Greek Shippers Must Keep Close Tabs on Syriza

It is too soon to say whether the Syriza party’s victory in Greece could, as some fear, have a damaging effect on the country’s shipping industry, but Greek shipping interests will need to monitor how the change of government might affect them on both a business and personal level before reviewing any long-term plans, international accountant and shipping adviser Moore Stephens says.

Last year, the ruling government introduced a number of changes to Greece’s tax laws, including some specific to the shipping industry, such as repealing the law imposing mandatory triple tonnage tax on Greek-flag ships and foreign-flag vessels managed out of Greece, replacing it with the voluntary contribution of double tonnage tax payments for the next four years.

Moore Stephens London partner Michael Kotsapas said: ”Any change of government, in any part of the world, is likely to have implications for the national shipping industry. This is particularly true of Greece, where shipping is a significant contributor to the country’s overall GDP and a major source of employment.”

Another measure with a potential impact on the shipping community included the introduction, for the first time in Greece, of Controlled Foreign Companies Rules covering the concept of effective management and criteria for determining same.

”Before the election, the anti-austerity Syriza party called for a new agreement which would involve the shipping community making a greater contribution to the national economy than it already does. It remains to be seen whether that will be the case. Shipping is a key industry in Greece, and it would be surprising and disappointing if the new government’s policy, when announced, did not reflect that. In the meantime, the shipping community will be watching developments with keen interest,’‘ Kotsapas said.

Earlier this week, Syriza member Thodoris Dritsas, believed to be the next minister for shipping, announced the left-wing party’s plans to stop the sale of a majority stake in the Port of Piraeus, the project hailed by the Prime Minister of Greece Antonis Samaras as the most important investment in Greece in the last decade.

Source: Moore Stephens; Image: Syriza