WRITTEN QUESTION E-1125/01 by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Special levy on alcoholic beverages and rate of VAT on wine.
Date: 2001-04-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Portugal, VAT, alcoholic beverage, excise duty, tax exemption, wine

11.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 350 E/75

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(20 June 2001)

The payment of salaries during a strike is not provided for in the Staff Regulations. Point 10 of the Annex
to the Framework Agreement between the trade unions and staff associations and the Commission of
1974 stipulates that (cid:145)the Commission and the trade unions and staff associations involved in the dispute
shall together decide on the conditions for resuming work(cid:146). This implies that the question is addressed on
an ad hoc basis following a strike.

The Commission(cid:146)s practice is to deduct from the salary of officials who participate in a strike an amount
equivalent to their pay over the period of the strike. This practice was followed most recently on the
occasion of a half-day strike by some officials of the Commission services in Luxembourg on 31 January
2001.

(2001/C 350 E/082)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1125/01

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 April 2001)

Subject: Special levy on alcoholic beverages and rate of VAT on wine

On 19 March 2001 the Portuguese press reported that the Commission was preparing to withdraw the
levy on alcoholic beverages and end the possibility of applying
exemption for wine from the special
a reduced rate of VAT, with a consequent increase from 5 % to 17 %. It was also stressed that the
Commission is set to bring about these changes without consulting Portugal or Greece, having received the
tacit agreement of France and Italy.

Everyone is aware of the socio-economic and cultural
importance of the wine sector, particularly for
southern countries. It is also well known that wine is essentially an agricultural product and that it is
largely produced outside the industrial structures found in the case of other alcoholic beverages such as
beer. Changing the exemption from the special levy would lead to wine prices increasing by Esc 30 per
litre. The combined impact of this measure and changes in the VAT rate would be a dramatic rise in
consumer prices and a reduction in the consumption of wine in favour of other products, which would
have a detrimental effect on the sector. This is of course the aim of the strong lobby representing
multinational beer companies, chiefly concentrated in northern Europe.

In this context, can the Commission confirm the reports published in the Portuguese press?

If so, does it not consider that this proposal runs counter to the protection of multifunctional, sustainable
agriculture which respects the environment and produces quality, safe products for consumers, such as
levy should therefore be
wine-growing and wine-producing, and that the exemption from the special
maintained?

Have any studies been made to assess the impact of these measures on producer countries, particularly
Portugal?

Will the Commission consult Portugal on the proposed measures?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(29 May 2001)

The Commission would like to inform the Honourable Member that the end of the application of a reduced
VAT rate to wine in Portugal is the result of a recent judgement of the Court of Justice, of 8 March 2001
(Case C-276/98), in which such practise was considered as infringing the Sixth Vat Directive, Council
Directive 77/388/EEC of 17 May 1977 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to
turnover taxes (cid:129) Common system of value added tax: uniform basis of assessment (1).

C 350 E/76

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.2001

At present, the Commission is preparing its second report on the levels of the minimum excise duty rates
and the excise duty rates applied by Member States on alcoholic beverages. In this context, all Member
States have been consulted on the basis of a detailed questionnaire covering the various elements that the
Commission has to address in its report. These elements are the proper functioning of the Internal Market,
competition between different types of alcoholic beverages, the real value of the rates and other objectives
of the EC Treaty, such as health and agricultural policy. Regarding the last point, the Commission is well
aware of the concerns expressed by a number of wine-producing Member States about the impact of the
introduction of a positive rate on wine, particularly upon the production of table wines.

Based on all the information and opinions received, the Commission is drafting its report, which should be
adopted during the coming months. The issue raised by the Honourable Member will be addressed in the
report. As yet, no decision has been taken on whether or not this report should be accompanied by
a proposal for a Directive changing the minimum rates of excise duty on alcoholic beverages.

(1) OJ L 145, 13.6.1977.

(2001/C 350 E/083)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1126/01

by Jorge Moreira Da Silva (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Cais dos Vapores river jetty, Montijo, Portugal

(6 April 2001)

The Civic Platform for the Defence of Cais dos Vapores jetty has informed me that Montijo town council
plans to transfer the river station there to another jetty, Cais do Seixalinho.

The citizens(cid:146) group concerned takes the view that the option chosen by Montijo town council would have
a highly negative social and environmental impact.

Can the Commission answer the following questions:

1. Has any Community funding been allocated to this project?

2. Given that the area in which Cais do Seixalinho jetty is situated forms part of a significant ecosystem
for birds and aquatic species, what type of environmental impact assessment has been carried out?

3. Does this project comply with the Directive on the conservation of wild birds and the Directive on the

conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(20 June 2001)

The project mentioned by the Honourable Member, to transfer the river station from the Cais dos Vapores
to the Cais do Seixalinho is not the object of Community co-financing.

The Cais do Seixalinho lies outside the Special Protection Area (cid:145)EstuÆrio do Tejo(cid:146) designated by Portugal
under the Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (1) and the
proposed site of Community importance of the same name designated under the Council Directive 92/43/
EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (2). However,
according to article 6 of the Council Directive 92/43/EEC, all projects likely to have a significant impact on
the sites, even if
its
implications for the site in view of the site(cid:146)s conservation objectives. The Commission is therefore asking
the Portuguese authorities for the necessary information concerning the project, including what type, if
any, of impact assessment has been carried out.

located outside those sites, must be subject

to an appropriate assessment of