WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2777/97 by Raimo ILASKIVI to the Commission. Report on the economic consequences of the ending of tax- free sales
Date: 1997-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, ILASKIVI
Subjects: Council of the European Union, EC Decision, European Parliament, derogation from EU law, duty-free sale, economic consequence, impact study, job cuts, single market, transport policy

16. 4. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 117/65

However, because of the boardings which have taken place recently, the Commission has requested a meeting of
the  Joint  Committee  under  the  Fisheries  Agreement  to  look  at  ways  of  improving  the  procedures  as  regards
boarding in order to ensure the greatest possible transparency and maximum information.

(98/C 117/80)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2777/97

by Raimo Ilaskivi (PPE) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Report on the economic consequences of the ending of tax-free sales

In 1991 Parliament called on the Commission to report on the economic consequences that might ensue when
tax-free sales were abolished. The Union(cid:146)s Ministers of Transport made a request to the same effect in July of this
year. Appearing before the Committee on Economic Affairs on 7 July 1997, a Commission representative said
that there was no need for a report.

According to my information, a report has been requested in several written questions to the Commission. I also
find the matter disquieting as far as parliamentary prerogatives are concerned. Does the Commission consider the
wishes of Parliament and the Member States(cid:146) Ministers of Transport to be of no account, given that the report has
not  been  drawn  up  and  the  reason  for  this  inactivity  has  not  been  revealed?  If  the  foregoing  assumption  is
incorrect, when will the Commission produce the report that it was asked to submit in 1991?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(22 October 1997)

The Commission has already stated its position on the request for a report on the economic consequences of the
ending of tax-free sales within the Community (1).

When,  in  1991,  the  Council  decided  to  maintain  tax-free  sales  on  a  temporary  basis  in  support  of  certain
operations, the intention was that the sectors concerned should adapt to a new situation over a period of more
than seven years, thereby taking into account the specific nature of each sector.

While the parties who benefited from this transitional period are now seeking a further period of exemption, the
arguments they use are in fact no different from those put forward in 1991. The Council took those arguments
into  account  in  1991,  and  there  is  no  reason  to  reassess  their  importance  or  to  re-open  the  debate  on  special
arrangements which, as decided, are due to come to an end.

The  Council  confirmed  its  position  on  this  matter  at  the  Ecofin  Council  meeting  on  11  November  1996;  in
particular, it rejected the need for a report of this kind. The Transport Council which met in July 1997 left the
matter to be decided by the Ecofin Council.

(1)  See, for example, the answers to parliamentary questions H-552/97 and H-21/97 by MrAndersson (Debates of the European Parliament ›
July  and  February  1997),  H-409  by  Mrs  Banotti  (Debates  of  the  European  Parliament  ›  June  1997),  E-1089/97  by  Mr  Mather
(OJ C 367, 4.12.1997, p. 77), E-4116/96 by Mr Kaklamanis (OJ C 217, 17.7.1997, p. 66) and H-908/97 by Mrs Scho¤rling (Debates of the
European Parliament › December 1997).

(98/C 117/81)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2778/97

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Unification of the economic professions

Following a detailed study in the countries of the European Union it has been ascertained that Italy is the only
country which has not yet created a unified professional body consisting of chartered accountants and business
consultants, of whom there are nearly 100 000 in Italy at present.

Until  this  happens,  can  the  Commission  try  to  persuade  the  Italian  Government  to  undertake  a  legislative
initiative to unify the economic professions?