New Greek Cruising Tax beset with issues
After years of delays the Greek Cruising Tax, known as the TEPAI, has now been launched. Some cruisers, however, are reporting problems with registering or paying the tax online.
Pilot book author Lu Heikell, who has been based at Levkas since 2005, said she had paid for the tax via the post office without any problems, although her online ETEPAI form only showed she had paid once she had viewed the PDF print out. Cruisers are now being advised to print this out and carry it onboard for inspection.
She said other boat owners who had paid online have had difficulty in getting confirmation of payment, or had their payment returned. Others have had problems confirming their registration online.
‘It would seem that the system is overloaded with applications, payments and queries at this time,’ she commented.
Heikell said that while many cruisers were happy to pay the tax, there were concerns about the large increase for boats over 12m. Boats between 10-12m pay €356 annually, while boats between 12.01m-13m pay €1,038. She said the Port Police were not renewing any Pleasure Craft Traffic Documents, known as the DEKPA, unless cruisers showed that tax had been paid.
Vyv Cox is also a long-term cruiser in Greece, and paid the new tax without issues, but he said he was meeting Port Police and Greek and foreign boat owners who knew nothing about the tax. Cox said he hoped both the TEPAI and DEKPA would be amalgamated in the future. He also warned that the increase for boats over 12m would ‘surely drive some of these boats away’.
The Cruising Association has put pressure on the Greek Government to publicise and explain the new tax. A document detailing how it works is at www.aade.gr/polites/etepai.