WRITTEN QUESTION P-1313/01 by Gunilla Carlsson (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Tax on wine in Sweden.
Date: 2001-04-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Sweden, tax system, wine

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/81

In the light of the foregoing:

1. Can the Commission supply further information?

2. Will the Commission continue to countenance this situation by virtue of the new water-treatment
plant which it is to finance, bearing in mind that the plants in question cannot cope with industrial
effluents?

Furthermore, is true, as has been asserted, that the projected new plant will be financed with the aid of
a substantial European contribution?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(5 July 2001)

The Commission(cid:146)s Decision of 7 March 2001 (1) on sewerage and waste water
in the
Segura catchment area relates primarily to construction of a new urban waste water treatment plant on
the territory of the commune of Molina de Segura at a total cost of € 19 834 000. The Cohesion Fund(cid:146)s
contribution is 80 %, i.e. € 15 867 200.

treatment

The new plant will resolve the problems raised by the Honourable Member, notably discharge of untreated
waste water into the River Segura and the need for better treatment levels in that commune. It will use
both biological and tertiary agents. The tariffs for its use will be proportionate to the pollution caused by
users, notably the area(cid:146)s companies.

The urban waste water Directive (2) requires agglomerations greater in size than 15 000 population
equivalent (p.e.) (3) to have collecting systems installed and at least secondary waste water treatment by
31 December 2000. Under its Article 13(1) biodegradable industrial waste water from plants with a p.e.
bigger than 4 000 in certain sectors, including the meat industry, must before discharge to receiving waters
comply with the prior regulations or specific authorisations of the Member State.

Competent authorities are required (Article 15 of the Directive) to monitor waters receiving discharges
from urban waste water treatment plants or direct discharges as indicated in Article 13.

(1) Decision 2000 ES 16 C PE 005.
(2) Council Directive 91/271/EEC of 21 May 1991 concerning urban waste water treatment (OJ L 135, 30.5.1991).
(3) One (cid:145)population equivalent(cid:146) means the organic biodegradable load having a five-day biochemical oxygen demand

(BOD5) of 60 g per day.

(2001/C 364 E/086)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1313/01

by Gunilla Carlsson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 April 2001)

Subject: Tax on wine in Sweden

The Commission previously urged Sweden to reduce the tax on wine. The Swedish Government intended
to comply with this request but, following an agreement between the government and its allied parties in
the Swedish Parliament, the tax will apparently not be reduced.

What measures will the Commission take to persuade Sweden to comply with its request to reduce the tax
on wine?

C 364 E/82

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(1 August 2001)

The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that it recently sent Sweden a reasoned opinion
on certain aspects of Swedish tax law relating to wine and beer which it deems incompatible with the
Treaty. The Commission considers that the Swedish tax system establishes discrimination contrary to the
Treaty by charging a higher tax on wine than on beer, indirectly protecting beer (a domestic product) from
competition from wine (a product from other Member States).

It is now up to Sweden to take the necessary measures to comply with the Commission(cid:146)s reasoned
opinion. The Commission reserves the right to use all the means put at its disposal by the Treaty,
including referral of the matter to the Court of Justice, to ensure proper application of Community law.

(2001/C 364 E/087)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1316/01

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 May 2001)

Subject: Directive on the taxation of savings

1.
Could the Commission please state what progress has been made in negotiations with the US and
key third countries, including Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Andorra and San Mar(cid:237)no, with a view to
securing the introduction of (cid:145)equivalent measures(cid:146) in those countries before the directive on the taxation of
savings is adopted?

Could it please state if it has undertaken a business impact assessment and/or a feasibility study on

2.
information exchange in the directive on the taxation of savings?

3.

Could it indicate when the new draft directive on the taxation of savings is likely to be available?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(4 July 2001)

1.
At the European Council in Santa Maria da Feira on 19 and 20 June 2000, Member States decided
that, once agreement had been reached on the substantial content of the Directive on taxation of savings
income and before its formal adoption, the Presidency and the Commission should enter into discussions
with the United States and five other key third countries (Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Mar(cid:237)no
and Andorra) in order to promote the adoption of equivalent measures by those countries. At the same
time, the Member States concerned made a commitment to promote the adoption of the same measures in
all relevant dependent or associated territories. In accordance with the timetable of Feira, the Ecofin
Council on 26/27 November 2000 agreed the substantial content of the savings proposal. In January
2001, the Presidency and the Commission wrote letters to the third countries named in the Feira agreement
in order to invite them to enter into discussions on the proposed Directive. As explained in those letters,
the discussions, at this stage, do not have the character of formal negotiations, but serve mainly to inform
the third countries of the agreement reached last November 2000 and to gauge their reaction on this
agreement and the prospects for the introduction of equivalent measures.

Following these letters, a first round of exploratory talks has been completed at technical level with the six
countries, while political contacts have been taken up with some of them. A first report on these
discussions is presented at the Ecofin Council meeting on 5 June 2001. At that meeting, the Member
States concerned reported on the state of play of the discussions with their dependent and associated
territories. The Parliament will be kept informed on these discussions.

2.
As for all new legislative proposals, the Commission has carefully examined the impact of the
proposed Directive (1) on taxation of savings income on market operators. The proposed measures take full
account of the need to preserve the competitiveness of European financial markets. The obligations placed