EU Gravy trainers...

[R1Geezer]

I just head that MEP's etc don't pay normal taxes like the rest of us. Can someone explain this to me, I'm in shock. Apparently they pay about 8%, how does the system work?

[Count-A-Strong]

It's not just tax, read this!
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki?search=MEPs

[Chaffinch]

I can only comment think its the same as it is for Seafarers, if your out of the country for 182 days or more you can claim your tax back!

[jake-the-peg]

Where did you hear this? Perhaps then we can check.

Obviously if they are not resident in the UK then they are in the same situation as all those other Non-Doms Like Lord Ashcroft

Talking of Gravy-trainers he never did give up his non-dom status did he?

[ABerrant]

UK MEPs opted out of paying the reduced Community tax on their EU salary (they pay the shortfall to the UK rate) however civil servant, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, First-Vice-President of the European Commission Baroness Ashton (a British domicile) does pay the reduced rate.

http://www.telegraph....-EU-tax-loophole.html

[R1Geezer]

see here jake, Baroness Ashton seems to use this "loophole":
http://www.telegraph....-EU-tax-loophole.html

[DTCwordfan]

All EEC and Nato employees benefit from this - well at least they did back when I was living in Brussels, not working for either organisation.

And they got duty free booze etc and tax free cars. The booze etc limit was so generous that many of us benefitted off the back of that. Otherwise it was trips to Luxembourg and the old saying of "Make sure your car, your bar, your tobacco box, cosmetics and stomach were empty before you visited the Dukedom."