WRITTEN QUESTION No. 53/98 by Markus FERBER to the Commission. EU assistance for research in the Bayerisch- Schwaben region
C 223/94 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 7. 98 Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (9 March 1998) The Commission can confirm to the Honourable Member that it has no intention of proposing the abolition of VAT on works of art. One of the driving forces behind the adoption of the VAT provisions for the internal market was to obviate tax-based distortions of competition. The adoption of the 7th VAT Directive (Council Directive 94/5/EC of 14 February 1994 supplementing the common system of value added tax and amending Directive 77/388/EEC › Special arrangements applicable to second-hand goods, works of art, collectorsí items and antiques) (1) was another step in this direction. It must be borne in mind that under the current VAT arrangements, purchases of works of art by Community residents attract VAT whether they are purchased within the single market or outside it. Similarly, no VAT is charged where works of art are sold in the Community for export to third countries. The purpose of the proposal to harmonise Community artistsíresale rights (droit de suite) is to put an end to various kinds of discrimination and inequality of treatment which currently exist across the Community for visual artists and to allow them to achieve parity with other categories of creative artists such as writers and music composers who could expect ongoing copyright royalties. The Commission is aware of the fears which have been expressed by the British art trade in relation to the possibility that vendors may transfer their sales from London to New York. The Commission has undertaken to examine the impact of the relevant provisions of the 7th Directive on the competitiveness of the Community art market compared to third countries. Preliminary work has already begun on this commitment, and a final report should be available by the end of this year. (1) OJ L 60, 3. 3. 1994. (98/C 223/119) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0053/98 by Markus Ferber (PPE) to the Commission (29 January 1998) Subject: EU assistance for research in the Bayerisch-Schwaben region Can the Commission provide the following information on the level of EU assistance for research and development (R and D) in the Bayerisch-Schwaben region in 1997: 1. How much assistance was provided for R and D in Bayerisch-Schwaben in 1997? How much Community assistance was provided for R and D in comparable regions of other Member States 2. in 1997, and for what measures? How much assistance, broken down by types of contractor (universities, research institutes, SMEs, 3. large-scale industry, etc. ), was provided for R and D in the various German La¤nder in 1997? How many applications for R and D assistance, broken down by types of programme and EU Member 4. States, were received in 1997? For what percentage of the applicants for R and D assistance did SMEs account in the Community and 5. Germany in 1997? Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (23 February 1998) The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its findings as soon as possible