WRITTEN QUESTION E-1453/00 by Alexander Radwan (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Tax on vessels entering Greek waters.
Date: 2000-05-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, charge having equivalent effect, derogation from EU law, pleasure craft

C 53 E/144

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.2.2001

Answer to written question by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(9 June 2000)

Ever since the Treaty on European Union was ratified, representatives of people with impaired vision have
been closely associated with work to determine the technical specifications for euro coins and bank notes.
The Commission and the Central European Bank have been in regular contact with the European Blind
Union in order to assess training needs and, working with the Member States, to prepare or coordinate
action to meet these needs (training for instructors, preparation of training kits, etc.).

(2001/C 53 E/184)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1453/00

by Alexander Radwan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Tax on vessels entering Greek waters

(10 May 2000)

At the beginning of this year Greece introduced a special tax on vessels entering Greek territorial waters
(Greek State Law No 2743/1999 of 14 January 2000). This tax must be paid by all vessels more than
7 metres in length, regardless of the flag they fly. It is levied at a rate of GRD 2000 per metre of vessel
length and is valid for a stay of up to 30 days. Vessels which have a permanent mooring in a Greek
harbour are exempt from the tax, although this status is forfeited if the vessel remains outside Greek
waters for more than 30 days a year.

Does the Greek tax breach the principle of freedom of movement, since the owner of a vessel with a
permanent mooring in Greece may now only sail outside the country for a maximum of 30 days if he or
she wishes to avoid the tax?

Is it the case that special rules will remain in force until 2001 authorising Greece to levy such a tax on
vessels entering its waters?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(6 June 2000)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written E-1062/00 by Mr von
Wogau (1).

(1) OJ C 26 E, 26.1.2001, p. 150.

(2001/C 53 E/185)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1457/00

by Reinhold Messner (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(10 May 2000)

Subject: Renewal of the licence granted to the Italian company Autostrade SpA

Following a previous question (E-2293/99) (1) on the renewal of the licence granted to the Italian company
Autostrade SpA, which dealt with the issue of the operational risk taken on by the licence holder, the
Commission stated that the activities of the independent committee responsible for the procedures for the
award of the public works contracts in connection with the licence was (cid:145)not likely to alter the element of
risk involved in the management of the construction, since it does not affect the financial plan of the
licence and is merely an additional guarantee for opening up markets to competition(cid:146). The committee,
which was set up at the Commission(cid:146)s request in order to make it possible to renew the licence without
issuing a public invitation to tender, is not in reality independent, since two of its members were chosen
by ANAS (national state-owned road company) and one by the company Autostrade SpA.