WRITTEN QUESTION E-0473/96 by Nel van Dijk (V) and Magda Aelvoet (V) to the Council (7 March 1996)

Subject: Tax-free car fuel for Council officials

Does an arrangement exist whereby senior Council officials have the privilege of purchasing between 200 and 300 litres of car fuel per quarter tax-free?

Can the Council indicate:

- how many Council officials made use of this arrangement in 1995?- how many litres of fuel were sold under this arrangement in 1995 and at what price?- approximately how much the arrangement costs to administer (including wage costs)?- which budget item the administration of the arrangement is charged to?

Does the Council agree that this arrangement is difficult to reconcile with the need to reduce car traffic, inter alia by increasing the price of car use to reflect environmental costs?

Ought not Council officials to be encouraged to use public transport, particularly in a city which has such traffic problems as Brussels does?

Do Council officials also enjoy such privileges as an annual duty-free alcohol and tobacco allowance and exemption from VAT on motor vehicles and other consumer 'durables'?

Does the Council agree that such perquisites are somewhat excessive, given that the senior officials in question are among the best paid in the Union?

Does the Council agree with the President of the European Parliament that these facilities give an impression of the European civil service which is no longer in keeping with the times, and that they are therefore hard to justify?

Is the Presidency of the Council, like the President of the European Parliament, prepared to participate in consultations on the abolition of these privileges between the institutions and with the competent authorities of the countries where the Community institutions are located?

Reply (13 June 1996)

Certain officials of the General Secretariat of the Council posted to Brussels receive tax-free fuel cars in accordance with the conditions outlined below.

Officials of grade A1-A2 are issued with cards for an equivalent of 240 litres per quarter for a motor vehicle up to 9HP and 300 litres per quarter for a vehicle of over 9HP.

Officials of grade A3-LA3 are issued with cards for an equivalent of 180 litres per quarter for a vehicle of up to 9HP and 240 litres per quarter for a vehicle of over 9HP.

For information, 94 officials benefited from these arrangements in 1995. The total amount of fuel concerned was 95 160 litres, the price of which varied between BF 8,50 and 9,50 per litre (according to the octane rating and fuel used: super, super plus, Eurosuper, diesel).

The administration of these arrangements represents approximately 16 days' work per year and costs approximately BF 85 000.

These administrative costs come under item 110 of the Council budget.

All Council officials may purchase an annual tax-free alchohol and tobacco parcel, up to an amount of BF 1 800. A1, A2, A3 and LA3 officials may also purchase an additional alcohol and tobacco parcel: A1 officials may purchase a tax-free parcel costing BF 10 000, A2 officials a parcel of up to BF 3 000 and A3-LA3 officials a parcel of up to BF 1 500.

The exemption from VAT on motor vehicles and other consumer durables is authorized for officials and employees who were not resident in Belgium when they took up their posts, and lasts for a period of not more than 12 consecutive months. This exemption is valid for the purchase of new articles necessary for setting up home in Belgium, and for the purchase of a car. It is not renewable.

All the above privileges are granted by the Belgian authorities.