WRITTEN QUESTION E-2231/99 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission. Estimate of the black economy.
Date: 1999-12-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, directive (EU), gross national product, moonlighting, underground economy

C 170 E/152

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.6.2000

11 December 1999. Apart from that, there is no information at present on what, if any, further meetings
will take place in the next two months on the subject of the tax package.

The code of conduct group met on 14 and 15 October 1999 and on 27 October 1999 when a few
outstanding issues and a first draft of the group(cid:146)s final report were discussed. Revised drafts were prepared,
considered and further developed at meetings on 3 and 4 November 1999 and 12 November 1999 and
the report of the group was presented to the Ecofin Council meeting on 29 November 1999.

On the proposal for a directive on the taxation of savings income there was a Council working group
technical meeting on 6 October 1999 on certificate procedure and elimination of double taxation.

At the Ecofin Council on 8 October 1999 reports were presented on the promotion of the principles of
the proposed directive in the dependent and associated territories of Member States. At a Council working
group high level meeting on 19 October 1999 there was a general discussion on a possible redrafting of
the savings directive. There was a Council ad hoc meeting at political
level on 28 October 1999 on
outstanding issues of the tax package. The Ecofin Council on 8 November 1999 examined the tax package
as a whole. A meeting organised by the Presidency with market operators took place on 18 November
1999, there was a Council working group meeting on 22 November 1999, and the proposal was discussed
at the Ecofin Council on 29 November 1999.

On the proposal for a directive on interest and royalty payments a Council working group meeting took
place on 26 October 1999 on all
issues outstanding. A further Council working group meeting on
outstanding issues took place in the afternoon of 17 November 1999. The proposal was discussed along
with the other two elements of the tax package at the Ecofin Council on 29 November 1999.

3.
As all the meetings listed above are Council meetings, the official reports of these meetings and all
working documents discussed at the meetings are the responsibility of the Council. The Commission does
not, therefore, have the authority to supply these documents to the Parliament. However, the Commis-
sioner responsible for the internal market has undertaken to be available to the relevant parliamentary
committees to discuss and explain in person the position of the Commission on policy issues, and he
discussed the tax package with the Economic and monetary committee on 25 November 1999.

(2000/C 170 E/186)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2231/99

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 December 1999)

Subject: Estimate of the black economy

Please give estimates or a range of estimates of the size of the (cid:145)black(cid:146) economy for each of the Member
States and briefly describe the methodological basis of calculation.

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(21 December 1999)

The concept of the (cid:145)black(cid:146), hidden or underground economy is not well defined. The Commission is not
directly engaged in measuring it and has no estimates of its size.

A large number of transactions and activities are in fact not recorded by administrative processes or by
statistical enquiries for a wide range of reasons (including fraud, but also absence, exemptions, size
thresholds). These transactions or activities are not necessarily in any sense hidden.

20.6.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 170 E/153

To ensure exhaustiveness of the data on gross national product (GNP) and other national accounts
aggregates used for Community purposes (especially in determining Member States contributions to the
Community budget), the Commission has worked intensively with the statistical services of the Member
States for the last ten years to ensure that all activity that should be included in GNP is in fact included,
regardless of whether or how it is declared to the authorities. A description of this work can be found in
the report from the Commission to the Council and the Parliament (cid:129) the application of the Council
Directive on the compilation of gross national product at market prices (1).

In the context of the European employment strategy, the Commission has issued a communication on
undeclared work (2) addressing policy options in this area. In this communication, undeclared work is
defined as any paid activities that are lawful as regards their nature but not declared to the public
authorities, bearing in mind that differences in the regulatory systems of Member States must be taken into
account.

(1) COM(96) 124 final.
(2) COM(98) 219 final.

(2000/C 170 E/187)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2244/99

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 December 1999)

Subject: Employees of the central banks of the Member States

Please state the number of qualified economists (possessing a higher degree in economics at an institution
of higher education) practising as economists in each of the national central banks and in the ECB.

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 1999)

The matter in question does not come within its jurisdiction of the Commission (which is unfortunately
unable to supply the information requested).

(2000/C 170 E/188)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2246/99

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(19 November 1999)

Subject: Organo-phosphate pesticides

What action is the Commission taking to identify and reduce the long-term effects upon human health of
organo-phosphate pesticides in all their different forms?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 1999)

Council Directive 91/0414/EEC of 15 July 1991 concerning the placing of plant protection products on
the market (1) provides for a review programme for all the active substances which were on the market in
1993. The first phase of the review programme of existing active substances is undertaken for a list of
90 important active substances under Commission Regulation (EEC) 3600/92 of 11 December 1992 laying
down the detailed rules for the implementation of the first stage of the programme of work referred to in
Article 8 (2) of Council Directive 91/0414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the
market (2). The review of these active substances continues. It covers several organo-phosphates.