far less!

Personally, I think that liveaboards in Greece get off pretty lightly when you consider all the taxes that those who live in houses here have to pay.

Just my opinion of course.

John

They're only taking the money from foreigners because they can't get their nationals to pay their taxes without riots and death in the streets and I suspect that you know it. Then there is all that money, paid by our UK national taxes that they take from the EU Community Fund to fund all those never finished (because they won't pay their share) projects that you can see in EVERY town in Greece.

C,mon, the local taxes you pay in Greece are very much less than they are here in the UK.

 

[Retired in Crete]

They're only taking the money from foreigners because they can't get their nationals to pay their taxes without riots and death in the streets and I suspect that you know it. Then there is all that money, paid by our UK national taxes that they take from the EU Community Fund to fund all those never finished (because they won't pay their share) projects that you can see in EVERY town in Greece.

C,mon, the local taxes you pay in Greece are very much less than they are here in the UK.

You are obviously forming your opinions from the British press!

Suicides in Greece are up nearly 400%! 37% of the population are unemployed and get no benefits yet the government says that if you are alive you must have an “assumed income” and tax you on this. My partner has not worked for almost three years yet her tax bill for last year was 400 Euros on a zero income! Don’t pay it and they take your property. The Greek government is just like the UK. They chase & harass the little people while the big fish, who can fight back, are left alone. Do you wonder that the little people riot?

You think that the Greek bail outs are paid by UK taxpayers. No one has given Greece any money! The money Greece has received is a loan at 6% interest and 80% of the loans have been used to repay the French and German banks. The majority of the loans did not help Greece – they saved the French and German banks! Incidentally, the EU borrowed the cash from the IMF at 2% and LOANED IT to Greece at 6%. With friends like the EU who needs enemies?

As for my personal taxes, my tax free allowance here is 3,000 Euros (in the UK it would be 9,000 plus Pounds. The tax rate here is also higher. My property tax is over 1200 Euros, Then there is the “Solidarity tax”, Mobile phone tax, Car tax (most expensive in Europe) etc, etc.

Believe me, Greek taxes are far higher than those in the UK. If the cost of living here was not lower than the UK I would return tomorrow.

John

 

[Steve C Cronin]

You are obviously forming your opinions from the British press!

Suicides in Greece are up nearly 400%! 37% of the population are unemployed and get no benefits yet the government says that if you are alive you must have an “assumed income” and tax you on this. My partner has not worked for almost three years yet her tax bill for last year was 400 Euros on a zero income! Don’t pay it and they take your property. The Greek government is just like the UK. They chase & harass the little people while the big fish, who can fight back, are left alone. Do you wonder that the little people riot?

You think that the Greek bail outs are paid by UK taxpayers. No one has given Greece any money! The money Greece has received is a loan at 6% interest and 80% of the loans have been used to repay the French and German banks. The majority of the loans did not help Greece – they saved the French and German banks! Incidentally, the EU borrowed the cash from the IMF at 2% and LOANED IT to Greece at 6%. With friends like the EU who needs enemies?

As for my personal taxes, my tax free allowance here is 3,000 Euros (in the UK it would be 9,000 plus Pounds. The tax rate here is also higher. My property tax is over 1200 Euros, Then there is the “Solidarity tax”, Mobile phone tax, Car tax (most expensive in Europe) etc, etc.

Believe me, Greek taxes are far higher than those in the UK. If the cost of living here was not lower than the UK I would return tomorrow.

John

Not at all. I don't read newspapers. My information is self collected. I spend six months a year cruising around Greece and/or living in a marina. i can see all the EU blue signs for myself. You, being an ex-pat Brit(?) pay all your taxes because you have an in-built sense of fair play but what about your fellow indiginous residents? My experience is that tax evasion is a national sport in Greece! Incidentally, my boat guardian pays very little in local taxes, where are you going wrong?

 

[Chris_Robb]

You are obviously forming your opinions from the British press!

Suicides in Greece are up nearly 400%! 37% of the population are unemployed and get no benefits yet the government says that if you are alive you must have an “assumed income” and tax you on this. My partner has not worked for almost three years yet her tax bill for last year was 400 Euros on a zero income! Don’t pay it and they take your property. The Greek government is just like the UK. They chase & harass the little people while the big fish, who can fight back, are left alone. Do you wonder that the little people riot?

