Der er ingen grænser.....
> Recent announcements from Brussels suggest that sailors are to be once
again
> penalised if they continue to try and avoid paying duty on fuel by using
the
> wind.
>
> The main issue is wind direction, or rather, the *source* of the wind. It
> seems that South Easterlies, because they blow from areas *within* the EU
> will remain exempt from the new tax, whilst North Westerlies, having come
> from areas outside of the EU will be taxed on an incremental scale,
directly
> in proportion to the Beaufort scale (with a multiplying factor of four).
By
> this means, lighter non-EU sourced winds of say force 2 Bft will only be
> charged at 8% WAT whilst a NW force 7 will incur 28% WAT. This is seen as
> providing the fairest means of levying WAT, as smaller yachts are unlikely
> to sail in the stronger winds, whilst 'super yachts' owned by the wealthy,
> will be taxed at the higher WAT rate during those times that they are out
> in stronger winds. Compulsory metering will not be introduced until 2010.
>
> Discussions are continuing as to the tax status of Easterlies and South
> Easterlies that are imported from the United States. Brussels is
concerned
> as to the possible reaction of French sailors to any wind agreement with
the
> US, and already rumours of a French blockade of all Easterly winds are
> circulating. It is well known that the United States has an excess of
> high-Beafort Wind and the French are concerned that unless some form of
> trade wind restrictions are put in place then Europe may find itself the
> dumping ground for cheap American hurricanes.
>
> Discussions are continuing as to the exact form that the tide tax will
take,
> and whether it will be based on the 'tidal flow' system supported by the
> Germans, or the 'height of tide' tax favoured by the Swiss, who are
arguing
> for a high water exemption on the basis that they have no taxable tide.
>
> Your Brussels correspondent,
MVH
Egon
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