**You can plan where you establish tax residence, but you generally cannot simply choose a country to pay tax in.** Your actual living and working arrangements, each country’s laws, and any applicable tax treaties determine the result. EU citizenship gives you mobility rights; there are no common EU income-tax residence rules. [EU guidance](https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/work/taxes/income-taxes-abroad/index_en.htm)

Two questions matter:

- **Where are you tax-resident?** That country can generally tax your worldwide income, subject to local exceptions. Your current country may continue treating you as resident after you start travelling, depending on its departure rules and the ties you retain.
- **Where do you physically perform your freelance work?** Countries you visit may have taxing rights over that work even if you are non-resident. For freelancers, treaty provisions concerning a fixed base or permanent establishment can matter. Tax treaties may provide exemptions or credits, although returns can still be required in multiple countries. [EU cross-border tax guidance](https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/work/taxes/double-taxation/index_en.htm)

**Staying under 183 days everywhere does not automatically make you tax-free.** For example:

- **Ireland:** residence can arise from 183 days in one calendar year **or 280 days across the current and previous years**, subject to the 30-day exception. [Irish Revenue](https://www.revenue.ie/en/jobs-and-pensions/tax-residence/resident-for-tax-purposes.aspx)
- **Malta:** someone arriving to establish residence can become resident from arrival, even with a stay shorter than 183 days. [Malta’s tax authority](https://mtca.gov.mt/personal-tax/individual/tax-residence)

Croatia, Czechia and your Asian destinations need their own assessment. Eight months in Europe is not itself a residence test: each country is considered separately.

For your French client, its location alone is insufficient to determine your personal income-tax liability. Have an adviser check the applicable France–residence-country treaty and any French withholding obligations. [French tax authority guidance](https://www.impots.gouv.fr/non-resident-de-france)

A practical approach would be to:

1. **Assess your existing residence before leaving.** Establish what is required to cease residence and whether retaining a home or family ties affects that.
2. **Consider maintaining one genuine home base.** Check that your planned arrangements qualify for tax residence there and obtain a residence certificate when eligible.
3. **Keep a travel and work-day log**, supported by accommodation records and tickets. Include the previous year when checking day-count rules.
4. **Have a cross-border tax adviser review the complete itinerary**, including freelance registration, VAT and filing obligations in each destination.
5. **Resolve social-security contributions separately.** EU rules determine coverage for work in multiple countries; ask the competent institution whether you need an A1 certificate. [EU social-security guidance](https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/work/social-security-and-benefits/country-coverage/index_en.htm)

The key missing details are **your current tax residence, exact days in each country, the two Asian destinations, and whether you retain a permanent home**. Those details are needed to identify where you will actually owe tax.