You think that the Greek bail outs are paid by UK taxpayers. No one has given Greece any money! The money Greece has received is a loan at 6% interest and 80% of the loans have been used to repay the French and German banks. The majority of the loans did not help Greece – they saved the French and German banks! Incidentally, the EU borrowed the cash from the IMF at 2% and LOANED IT to Greece at 6%. With friends like the EU who needs enemies?

As for my personal taxes, my tax free allowance here is 3,000 Euros (in the UK it would be 9,000 plus Pounds. The tax rate here is also higher. My property tax is over 1200 Euros, Then there is the “Solidarity tax”, Mobile phone tax, Car tax (most expensive in Europe) etc, etc.

Believe me, Greek taxes are far higher than those in the UK. If the cost of living here was not lower than the UK I would return tomorrow.

John

John, that is a very interesting analysis and makes sad reading. Greece has to raise taxes to support its still bloated public employment sector. No meaningful inroads have been made to the numbers on the state books. The recent episode with the Greek National Broadcaster being shut down and then reopened (having paid everyone €15,000 redundancy) employing more or less the same people again, just shows you either what a pickle they are in or that they are quite incapable of sorting the problem out. The Islands you might say are supporting the excesses of the mainland.

 

[Carmel2]

IF this happens I wonder how it will effect the Turks who sneak in and out, a sharp decrease in liquior sales in Symi will pi55 off a few locals to say the least.

Anyway no point in getting your knickers in twist over what may come to nothing.

 

[Retired in Crete]

My experience is that tax evasion is a national sport in Greece! Incidentally, my boat guardian pays very little in local taxes, where are you going wrong?

In “the good old days” maybe but not any more.

How has it changed? Well for a start every business, and the self employed, now has to have a government supplied cash register (cost 600 Euros). Even taxis have to have one. To ensure that receipts are given a law was passed that it you don’t give a bill (or receipt) the customer does not have to pay. Also every taxpayer has to submit receipts, with their tax return, to the value of their tax free allowance. No receipts – no tax allowance. OK, non residents here (tourists & live aboards) do help tax evasion by not asking for/getting receipts but you can hardly blame the Greeks for the actions of tourists.

In the UK about 20% (I’m guessing) of the workers are self employed and have some opportunity to fiddle their tax returns. The rest are on PAYE and have little alternative but to pay their full dues. In Greece it is reversed and 80% are self employed (again a rough guess) so more people have the opportunity to avoid taxes hence the measures outlined above were taken. I would doubt that the Greek self employed are anymore dishonest than the British, there are just more of them!

Do you get a receipt from your boat guardian? If not you are aiding and abetting tax evasion!

John

 

[macd]

Didn't I read that in the UK liveaboards in a marina have to pay council tax?

No reflection on anything else you wrote, but that's nonsense (which isn't to say that you didn't read it). Unless you have a permanent liveaboard mooring (which would include few, if any, coastal marina berths), then council tax is not due.

 

[AndrewB]

In “the good old days” maybe but not any more.

How has it changed? Well for a start every business, and the self employed, now has to have a government supplied cash register (cost 600 Euros). ....

Do you get a receipt from your boat guardian? If not you are aiding and abetting tax evasion!

John

Well, most small businesses still don't provide receipts. When I've asked for one, the bill has simply been increased to cover the tax. So we are not 'aiding and abetting' tax evasion by not asking for a receipt, but directly benefitting! It makes no difference to the supplier.

 

[rivonia]

this is getting interesting init.

We were in a restaurant here in Crete, had a lovely meal. The owner told us during the course os the meal. That they had inspectors around who had asked customers as they left the restaurant "did you get a receipt" if they had answered NO the proprietor would have bee heavily fined.

Peter

 

[Jegs]

You are obviously forming your opinions from the British press!

Suicides in Greece are up nearly 400%! 37% of the population are unemployed and get no benefits yet the government says that if you are alive you must have an “assumed income” and tax you on this. My partner has not worked for almost three years yet her tax bill for last year was 400 Euros on a zero income! Don’t pay it and they take your property. The Greek government is just like the UK. They chase & harass the little people while the big fish, who can fight back, are left alone. Do you wonder that the little people riot?

