Denmark sticks to its seafarer taxation scheme to keep its flag attractive

Denmark sticks to its seafarer taxation scheme to keep its flag attractive
The Editorial Team June 21, 2024 https://safety4sea.com/denmark-sticks-to-its-seafarer-taxation-scheme-to...

The Danish Government decided in late June to preserve the DIS scheme, which is also known as the seafarer’s tax.

The government has now completed work on looking at the current business support schemes. This means, among other things, that the DIS scheme, which is a crucial prerequisite for the international competitiveness of Danish-flagged shipping, is preserved.

The Seafarers Scheme under DIS pertains to the employment of seafarers on ships registered under the Danish flag. It outlines the conditions and regulations under which seafarers can be employed, ensuring compliance with Danish and international maritime laws, including safety standards, working conditions, and employment rights.

The scheme, established since 1988, allows seafarers from any nationworking on ships registered under its flag to be exempt from paying income tax. Recently, the government conducted a comprehensive review of its business support initiatives and has decided to maintain the current regime unchanged.

Without the seafarer tax, Danish shipping would be significantly weakened. There’s a global standard that all the other maritime nations we compete with also adhere to, said Danish Shipping Chief Executive, Anne Steffensen