WRITTEN QUESTION E-1755/00 by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Council. Tax groups.
Date: 2000-06-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European tax cooperation, committee (EU), operation of the Institutions

C 89 E/80

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.3.2001

Joint answer
to Written Questions P-1746/00 and P-1823/00
given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(3 August 2000)

As the Commission has already stated in reply to several questions by Members of the Parliament, the
bilateral measures taken by the governments of 14 Member States with regard to the government coalition
in Austria are not matters relating to the EU-Treaty or EC-Treaty and do not affect the rights and
obligations of any Member State under Community law.

The Commission also repeatedly stated that it will continue to accomplish its role as the guardian of the
provisions and values set down in the Treaties and on which the Union is founded and that it confirms its
determination to do so.

As the Honourable Member will be aware, a report on the Austrian Government(cid:146)s compliance with the
European Union(cid:146)s shared values is being drawn up, at the request of the Member States, by three leading
figures appointed by the President of the European Court of Human Rights.

(2001/C 89 E/081)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1755/00

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Council

(5 June 2000)

Subject: Tax groups

Can the Council please provide details of all formal and informal groups and committees currently active
in the field of taxation and taxation policy at EU level?

Specifically, could the Council please state:

(a)

the remit of these groups,

(b)

their composition,

(c)

the date these groups first met, and

(d) what future meetings are scheduled?

Reply

(23 October 2000)

The Council working parties competent in tax matters are the Working Party on Tax Questions and the
Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation).

The Working Party on Tax Questions is responsible for preparing all the Permanent Representatives
Committee(cid:146)s and the Council(cid:146)s proceedings in the tax field, with the exception of those in connection with
the Code of Conduct (Business Taxation). The Working Party consists of national civil servants and a
representative of the Commission who are competent in the areas covered by the Working Party(cid:146)s
proceedings.

The Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation) is responsible for assessing tax measures likely to come
within the scope of the code of conduct in the field of business taxation and monitoring the communica-
tion of information on those measures. The Group consists of a high-level representative and an alternate
from each Member State and the Commission. The Member States and the Commission can appoint up to
two alternates who may take the place of the high-level representative or the alternate when one of them
is unable to attend a Group meeting. The Group met for the first time on 8 May 1998.

20.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/81

There is no fixed programme for the meetings of these working parties. As a general rule the Working
Party on Tax Questions meets once or twice a week. The Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation) has
met 20 times since it was set up. Under the Council Conclusions of 9 March 1998 the Group must meet
at least twice a year at high level to facilitate the political direction of the Group(cid:146)s proceedings.

There are also the Working Party on Tax Fraud and the High-level Working Party on Taxation, which have
just concluded their proceedings.

Finally, there are working parties and committees at the Commission that work in the field of taxation.

(2001/C 89 E/082)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1757/00

by Alejandro Cercas (PSE) to the Commission

(31 May 2000)

Subject: Aid to the dried fruit and carob sector

The Commission has acknowledged that, in view of the continuing impact of imports, there is a need for
aid to be provided for the dried fruit and carob sector using the instruments referred to in the Rural
Development Regulation. This does not meet the needs of the dried fruit and carob sector since the
Member States have already drawn up their RDPs and the latter do not have the necessary budgetary
means to assure the survival of the sector. Moreover, it is a problem affecting the market and should be
dealt with using market related measures which are equally applicable throughout the regions concerned
so as not to lead to distortions of competition between producers.

Therefore, does the Commission not consider that there are sound reasons for maintaining the aid
provided for the dried fruit and carob sector?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(11 July 2000)

The Honourable Member is referred to the Commission(cid:146)s answers to Written Questions E-524/00 by
Mr Pittella and others (1), P-989/00 by Mr Martinez (2), E-1356/00 by Mr HernÆndez Mollar (3) and to the
reply it gave to Oral Question H-428/00 by Mr Esteve during question time at Parliament(cid:146)s May 2000
part-session (4).

(1) OJ C 26 E, 26.1.2001, p. 57.
(2) OJ C 53 E, 20.2.2001, p. 50.
(3) OJ C 81 E, 13.3.2001, p. 29.
(4) Debates of the European Parliament (May 2000).

(2001/C 89 E/083)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1759/00

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: European cooperation project on adult education

(31 May 2000)

The trade union (cid:145)Sinorquifa (cid:129) Sindicato dos Trabalhadores da Qu(cid:237)mica, FarmacŒutica, Petr(cid:243)leo e GÆs do
Norte(cid:146)
(CGTP-IN), representing workers in the chemical, pharmaceutical, oil and gas industries, has
concluded a partnership protocol with the (cid:145)Syndicat CGT Energie et Mines, Midi, PyrØnØes, Toulouse(cid:146) and
the (cid:145)Federaci(cid:243)n de Qu(cid:237)mica (cid:129) CCIG/Galicia(cid:146) within the framework of the PACE project
(European
Programme of Advanced Continuing Education), established as part of the Grundtvig/Socrates/Leonardo
da Vinci programmes.