AnswergivenbyMrBolkesteinonbehalfoftheCommission
(4September2003)
On23JulytheCommissionadoptedaproposalforaDirectiveonreducedrates(1).Themainaimofthe
proposalistoimprovetheinternalmarket,inparticularbypursuingthesimplification,andmoreuniformapplication,ofvalueaddedtax(VAT).
In order to make substantial progress in that direction, the Commission has opted to focus on the
inconsistenciesintheexistingsystemofrates.ThepointistoensurethatallMemberStates,includingthenewaccedingcountries,aretreatedmoreequallyandtoendthedistortionscreatedbythefactthatsomecountriesareallowedtoapplyreducedratestocertainsectorswhileothersareforbiddentodoso.
Underatransitionalderogation,restaurantservicesaresubjecttoareducedrateineightMemberStates
whereas current Community legislation prevents the other seven from introducing such rates. ThissituationhasledthissectorandcertaingovernmentstoapproachtheCommissioninordertosecurethisoptionforallMemberStates.ThereducedrateforrestaurantswasalsothesubjectofarduousnegotiationsundertheenlargementprocessculminatinginauthorisationforCyprus,Hungary,PolandandSloveniatoapplyreducedratesforrestaurantsuntil31December2007.
Therationaleforsuchsituationsisbecomingincreasinglytenuous,andthereisnorealjustificationfor
perpetuating this state of affairs. There would seem to be two options open: either abolish suchderogationsandapplythestandardrateinallMemberStatesorextendtheoptiontoapplyreducedratestoallMemberStates.There havebeennocomplaintsprovidinganyevidence ofseriousdistortionofcompetition necessitating the abolition of the optional application of reduced rates in these sectors.Consequently, the Commissionhasopted toinclude restaurant services in the new listofgoodsandservicestowhichreducedratesmaybeapplied.
ItisnowfortheCounciltodecide,unanimously,onthefuturescopeofthereducedratesofVAT.
(1) COM(2003)397final.
(2004/C58E/190) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2522/03
byDoretteCorbey(PSE)
andMargrietusvandenBerg(PSE)totheCommission
(29July2003)
Subject:MusselbedsintheGermanpartoftheWaddenSea
InitsanswertoourWrittenQuestionE-1755/01(1)theCommissionstatedthatithad‘alreadylaunched
aninvestigationinordertoassessthecompatibilityoftheshellfishindustriesintheWaddenSeaandin
the wide mouth of the river Ems with Council Directive 92/43/EEC(2) of 21May 1992 on the
conservationofnaturalhabitatsandofwildfaunaandflora.ThegrantingofalicencetoharvestmusselsclosetoDelfzijlintheNetherlandsisoneofthesubjectsofthatinvestigation’.
CantheCommissionstatewhethertheinvestigationhasnowbeencompletedand,ifso,whatitsfindings
are?
CantheCommissionstatewhatactionitintendstotakeonthebasisofthosefindings,andwhen?
Iftheinvestigationhasnotyetbeencompleted,cantheCommissionstatewhenthefindingswillbe
available?
(1) OJC364E,20.12.2001,p.197.
(2) OJL206,22.7.1992,p.7.6.3.2004EN C58E/177 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
AnswergivenbyMrsWallströmonbehalfoftheCommission
(12September2003)
TheCommissionhasexaminedthecompatibilityofmusselfishingactivitiesintheWaddenSeaandinthe
estuaryoftheRiverEms,LowerSaxony,withDirective92/43/EECof21May1992ontheconservationofnaturalhabitatsandofwildfaunaandflora(‘HabitatsDirective’)onvariousoccasions.
Cases2001/4472and2001/4582concernedmusselfishingactivitiesintheprotectedsiteofCommunity
interest(pSCI)‘HundundPaapsand’(DE2507/301).Bothcaseswereclosedon16October2002,sincetheCommissiondidnotseeaviolationoftheHabitatsDirectiveorofanyotherCommunitylaw.
AccordingtoinformationfromtheGermanGovernment,therehadonlybeenasinglepermitformussel
fishinginthepSCI‘HundundPaapsand’(DE2507-301).Beforethepermithadbeenissued,animpact
assessment according to Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive had been carried out. The latter had
concludedthatsignificantnegativeeffectsofthefishingactivitiesonthepSCIwerenottobeexpected.Thishadalsobeentheexperiencefrompastmusselfishingactivitiesinthearea.
TheCommissionsharedtheviewoftheGermanGovernmentandconsequentlyfoundthatArticle6(3)of
the Habitats Directive had notbeen violated. Since the Commissiondidnotsee a violation ofother
Communitylaw,either,thecaseswereclosed.
(2004/C58E/191) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2550/03
byAvrilDoyle(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(4August2003)
Subject:Capitalfundingforcommunityartsinitiative
CantheCommissionadviseofanyavailablesourcesofEUfundingforacommunityartsgroupthat
promotesracialawareness,socialinclusionandemploymentofthemarginalorlong-termunemployedand
developstheskillsofyoungpeople?
Thefundingrequiredisforcapitalequipmenttobringfacilitiesuptobasichealthandsafetystandards.
AnswergivenbyMrsDiamantopoulouonbehalfoftheCommission
(30September2003)
TheHonourableMemberwillbeawarethattheCommissionworkscloselywiththeMemberStatesto
eliminatediscriminationandpromoteemploymentofallgroups,particularlythoseatriskofexclusion.
Inthecontextoftheopenmethodofcoordination,theCommunityActionProgrammetoCombatSocial
Exclusion2002-2006ismeanttosupportcooperationwhichenablestheCommunityandtheMemberStatestoenhancetheeffectivenessandefficiencyofpoliciestocombatsocialexclusionby:
1. improvingtheunderstandingofsocialexclusionandpovertywiththehelpinparticularofcomparable
indicators;
2. organising exchanges on policies which are implemented and promoting mutual learning in the
contextofnationalactionplans;
3. developingthecapacityofactorstoaddresssocialexclusionandpovertyeffectively,andtopromote
innovativeapproaches.C58E/178 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion