WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1534/97 by Hiltrud BREYER to the Commission. Phosphate ester poisoning due to the use of Tiguvon (Fenthion) manufactured by Bayer Leverkusen (SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWER)
3. 4. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 102/3 (98/C 102/03) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1515/97 by Markus Ferber (PPE) to the Council (5 May 1997) Subject: Planned abolition of duty-free sales in the European Union on 30 June 1999 The entry into force of the White Paper on the common internal market in January 1993 should have led to the abolition of duty-free sales at that time, but for economic and employment policy reasons the Council felt obliged to retain duty-free sales until 30 June 1999 to enable those concerned to adapt to the new conditions. In the meantime it is evident that the employment situation throughout the EU has deteriorated to such an extent that this change to the new conditions has not occurred, or only in very isolated instances. Nor is there likely to be any radical improvement in the situation by 30 June 1999. 1. What specific action is the Council taking to counteract the adverse effects of the abolition of duty-free sales (unemployment, losses of tax revenue)? Is any attempt being made in the Council to extend the deadline again, not least in view of the argument 2. that, with 15 different tax systems in the Member States, a common internal market still does not exist? 3. Are there any Council opinions on the predicted adverse effects of the abolition of duty-free sales? Answer (6 August 1997) As pointed out by the Honourable Member in his question, the Council decided when it adopted the directives establishing the abolition of fiscal frontiers from 1 January 1993 to put an end to duty-free sales in intra-Community passenger traffic with effect from 30 June 1999. The reason for this measure lies in the incompatibility of such sales with the existence of a frontier-free internal market. The circulation between two Member States of goods bought by individuals for personal use no longer has consequences from the point of view of fiscal legislation. Thus individuals may buy goods for personal use in any Member State and bring such goods into any other Member State without need either to declare them or to pay duty at the border. This being so, the application of duty-free allowances is no longer justified. It should be pointed out that duty-free sales to travellers leaving the Community are to continue. The Councilís reason for temporarily extending duty-free to intra-Community travellers until 30 June 1999 was to alleviate social and regional difficulties which might have resulted from their sudden abolition. The intention was to give sufficient time to the sectors concerned (airport suthorities, airlines, ferry companies, producers of goods normally sold in duty-free shops and operators of the shops) to prepare for the disappearance of intra-Community duty-free sales. (98/C 102/04) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1534/97 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission (5 May 1997) Subject: Phosphate ester poisoning due to the use of Tiguvon (Fenthion) manufactured by Bayer Leverkusen The flea-repellant Tiguvon (Fenthion) manufactured by Bayer Leverkusen can be administered in different forms. Tiguvon 10 is intended for cats over 2 kg in weight. The use of Tiguvon 20 is recommended for dogs