WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2728/98 by Graham MATHER to the Commission. Taxation of savings income (COM(98)295)
C 118/128 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 29. 4. 1999 The Council has made it quite clear that Cubaís admission as an observer member to the group of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries does not make its accession to the LomØ Convention a foregone conclusion. The Commission would draw the Honourable Memberís attention to the fact that relations between the Union and Cuba are governed by the common position adopted on 2 December 1996 and confirmed on 9 June this year. (1999/C 118/157) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2727/98 by Graham Mather (PPE) to the Commission (1 September 1998) Subject: Impact of proposed directive on taxation of savings income (COM(98) 295) Following a General Affairs Council meeting in July 1998, Mr Jacques Poos was reported as having called for a study by an independent firm of the potential effects on capital markets of the introduction of the measures set out in this proposal. Can the Commission confirm that such a study will be commissioned? If not, can it explain why it does not consider that such a study would be necessary or useful? (1999/C 118/158) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2728/98 by Graham Mather (PPE) to the Commission (1 September 1998) Subject: Taxation of savings income (COM(98) 295) The Impact Assessment Form attached to this proposal states that áthe impact of the proposal is. centred on the cost of supplementary administrative responsibilities asked of the paying agentsí, but makes no attempt to quantify this cost. Does the Commission agree that a quantification of this cost would be extremely useful for a consideration of the potential impact of this Directive, and will it undertake to produce one? (1999/C 118/159) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2729/98 by Graham Mather (PPE) to the Commission (1 September 1998) Subject: Taxation of savings income (COM(98) 295) The Impact Assessment Form attached to this proposal states that áthe impact of the proposal is. centred on the cost of supplementary administrative responsibilities asked of the paying agents,í and gives no serious consideration to the possibility that capital flight could result from the imposition of a withholding tax, despite clear precedents which suggest that this would occur and would be substantial. 1. What consideration has the Commission given to this issue, and does it propose to produce a document detailing this consideration? 2. Given the tremendous importance of this question, particularly in view of the suggestion made by Mr Helmut Kramer at the Austrian Presidency Tax Conference, held in Vienna on 13 July, 1 000 billion might be liable to the proposed withholding tax, will the Commission put in hand an independent study to examine it?