It looks as if I am going to be heading off to Spain to work for the EU for a period of up to 6 years and, of course, Nausikka will also be going south in that case; or so I thought.
I am a citizen of the EU and so can move freely within its boundaries. I need no residence or work permit and Nausikaa can come along too but therein lies a problem. Over and above marina charges there is a tax called Tarifa G-5 . This is a tax levied by the province for the upkeep of harbour installations. The sum paid varies from province to province but, for example, Valencia province charge €1 per day for boats up to 10 metre loa. That is €365 per annum - a tidy sum indeed.
Added to the Tarifa G-5 is a "wealth tax" to be paid annualy. The sum involved seems to be at the discretion of the province in which one lives and no one is producing any figures.
On top of all this, Spanish residents are required to register their vessels, if kept in Spain, as Spanish ships. That costs 12% of the assest value of the vessel and is caled "matriculation". This is simply a re-registration fee.
To cap it all, Spain also requires those skippering yachts under Spanish flag to be in posession of a Spanish yachtmaster's ticket known as Patron de Yate. From what I have heard, the authorities there are reluctant to issue such a certificate on the strength of other EU national certificates. I know they are wrong in demanding this (contravening EU regulations) and if I was to live the rest of my days there I would take the matter through the courts but by the time that would be sorted out my years in Spain would be up.
So it looks like I Nausikaa will not change flag but instead will make sojourns to Portugal every few months to avoid cripling Spanish beurocracy.
If anyone has any other suggestions on how not to pay again for a boat which I already own, tax paid, I will be exceedingly grateful for the advice.
Aye // Stephen
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