Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-12-01-Speech-4-030"
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"en.20051201.3.4-030"2
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"Mr President, I welcome this package of proposals from the Commission, particularly in the context of achieving a reduction in the administrative burden for businesses, especially the small and medium-sized enterprises, which supply goods and services to other Member States. Streamlining VAT procedures for these businesses will enhance efficiency and encourage increased activity within the internal market, feeding to the Lisbon Agenda, which is supposed to be the focus and aim for all of us at the moment.
The one-stop-shop schemes, which are at the heart of the package, will ultimately enable new rules for cross-border businesses and business-to-consumer services to be introduced. This will have particular benefits in my own country for Irish companies that deliver services electronically over the internet to consumers in other Member States.
The current minimum standard rate of VAT fixed at 15% is due to end at the end of this year. The Commission is proposing to extend it to 2010. I support that generally and, in particular, I support the decision of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs to have an impact analysis on implicit and standard rates of VAT in the Member States, which should also consider allowing all Member States the same opportunity to apply reduced rates on certain goods and services. We need to revisit the issue of special exemptions on reduced rates. My own country never applied for reduced rates. I think there are only nine Member States – if my facts are correct – that have the benefit of this.
We need to do something here. Restaurants, catering and hospitality services need particular attention in all Member States. In terms of jobs and services, these are areas which could really ignite economies throughout Europe at the moment, given that tourism is one of the growing areas. Currently, VAT rates on food in some Member States are prohibitive and need to be looked at urgently.
I note that the report on the one-stop-shops and the refund of VAT generally was only referred to Parliament because of a change to the legal basis. I have ongoing concerns about the number of times issues around a legal basis arise in this Parliament. These are consultative-only as far as Parliament is concerned. However, what is happening with legal bases? What is happening in terms of Commission proposals on different legal bases and the Council subsequently changing or amending them or, in many cases, introducing a dual legal base? We need certainty in our law. Uncertain law is bad law. We need to have an open debate on the legal basis issue in this House urgently."@en1
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