WRITTEN QUESTION No. 686/98 by Amedeo AMADEO , Salvatore TATARELLA to the Council. Taxation of energy products
C 304/146 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 2. 10. 98 (98/C 304/217) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0686/98 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) and Salvatore Tatarella (NI) to the Council (16 March 1998) Subject: Taxation of energy products The proposal for a Council directive restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of energy products › (COM(97)30 final › 97/0111 CNS) (1) allows Member States some freedom of manoeuvre with regard to the technical definition of taxes on energy products, provided that these do not lead to distortions of competition within the internal market. Regrettably, no clear guidance is provided concerning tax neutrality, but it should be emphasized that experience has shown that recently introduced taxes on energy are not offset by a corresponding reduction in the overall tax burden. Would the Council undertake, at the same time as adopting the directive in Council, to use any increase in tax revenues to reduce the tax burden on labour? Given that it is mainly families that will bear the brunt of any increase in minimum tax levels, it would be expedient to adopt compensatory measures in the social field, which should primarily benefit people falling within the lowest income brackets. (1) OJ C 139, 6. 5. 1997, p. 14. Answer (28 May 1998) Article 1(2) of the proposal the Honourable Members cite provides that: When implementing this Directive, Member States shall endeavour to avoid any increase in their overall tax burden. In order to attain this objective, Member States shall endeavour in particular to reduce at the same time statutory charges on labour. í The Councilís subordinate bodies are currently examining this proposal. In this context the Council would remind the Honourable Members that, under the terms of the conclusions of the extraordinary European Council on Employment held in Luxembourg in November 1997: Each Member State will set a target, if necessary and taking account of its present level, for gradually reducing the overall tax burden and, where appropriate, a target for gradually reducing the fiscal pressure on labour and non-wage labour costs, in particular on relatively unskilled and low-paid labour, without jeopardizing the recovery of public finances or the financial equilibrium of social security schemes. It will examine, if appropriate, the desirability of introducing a tax on energy or on pollutant emissions or any other tax measure. í (98/C 304/218) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0693/98 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (2 March 1998) Subject: Implementation of operational programme for the tourist industry In its answer to my Question No. H-0813/96 (1) concerning the implementation of the Greek operational programme for the tourist industry, the Commission pointed out the low take-up rate of the relevant appropriations and urged the Greek authorities to use up the remainder. Furthermore, it was awaiting the national authoritiesí final decisions and planning for the marinas and the integrated tourist development regions (ITDRs). More than a year has passed since the Commissionís answer and the operational programme expires on 31 December 1999. Will the Commission, therefore, say: 1. what the current take-up rate is for the operational programme for the tourist industry, 2. whether the locations for setting up the ITDRs have been selected and what they are,