Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-12-13-Speech-3-189"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20001213.7.3-189"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Mr President, I find the idea of a unilateral setting of EU aircraft fuel tax regimes entirely inappropriate, given that globally we are still subject to the Chicago Convention of 1944, exempting kerosene from taxation internationally. European aircraft carriers would be disadvantaged compared to carriers from third countries and it would distort intra-EU as opposed to intercontinental fare structures.
While the expansion of air traffic and the environmental problems of global warming and pollution are serious and important issues, I feel that a more effective approach would be to tackle this within an international framework. By focusing our attention too narrowly on only the activities which take place within the EU, we risk harming our industry without achieving much-needed progress in lowering emissions.
This same problem of trying to impose a regional solution to a global question arises with the difficult issue of VAT on digital electronic services. To levy VAT on third-country suppliers, largely American, is not only impractical but, in the case of newspapers and books, it gives rise to inconsistencies between the same products sold on line as opposed to in a shop. It is also inherently neither enforceable nor collectable, unless regulated internationally, as undoubtedly servers would be set up offshore beyond the EU's jurisdiction. The scheme will be harmful to the development of SMEs, both within and outside the Union, especially in view of the proposed reduction of the exemption threshold to a prohibitively low level of EUR 40 000 annual turnover. I personally advocate a VAT zero rating of all digital services until international agreement is finally reached.
Finally, the Torres Marques report on a minimum standard rate for VAT represents tax harmonisation by the back door and threatens the UK's zero rates on children's clothes, food and newspapers. As a British Conservative, I can only regret the high indirect tax rates throughout the European Union and I hope that by promoting tax competition we may bring pressure on our Labour Government to lower them in the United Kingdom."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs |
substitute; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples