WRITTEN QUESTION E-1364/03 by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission. Exploitation of Community citizens by the Vatican City State.
Date: 2003-04-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Holy See, employment structure, labour law, sales staff, worker (EU)

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/367

(2004/C 78 E/0386)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1364/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(10 April 2003)

Subject: Exploitation of Community citizens by the Vatican City State

In view of the fact that:

(cid:1) the Vatican City State receives around EUR 9 million per year (EUR 6 million in 2002 and

EUR 12 million in the Jubilee year) from the sale of gifts and souvenirs;

(cid:1) around 50 European citizens of Italian nationality are employed in the sale of these articles;

(cid:1) these people work on commission on the basis of an ‘oral contract’ for percentages that vary from
2-3 % to 8-10 % and for between 8 and 10 hours every day, with a 30-minute break for lunch. At the
end of the day, after having loaded away the goods and emptied the cash boxes, for which they are
jointly responsible, they are paid cash in hand;

(cid:1) this has been going on since 1976;

(cid:1) despite the undertakings made to regularise their situation, a private company is soon to be made
these

responsible for managing their stalls, and would immediately ‘regularise’
‘clandestine’ workers by depriving them of any rights;

the position of

(cid:1) in the eyes of the Italian Republic these people are unemployed, and therefore benefit from public

services, including health care;

(cid:1) what action will the EU take with regard to a State which is exploiting Community citizens?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(16 May 2003)

The current legal instruments at the Commission’s disposal make no provision for Community action in
situations similar to those described in the written question.

The Commission will transmit a copy of the written question and the corresponding Commission reply to
the Mission of the Holy See to the Union Institutions for its information and follow-up as appropriate.

(2004/C 78 E/0387)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1416/03

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(23 April 2003)

Subject: Bank sentenced to pay compensation to clients for having provided information to the tax

authorities of their Member State

1.
Is the Commission aware of the ruling handed down by a Luxembourg court which sentenced the
Kredietbank Luxembourg (KBL) to pay compensation of EUR 25 000 to each of five Belgian former clients
who had brought an action against the bank on the grounds that it had failed to prevent the Belgian tax
authorities from identifying them?

2.
Does the Commission deem it acceptable that a situation may arise in the EU where persons guilty of
tax evasion may receive compensation from organisations which have failed to keep secret their liability to
punishment?

3.
Is the Commission aware that the Netherlands Inland Revenue Service identified 6 000 Dutch tax
evaders who held accounts with the KBL in the early 1990s in the same way and that they had to pay
additional taxes as a result?