Greek Shipowners Say EU Tax Pressure Could Make Brexit ‘Not a Bad Thing’
ATHENS, June 8 (Reuters)– Greek shipowners might move to Britain after it leaves the European Union if European regulatory authorities require modifications to beneficial delivery tax obligations in Greece, a leading sector authorities claimed onFriday
The European Union has actually been pushing Greece to finish charitable tax obligation allocations it gives shipowners, although the federal government has actually guided far from enforcing hefty tax obligations on a sector that runs a few of the globe’s largest vessels.
“If the European Union threatens us … obviously we will look at alternative options,” Theodore Veniamis, head of state of the Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS), claimed.
He recommended that the shipowners might think about transferring, perhaps to Britain after its departure from the bloc in March 2019.
“Brexit, for us, is not a bad thing,” he claimed, talking at Greece’s Posidonia delivery week inAthens “If Brexit happens … we, shipping, have a very good alternative option if something goes awry in the European Union.”
The shipowners union has long claimed walking tax obligations might press them to move abroad, outside the EU.
However, the leftist-led federal government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, which has actually assured to handle shipowners over tax obligations in the past, has actually not gone after the plan.
Veniamis claimed the shipowners and also the EU were “closer” to fixing distinctions on the tax obligation disagreement, including that the shipowners meant to stay in Greece.
Greeks run a few of the globe’s largest vessels and also mass service providers and also Greek delivery stands for practically fifty percent of the EU’s overall fleet capability, the organization claims.
The Greek and also British maritime sectors have actually commonly had solid connections, yet a number of Greek shipowners relocated procedures out of Britain over the last few years over modifications that eliminated their beneficial “non-domicile” tax obligation standing there.
Britain has actually tightened up guidelines for those with a “non-domiciled” standing, which permits some homeowners that register their irreversible residence as outdoors Britain to restrict the tax obligation paid on revenues abroad. (Reporting by Karolina Tagaris Editing by Edmund Blair)
