WRITTEN QUESTION E-2530/01 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission. Restriction of duty paid goods entering the UK.
Date: 2001-09-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU law, United Kingdom, exemption from customs duties, free movement of goods, import, traveller

C 160 E/20

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.7.2002

(2002/C 160 E/020)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2530/01

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(19 September 2001)

Subject: Restriction of duty paid goods entering the UK

What is the Commission’s current view of the UK Government’s policy of restricting the quantity of duty
paid goods which can be imported into the UK by individual travellers?

Is the Commission aware of the increasing practice by UK Customs and Excise of seizure of the personal
assets (normally motor vehicles) of travellers who do no more than exercise their freedoms under EU law?

What courses of action are open to the Commission to uphold the freedom of travellers to import the
abovementioned goods into the UK?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(24 October 2001)

The Commission has received a number of complaints concerning the way the United Kingdom applies the
Community rules on excise duties to travellers entering the United Kingdom with excisable goods
purchased in other Member States. The complaints have concerned both the aspect of the quantities of
goods and the seizures of goods and vehicles. The Commission is at present actively looking into these
complaints, and will examine the United Kingdom’s policy in the light of the findings of this investigation.

If the Commission considers that a Member State fails to fulfil its obligations under the EC Treaty, it may
initiate a so-called infringement procedure under Article 226 (ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty. This
procedure, designed to ensure that the Member States conform with Community law, can ultimately lead
to a trial before the Court of Justice.

(2002/C 160 E/021)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2531/01

by Fernando Fernández Martín (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Application of an ecotax on the island of Lanzarote

(19 September 2001)

According to information to which I have had access, the Commission is studying the feasibility of
introducing an environment tax (ecotax) on the island of Lanzarote which would be financed from the Life
programme. That initiative would be part of a package of 20 environmental projects to be carried out in
Spain, which the Commission might fund to the tune of EUR 8,6 million.

If this information is accurate, what objectives would the introduction of an ecotax in Lanzarote have, and
what technical fiscal conditions would apply?

What are the remaining 19 projects under consideration for possible Commission funding in Spain, apart
from the Lanzarote project?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(7 November 2001)

The project ‘Eco-standard Lanzarote’ appears in the list of projects approved for the Life exercice for the
year 2000 by the Life Committee held on 18 June 2001, and by the Commission on 14 August 2001. The
beneficiary, and, therefore executor of the project, is the Municipality of Lanzarote. Although co-financed
by the Commission, this is not a Community study.