WRITTEN QUESTION E-0093/03 by Peter Skinner (PSE) to the Commission. German capital gains tax.
Date: 2003-01-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Germany, capital gains tax, free movement of capital, infringement of EU law, tax system

C 84 E/712

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

(2004/C 84 E/0799)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0093/03

by Peter Skinner (PSE) to the Commission

(28 January 2003)

Subject: German capital gains tax

Could the Commission tell the European Parliament what steps it is taking to persuade the German
Government not to adopt its proposed new capital gains tax discriminating against funds domiciled
outside of Germany (by exposing them to higher taxation levels than funds domiciled within Germany)?
Does the Commissioner agree that this measure is an illegal breach of single market principles, constituting
an impediment to the free movement of capital? Has the Commission been in touch with the German
Government to give its views on the proposed new tax?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(18 February 2003)

The Commission has opened an infringement procedure against Germany for an already existing
discriminatory tax regime for foreign investment funds (infr 2000/5059). In the press release issued on
that occasion (1) the Commission also expressed its concern about the draft German bill, which, if adopted,
would extend the tax discrimination to capital gains.

(1)

IP/02/1924.

(2004/C 84 E/0800)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0129/03

by Marco Cappato (NI) to the Commission

(28 January 2003)

Subject: Suspension of Voice of America and Radio Free Asia programme in Phnom Penh

On 31 December the US State Department announced that the Cambodian Government had removed
Voice of America and Radio Free Asia programmes from the Phnom Penh FM radio station Beehive, after
just three months since their beginning.

Considering that it is crucial for every society on the path towards democratisation to have balanced and
fact-based information, and considering that Voice of America and Radio Free Asia were improving the
quality and the rate of freedom of information for Cambodian citizens;

Considering that the lack of objective information is one of the major concerns in Cambodia today,
especially in view of the national elections, which will take place in 2003;

Considering that the European Commission has not yet deemed necessary to give any form of concrete
follow-up to the EP decision which, in the framework of the 2002 budget, asked to fund a Voice of Europe
radio network to reach the hundreds of millions of people who are still oppressed by authoritarian and
totalitarian regimes;

Considering that an essential element of the Cambodia-EC Cooperation Agreement signed in 1997 is the
undertaking by Cambodia and the European Community to respect and recognise democratic principles
and human rights, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and considering also that
over the next three years (2002-2004), EUR 68,7 million has been earmarked for Cambodia to finance
activities in sectors identified in the 2000-2003 EC-Cambodia Strategy Paper;

What will the Commission do to ensure the restoration of Voice of America and Radio Free Asia
programmes in Cambodia? What will the Commission do to ensure that the fundamental right of
Cambodian citizens to balanced and free information will be respected, especially on the occasion of the
next political elections?