WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1523/97 by Riccardo NENCINI to the Commission. LPG systems for motor vehicles in Italy
10. 2. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 45/47 Additionally a derogation was introduced in Directive 64/433/EEC for slaughter establishments which handle not more than 2000 livestock units per year taking specific geographical situations and infrastructure circumstances in Member States into account. The relevant provision says that Member States may, at their request, be authorized to apply the structural requirements for small slaughterhouses (1000 livestock units per year) to these establishments if they are situated in regions suffering from special geographical constraints or affected by supply difficulties. The Italian authorities have transmitted a list of slaughterhouses to the Commission with a request to make a proposal for derogations to the standing veterinary committee. This list contained several points which have to be clarified before further action can be initiated. Therefore the Italian authorities were asked for clarification. Having received the answer the Commission will examine the request and initiate the necessary action. (1) OJ 121, 29. 07. 1964. (2) OJ L 268, 24. 9. 1991. (3) OJ L 243, 11. 10. 1995. (98/C 45/57) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1523/97 by Riccardo Nencini (PSE) to the Commission (5 May 1997) Subject: LPG systems for motor vehicles in Italy Can the Commission explain why on earth motor vehicles converted to LPG in Italy before 1993 are subject to a separate tax, known as the ásuperbolloí, while those converted after 1993 are not subject to any such tax? Given that the conversion systems are exactly the same, can the Commission take steps to remedy this discrepancy? Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (30 June 1997) The Commission assumes that the Honourable Member is referring to Italian Decree-Law No 331 of 30 August 1993, subsequently enacted as Law No 427 of 29 October 1993, Article 65(5) of which stipulates that vehicles converted with a recognized methane installation between 2 May 1993 and 31 December 1994 are exempt from the special tax introduced by Law No 362 of 21 July 1994. The exemption applies for the first three years of road tax. Decree-Law No 48 of 25 February 1995 subsequently extended the period of exemption for cars with a methane installation to the end of 1995. In the Commission’s opinion, the purpose of these provisions is to encourage the conversion of vehicles to run on methane fuel. Consequently, it sees no reason why the Italian authorities should not limit the tax incentive to vehicles purchased during a specific period, without necessarily extending it to vehicles purchased earlier. For one thing, this is a tax matter and as such falls under the jurisdiction of the Member State concerned; for another, it does not infringe Article 95 of the EC Treaty or any other Community legislation, since the tax incentive is available in respect of any vehicle › new or used › registered for the first time in Italy by its owner. The Commission takes the view, therefore, that it has no jurisdiction in this matter