WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3256/97 by Riccardo GAROSCI to the Commission. Increase in VAT rates in Italy
25. 5. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 158/71 Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (9 December 1997) The Commission was informed on 19 June that Greece had adopted Presidential Decree No 133 (1) transposing the Directive in question. This Decree was subsequently amended by Presidential Decree No 164/97 (2). Following the transposal of the Directive into Greek law, the infringement proceedings initiated against Greece for failing to meet one of its obligations under the EC Treaty have been closed. (1) Greek Official Gazette No 121/A/1997. (2) Greek Official Gazette No 145/A/1997. (98/C 158/91) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3254/97 by Carmen D ·ez de Rivera Icaza (PSE) to the Commission (20 October 1997) Subject: Hold-up in legislation to reduce noise Last June plenary unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the Commission to submit, by the end of this year, a framework directive on environmental noise and a global directive on machinery used in the open air. Can the Commission say whether it intends to comply with this request? Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (19 November 1997) Further to the results of the consultation organised by the Commission on the green paper Future Noise Policyí (1), and in particular to the resolution adopted by the Parliament, the Commission has started preparation of the framework directive on environmental noise. At the present stage, it appears that several topics are not sufficiently well defined and need further technical and scientific discussions to prepare a soundly based proposal. This preparatory work is foreseen for 1998 and the proposal is scheduled for the beginning of 1999. As regards the framework directive on noise emission by equipment used outdoors, adoption by the Commission is foreseen for the end of this year. (1) COM(96) 540. (98/C 158/92) WRITTEN QUESTION P-3256/97 by Riccardo Garosci (UPE) to the Commission (9 October 1997) Subject: Increase in VAT rates in Italy What position is the Commission adopting and what, if any, steps does it intend to take vis-a‘-vis the Italian Government, which recently increased the rates of VAT, in blatant contrast with the EU guidelines on harmonizing tax rates? In particular the Italian motor vehicle industry, which is so important as a source of jobs, would be helped if the VAT on cars purchased by companies were deductible