WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2132/98 by Alfonso NOVO BELENGUER to the Commission. The euro and pharmaceutical packaging
C 96/42 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 8. 4. 1999 (1999/C 96/059) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2129/98 by Felipe Camisón Asensio (PPE) to the Commission Subject: Taxation of electronic commerce (10 July 1998) Has the Commission decided to act to ensure that no new tax not affecting other forms of trade is imposed on electronic commerce once it has become subject to indirect taxation, by seeking to take the necessary steps to establish absolute tax neutrality? What strategy will it pursue to that end? Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (22 September 1998) The Commission has been working with Member States for over a year to establish principles for applying the Community common value added tax (VAT) system to electronic commerce. This work progressed on the common understanding between the Commission and Member States that VAT is the best and most appropriate way to apply indirect taxation to electronic commerce. The Commission is continuing to work in consultation with Member States tax authorities and the business world, to ensure that the Community VAT system is adapted as necessary to meet developments in this new environment. It is not sufficient, however, to work only at the European level. Electronic commerce represents a global market and co-ordination is needed to find an internationally acceptable tax framework for such transactions. To this end the Commission has forwarded a communication to the Council (1) proposing guidelines for the taxation of electronic commerce stressing, amongst other things, the need for neutrality. The Council has taken note of the Commissionís work in this field and confirmed that VAT, rather than other forms of taxation, should apply to transactions in this field. The Commission is to contribute to the debate in the appropriate fora to seek agreement to an international tax framework based on the indirect tax principles approved by the Council. (1) COM(98) 374 final. (1999/C 96/060) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2132/98 by Alfonso Novo Belenguer (ARE) to the Commission Subject: The euro and pharmaceutical packaging (10 July 1998) Spainís Law 25/1990 of 20 December 1990 on medicines stipulates that, inter alia, the price and expiry date should feature on the packaging of pharmaceutical products. At present, the prices on the packaging of all pharmaceutical products in Spain are quoted in pesetas. The entry into force of the provisions on the single currency in the European Union envisages an initial transition period in which prices are to be given in euros and pesetas alike, before the obligation to quote prices in euros alone takes effect at a later stage. This is a complex and problematic situation, insofar as some pharmaceutical products already on the market have packaging with prices in pesetas and are not due to expire until 2003. Given this situation, does the Commission intend to take measures or action to alleviate the high costs involved in taking these products off the market and re-labelling them with prices quoted in euros?