France - Marine Protected Area Mooring Tax Alert & Online Petition

The French Government are proposing the introduction of a mooring tax on any vessel moored inside a Marine Protected Area (MPA) from the summer of 2016 onwards.

The tax would impose a charge of up to 20 Euros per metre per day on all yachts mooring in these areas.

The Marine Protected Areas are, in the main, located in the popular French cruising areas.

The negative implications of the tax are being compared to the luxury yacht tax imposed in Sardinia in 2006 which proved to be an economic disaster for the region. The tax deterred so many yacht owners from visiting Sardinia that it was subsequently removed.

The proposed tax poses a threat to the attractiveness to yacht owners of cruising in French waters at a time when both Italy and Spain have been introducing incentives to attract yachts to their waters.

The French Riviera CCI has decided to take action to influence the upcoming debates in the National Assembly of the French Government and the voting of the bill by creating an online petition which is available at the following link:

Click Here for link to online CCI petition

We here at Oceanskies are certainly supporting this petition and would recommend that as many of our clients as well as, colleagues and friends in the marine industry take time to add their support as it is important that the French Government are made aware of the negative implications to the French economy should they vote to introduce this tax.

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