Great news for non-EU cruisers as Greece re-instates 18 month Transit logs.
In August 2014 the Cruising Association (CA) was made aware that Greece had unilaterally scrapped the EU-wide rules on temporary importation and substituted instead a 6 month in 12-month rule for non-EU flagged yachts. The CA immediately protested through their contacts in the Greek government that this action was illegal under EU law.
The Greek election in January 2015 interfered with this dialogue and by April 2015 when no further progress had been made, the CA lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission. The CA’s case was that Greece’s action was not only illegal but would seriously impact yachting tourism.
Following 12 months of protests by the CA, Greece is at last in harmony with the rest of the European Union and from 1st October 2015 is now issuing Transit Logs to non-EU boats valid for 18 months. This is the normal Temporary Importation (TI) period for non-EU registered boats sailed by a non-EU skipper in the European Union.
The EU-wide rules allow non-EU flagged yachts to stay in EU waters (including Greece) for up to 18 months. On application, this can be extended to 24 months. The EU rules specify no minimum time that a yacht must leave EU waters before returning for another 18 months. Proof of having left EU waters may be required of course.
The change in the Greek position has been brought about solely through the actions of the CA yet the outcome benefits not just CA members but all non-EU flagged yachts (owned by a non-EU resident). The CA’s policy of engaging with the Greek government whilst insisting that international agreements must be observed has again produced positive results for all cruising sailors.
CA members have confirmed that (at least some) port police are implementing the new rules. One member has told the CA that the port police told him that when his current 6-month Transit Log expires they will give him a new 18 month one. This is possibly a local policy and boats already in Greece perhaps are best advised to leave Greece, surrender their existing 6-month Transit Log, and re-enter the country. It may be possible to have an existing Log extended, but the procedure on how (or if) this can be done is currently uncertain.
Carrying a copy of the official Greek Ministerial Directive, which includes (among many other things!) the new regulation regarding Transit Logs for private boats, might be advisable. It is quite possible not all officials are aware of the change to the regulations.
Download a copy of the Greek Ministerial Directive (in Greek) at Greece: New Transit Log Regs
Our thanks to Stratos Paisios (Greek Customs officer) for advising Noonsite of this information and to Tony Cross of the CA for details of the CAs involvement.
Find out more about the Cruising Association at http://www.theca.org.uk/home
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Greece: Non-EU yachts beware if planning to cruise more than 6 months in Greece!
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First, the Customs in Kos is correct in that although the boat can remain for 18 months, the skipper must have been out of the EU (but not necessarily in their ‘home’ country!) for 185 days before being allowed to use their boat again within the EU.
However, it can be used by a different skipper who has been absent from the EU for the required time. Whether this strict interpretation of the rule is implemented is very dependent on the country and the Customs office involved.
We have never previously heard of other cruisers having this problem. If planning to lay up the boat in Greece, it is worth researching the best place to do so.
This all seemed very good news and we just wintered the yacht in Kos thinking we would be able to continue cruising this year. We placed the yacht in bond in mid-October 2016.
We visited customs today to be informed that because we were only out of Greece for 5 and a half months the transit log would not be extended. All they will offer is the residual 2 months on the original 6-month Transit Log.
They would not allow my wife to substitute as skipper because she was on a previous crew list and also had not been out of country for the required six months.
I have a bad translation of the Ministerial Directive but can see no comment that the crew have to be out of the EU for 6 months out of every 12 months in order to get the 18 months TI. Any insight into what is the situation would be appreciated.
We have British passports in addition to Australian passports and in previous visits to Greece customs allowed to use the British passport to get a 6 month TI extendable 18 months as we were able to prove we were not EU residents. Kos Customs will not entertain this option.
It should be noted that it was the Cruising Association (CA) that was entirely responsible for Greece returning to the EU rules on temporary importation. The CA protested to Greece as soon as the 6-month rule was introduced in August 2014.
In April 2015, after the first Greek election stalled negotiations, the CA lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission. In early September 2015, the CA was sent a copy of the Greek Ministerial Directive that scrapped the 6-month rule and (re-)implemented the EU-wide rules.
The CA’s policy of engaging with the Greek government whilst insisting that international agreement is respected has again produced positive results for all cruising sailors.