You think that the Greek bail outs are paid by UK taxpayers. No one has given Greece any money! The money Greece has received is a loan at 6% interest and 80% of the loans have been used to repay the French and German banks. The majority of the loans did not help Greece – they saved the French and German banks! Incidentally, the EU borrowed the cash from the IMF at 2% and LOANED IT to Greece at 6%. With friends like the EU who needs enemies?

As for my personal taxes, my tax free allowance here is 3,000 Euros (in the UK it would be 9,000 plus Pounds. The tax rate here is also higher. My property tax is over 1200 Euros, Then there is the “Solidarity tax”, Mobile phone tax, Car tax (most expensive in Europe) etc, etc.

Believe me, Greek taxes are far higher than those in the UK. If the cost of living here was not lower than the UK I would return tomorrow.

John

I believe you will find that, every year since joining the EU Greece, like Ireland, Spain, etc has received money in it's begging bowl from Brussels, some of which comes, indirectly, from England.

John G

 

[Melody]

my tax free allowance here is 3,000 Euros

John

I think for 2013 there is a zero tax-free allowance in Greece, John.

 

[Steve C Cronin]

In “the good old days” maybe but not any more.

How has it changed? Well for a start every business, and the self employed, now has to have a government supplied cash register (cost 600 Euros). Even taxis have to have one. To ensure that receipts are given a law was passed that it you don’t give a bill (or receipt) the customer does not have to pay. Also every taxpayer has to submit receipts, with their tax return, to the value of their tax free allowance. No receipts – no tax allowance. OK, non residents here (tourists & live aboards) do help tax evasion by not asking for/getting receipts but you can hardly blame the Greeks for the actions of tourists.

In the UK about 20% (I’m guessing) of the workers are self employed and have some opportunity to fiddle their tax returns. The rest are on PAYE and have little alternative but to pay their full dues. In Greece it is reversed and 80% are self employed (again a rough guess) so more people have the opportunity to avoid taxes hence the measures outlined above were taken. I would doubt that the Greek self employed are anymore dishonest than the British, there are just more of them!

Do you get a receipt from your boat guardian? If not you are aiding and abetting tax evasion!

John

Not in Corfu! The supermarket in the marina rarely puts your cash through his till and as for the taxis! Ha Ha!

Others here seem to have refuted all your other assertions. Not going "Native" lika a certain other here are you?

 

[Carmel2]

Frankly Steve we are also in Crete and can corroborate what John is saying re the receipt thing; the other half bought a single apple yesterday from a small corner shop and was given a receipt. This might not be the case in Gouvia but it is here.

 

[NornaBiron]

Frankly Steve we are also in Crete and can corroborate what John is saying re the receipt thing; the other half bought a single apple yesterday from a small corner shop and was given a receipt. This might not be the case in Gouvia but it is here.

We've been right round the Aegean this year and have received a receipt every time we've shopped. So it appears that Corfu may be the only place that's not abiding by that particular law!

 

[Steve C Cronin]

Frankly Steve we are also in Crete and can corroborate what John is saying re the receipt thing; the other half bought a single apple yesterday from a small corner shop and was given a receipt. This might not be the case in Gouvia but it is here.

Oh yes, the production of receipts has improved but it is hardly universal and many tavernas only pay lip service to it as they did the reduction in VAT on meals. In many places the menu prices didn't change as owners co-incidentally were "planning a price increase anyway" or "increasing the portion size".

 

[Carmel2]

Oh yes, the production of receipts has improved but it is hardly universal and many tavernas only pay lip service to it as they did the reduction in VAT on meals. In many places the menu prices didn't change as owners co-incidentally were "planning a price increase anyway" or "increasing the portion size".

All I will say is my experiance of this differs from yours.

 

[Retired in Crete]

Steve,

I have lived permanently in Crete for the past 9 years. My new SWMBO is Greek (my wife died here in 2010) I speak enough Greek to understand the TV and news programs here but I bow to your obviously superior knowledge of the country and the current situation here.

Fair winds & happy sailing.

John