Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris
That figure is proving rather hard to get at, however so far I have established that the Spanish population in the UK was 58,000 in 1973, and the UK population figure, while not specified, was clearly significant enough (and likely near enough parity), that the two governments bilaterally agreed to grant each other's citizens access to their domestic health services.
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...201973&f=false
Also according to that link, a bilateral agreement preventing double taxation of Spaniards in the UK and Brits in Spain, was also signed in 1973,which does begin to pour cold water on your earlier suggestion that exiting the EU automatically means Brits visiting other European countries will lose advantageous tax agreements. |
That health agreement was to allow Spanish citizens in the UK access to the NHS and in return Spain wouldn't try to regain Gibraltar and also allowed Gibraltar to become part of the EC.
Think you are getting what happens with double taxation rules mixed up. The UK has double taxation rules with virtually the whole western world. Basically, it means that if you are taxed in Spain at one rate, you can deduct the tax you have paid in Spain against your UK tax allowance (and similarly Spanish citizens can do the same from UK earnings). That is nothing to do with the EU. There are no income tax rules within the EU and even if there was, we would still be entitled to opt out. It is in the treatys already.
For a UK tax payer, as it stands, if you rent a property in Spain the allowances you can offset are very similar to that of the UK and in Spain the tax rate is 19%. There are, however, other taxes you can offset as well that you pay in Spain so you can offset the full amount. It gets complex!
At the current time, all let property in the UK is at the basic rate (20%) however, this is changing come next month and the rate you pay is based on your income rate so if you are a higher rate tax payer that is the liability you will have to pay (ie the difference between 40% and 19% in Spain.
When Spain joined the EU in 1986, and various decress since then, the rules became if you rent a property and you are not a citizen of the EU, then you pay 22% of all income. That means you cannot offset the costs against the income - its a huge difference.
I agree that will only affect the 200,000 Brits with property rentals in Spain, but the amounts involved will be significant. I cannot see Spain changing their Laws to suit the Brits to be honest. In fact, the Spainish Government is probably rubbing its hands together ready for a windfall (and if people choose to sell then they will still get their 8.5% property tax (paid by the buyer so they definitely get their money) or if people choose not sell but also not to rent they still get their INIR tax so they won't be bothered).
---------- Post added at 17:56 ---------- Previous post was at 17:54 ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by martyh
because that includes overtime and therefore money earned ,employees cannot opt out individually it has to be a collective within the company .When i was driving for a living our company opted out of the night time working hours because it was far too restrictive for employees and employers .What's wrong with employees working as many hours as they want (within H&S restrictions),i certainly do not need an unelected official telling me how much money i can earn
---------- Post added at 17:54 ---------- Previous post was at 17:49 ----------
Incidentally when i was driving i used the GB driving hours regulations instead of the EU driving hours regulations because it meant i could drive for longer and therefore earn more
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Contracts of Employment are individual. Employees can opt out individually if they wish. Even if the company recognises unions for purposes of that clause, you can still opt out.