WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3738/98 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Abolition of duty-free sales
15. 10. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 297/97 the Council has not so far been called upon to encourage the Member States to proceed with the ratification of this convention. (1999/C 297/130) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3738/98 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (11 December 1998) Subject: Abolition of duty-free sales In anticipation of a review of the entire European tax system, the 1992 directives decreed that duty-free sales in the European Union would come to an end in June 1999. The decision in favour of abolishing duty-free sales, which was taken by the Ministers of Finance, can be changed only by a symbolic use of unanimity, which it is difficult to achieve in this area. In view of the fact that the sector employs 140 000 people, and that the profits made on such sales enable all of Europe’s biggest airports to absorb a range of costs and finance works and investment, and in view of the by now spasmodic quest for job creation: Can the Commission indicate the logic behind the decision to abolish a sector which makes such a positive contribution to Community employment? Does it intend to call a halt, as a matter of urgency, to the procedures for abolishing the sector, and initiate a study to examine the results of such abolition and its impact on industrial production and employment? Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (4 March 1999) The rationale behind the ending of intra-Community duty-free sales is that of a single market. With the elimination of import and export formalities, the possibility has been created for all citizens to purchase goods, tax included, in the Member State of their choice. The changes to the tax system implicitly put an end to duty- free sales to travellers within the Community. With the sole purpose of alleviating any economic and social problems that might arise from such legislative changes, the Ecofin Council in 1991 unanimously decided to introduce a specific measure, limited in time, allowing for the phasing out of that activity. Regarding the employment aspect, the Commission has adopted on 17 February 1999 a communication to the Parliament and the Council concerning the employment aspects of the decision to abolish tax and duty-free sales for intra-Community travellers (1). This communication is the follow-up to the request by the Vienna European Council in December 1998 to examine by March 1999, the problems that could arise with regard to employment following the abolition of intra-Community duty-free sales. (1) COM(99) 65. (1999/C 297/131) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3740/98 by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission (11 December 1998) Subject: Battery hens Will the Commission indicate what research it has put in hand or undertaken on practical alternative methods to the battery system for producing eggs?