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Re: [OM] Italy: Camera/lens advice

Subject: Re: [OM] Italy: Camera/lens advice
From: Chris Barker <imagopus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2001 18:35:05 +0100
Dirk, when I was stationed in Germany I had a special rider on my auto insurance that would _pay_ the import duty on my automobile if it was stolen in Italy and not recovered before leaving Italy! Yes, that's right, if your car was stolen and not recovered before departure across the border, it was considered as having been imported and the import duties were paid for it, and you were not leaving Italy until they were!

Talk about insult to injury. Apparently far too many people had driven in autos from elsewhere, sold them and then claimed theft to avoid the duties . . . and thus a somewhat draconian measure was instituted to close the hole being used by the dishonest and collect the duties. Undoubtedly there must be at least one other country in the world that does the same.

-- John

Oh yes, indeed. We in NATO are entitled to tax-free vehicles under certain, strict conditions. However, you may not sell such vehicles to non-entitled persons and if your car is stolen you have a problem:

1.      The Dutch Customs want the tax you did not pay on the vehicle

2. You have to persuade your insurance company to pay the full amount of replacement cost (because the allowance is strictly limited) AND the tax to the Dutch Customs.


Yes, I know it's a great privilege... it's the only way I could afford a Mercedes ML270 CDi (oops, I mentioned a SUV ;-))

But it's a great OM carrier, and I plan to take it to the Highlands of Scotland to take all those wonderful, marketable shots in the next phase of my life.

Chris
--
~~~~~ ><>
Chris Barker
mailto:chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
mailto:chris_barker@xxxxxxxxx

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