WRITTEN QUESTION E-2259/99 by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Tax discussions.
Date: 1999-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European tax cooperation, data collection, proposal (EU)

C 219 E/130

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

1.8.2000

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(27 January 2000)

it should first of all be stated that, with
In answering the question put by the Honourable Member,
reference to the European Court of Justice judgment on 24 September 1998 in case C-76/97 (T(cid:246)gel/
Nieder(cid:246)sterreichische Gebietskrankenkasse), ambulance and rescue services come within Annex I A,
Category No 25, to Directive 92/50EEC (1) relating to the award of public service contracts where the
value of the transport service is greater than the value of the rescue and medical treatment carried out
during transport. In such cases, EU-wide invitations to tender must be issued for ambulance services when
the threshold set by the Directive has been reached. The contract must then be awarded to the lowest
priced or economically most advantageous bid. There are no other award criteria.

The Commission has recently received several complaints from private passenger transport companies on
this matter. The complaints relate to the situation in a number of L(cid:228)nder. According to reports, in some
L(cid:228)nder ambulance and rescue services which should be made public are not being put out to tender. The
Commission has looked into this matter and is currently examining procurement procedures in the L(cid:228)nder
concerned. It is also investigating whether the laws on rescue services in these L(cid:228)nder comply with the
provisions of Directive 92/50/EEC. Once these investigations have been completed, the Commission will
decide which, if any, of the measures available to it under Article 226 (ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty it
will apply in order to counter any infringements of the EC Treaty which may arise in the award of
contracts for ambulance and rescue services.

(1) OJ L 209, 24.7.1992.

(2000/C 219 E/162)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2259/99

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Tax discussions

The European Commission(cid:146)s 1998 proposal to update EU provisions on mutual assistance among tax
authorities in debt recovery (COM(98) 364) is making its way through the Council of Ministers.

Press reports have suggested that the Financial Questions Working Group in the Council
is in broad
agreement over the nature of the information that authorities should present when they seek assistance.
Reports have also mentioned a proposal from the Spanish Government to create a working party to
discuss these issues.

In the interests of transparency, will the Commission comment on these initiatives and provide Parliament
with details of the work being undertaken by the Working Group and an indication of the Commission(cid:146)s
own views on these issues?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(21 December 1999)

The Commission proposal (1) for a Parliament and Council directive amending Council Directive 76/308/
EEC on mutual assistance for the recovery of, inter alia, fiscal claims, has had its first reading in the
Parliament under the co-decision procedure. Arising from the Parliament(cid:146)s suggestions, the Commission
presented an amended proposal (2). This proposal is currently being discussed in the appropriate Council
working group, and as soon as an agreement is reached, it will be sent back to the Parliament for its
second reading. The ad hoc working party on tax fraud, which has been established on the basis of a
proposal by the Spanish government, is not responsible for discussing this proposal.

1.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 219 E/131

Questions concerning the work undertaken by this working party should be addressed to the Council.

(1) OJ C 269, 28.8.1998.
(2) OJ C 179, 24.6.1999.

(2000/C 219 E/163)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2263/99

by Ewa Hedkvist Petersen (PSE) to the Council

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Promoting cooperation in the Barents Sea region

Cooperation in the Barents Sea region is a very important part of the Nordic dimension as far as security is
concerned. The region also presents many challenges in terms of environmental, social and transport
policy, which must be met if common security is to become a reality in our part of the EU and of the
world.

Will the Presidency therefore state what conclusions, with a view to promoting development, cooperation
and security in the Barents Sea region, it draws from the conference on the Nordic dimension held on
11-12 November 1999?

Reply

(14 February 2000)

It is well known that the Union attaches great importance to its Northern Dimension Initiative. The overall
aim of the Union(cid:146)s ND initiative is to work with the non-EU countries in the region to enhance European
Security, stability, democratic reforms and sustainable development in Northern Europe.

The non-EU countries of the Barents Sea region, Iceland, Norway and the Russian Federation are important
ND Partners. All three participated constructively in the Helsinki Ministerial Conference and will of course
foreseen in the Chairman(cid:146)s conclusions from the Helsinki
be included in the deeper cooperation,
Ministerial. These conclusions stressed that the Northern Dimension Initiative aimed to promote develop-
ment, cooperation and security in the Barents Sea region, and the greater Northern European region.

The European Council in Helsinki has invited the Commission to develop, in close cooperation with the
Council, and in consultation with the Northern Dimension Partner countries in the region, an action plan
for the Northern Dimension.

The Chairman(cid:146)s conclusions from the Ministerial Conference furthermore emphasises the role of the
existing regional bodies, i.a. the Barents Euro-Arctic Council in the future work of the Northern Dimension
Initiative. The regional bodies are, in the conclusions from the Helsinki meeting, considered to have a
specific role as instruments identifying and implementing joint Northern Dimension priorities.

Promoting development, cooperation and security in the Barents Sea region is consequently an integral
part of the future work within the Northern Dimension Inititive.