The question of whether the Isle of Man is a member of the European Union has been answered by a court in Sweden, surprisingly with a resounding yes!
A Swedish online poker player won a case against the taxman in his country, allowing him to keep his winnings from a Manx gambling website.
He argued that because the Isle of Man is in the EU, he didn’t have to pay tax under European rules.
The judge ruled he didn’t have to pay Swedish taxes on the £40,000 he won.
The Swedish taxman (or Skatteverket) argued because the Island isn’t subject to all EU tax rules, the man should pay the tax owed to him.
But the court said even if an EU member state doesn’t fully subscribe to all EU rules, specific regulations can still apply.
Note: The Isle of Man has never been part of the United Kingdom or the European Union and is not represented at Westminster or Brussels.
The Island is a self-governing British Crown Dependency with its own parliament, government and laws.
The UK government, on behalf of the Crown, is ultimately responsible for its international relations.
The Queen (the ‘Lord of Man’) is the Manx Head of State.
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