After Liguria, Emilia Romagna is also passing a local law allowing the VAT rate to be lowered from 21 to 11 percent. The trick is all in an EU regulation. If applied throughout Italy, it could bring in an additional 500,000 euros.
If the national government talks but does nothing, the regions are there to lend a hand to boaters. Be prepared to Pay VAT on the berth at 11% instead of 22 and to call the marina by its new name: “Marina Resort“. Therein lies the “trick” that will allow at the regional level to lower the VAT rate, equalizing it with that of tourist facilities and RV parks.
The ploy was discovered in the Liguria region where they have already passed regional legislation implementing an EU law. They were followed a few days ago byEmilia Romagna. Tourism councillors from all over Italy are moving to follow suit. As Emilian regional councillor for tourism and trade, Maurizio Melucci, said, “It is an opportunity that has considerable interest for boating enthusiasts that can help push the development of the tourism and shipbuilding sector.” Holy words we have heard many times affirmed by various ministers, most recently Maurizio Lupi at the UCINA convention in Santa Margherita, but never put into practice. Instead, regions, interested in boosting and cashing in on nautical tourism facilities are moving. They are especially enticed by a study by the National Nautical Observatory, which shows that if the approximately 40,000 boats that have been “lost” from Italian ports since 2008 returned to sail in our waters, an additional 500,000 euros in revenue and 12,000 new jobs would be created. And for the Internal Revenue Service, VAT revenue would remain constant, despite the rate reduction.
