Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-10-13-Speech-4-019-000"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20111013.3.4-019-000"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Madam President, Commissioner, from an economic point of view, VAT plays an important role in maintaining healthy government budgets and, of course, a healthy European budget and, with the well-publicised fiscal problems in the European Union, it is important for the VAT system to work both properly and efficiently.
Unfortunately, the administrative complexity of the current VAT system is having a significant effect on the administration of businesses throughout Europe. Let us not forget that obligations such as full recovery of VAT and the integration of various VAT payments into a business’s financial planning are more feasible for bigger businesses, making life comparatively more difficult for small and medium-sized enterprises, which account for 99% of businesses in the European Union. It also leaves a great deal of room for fraud and tax evasion.
Bearing these factors in mind, the proposals in this report represent an exceptional contribution on the part of Parliament in a sector which does not come within its legislative remit. Of course, measures to reduce red tape, such as convergence of administrative practices and a Standard European Invoice, will not change the VAT system, but may make a difference.
The VAT collection measures designed to reduce fraud will enable Member States to save billions. On the question of cross-border fraud, if higher financial commitments are needed in order to conduct effective investigations and use new technologies, then neither the Member States nor the European Union should avoid them. Also, we urgently need to simplify and unify legislation to combat fraud.
I was pleased to see that the report links future changes to VAT rates and zero rates with social and environmental priorities. In the Committee on Transport’s opinion, we call for a lower or zero rate for public transport and, even though this was not included in the report, we hope that it will be included in the Member States’ list of goods and services which qualify for a reduction in the VAT rate called for by the European Parliament.
Finally, bearing in mind the coordinated effort being made to improve road safety by 2020, it would be a positive move if road safety equipment were to benefit from a reduced VAT rate."@en1
|
| lpv:videoURI |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples