WRITTEN QUESTION P-2220/99 by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Tax discussions.
20. 6. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 170 E/151 (2000/C 170 E/184) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2207/99 by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission (29 November 1999) Subject: Demolition of the former Pacini Theatre by the Fucecchio municipal authorities (Florence) In 1997 the council of the municipality of Fucecchio (Florence), adopted Decisions Nos 42 and 78 in which it approved a bypass around the historic centre of Fucecchio which would entail the demolition of the former Pacini Theatre, built in 1 700. The theatre would be replaced by a new, larger, reinforced- concrete building and a 400-square-metre section of the public square would be sold to the real-estate company Cabelí. The above decisions, which involve changes to the urban development plan, are contrary to Law No 1089 of 1 June 1939 in which Article 1 of the general provisions on the protection of items of artistic and historical interest stipulates that a public square is inalienable by virtue of Article 23, in that it is property of which a public authority may not dispose. The resolutions which the Fucecchio authorities intend to adopt will be extremely detrimental to the Fucecchio community and run counter to the general provisions on the protection of the artistic and cultural heritage, at both national and European levels. Would the Commission be willing to urge the relevant Italian authorities to ensure that the European cultural heritage is preserved and protected according to the provisions of Article 128 of the Treaty, which stipulates, inter alia, that Community action in the cultural domain should seek to promote the cultures of the Member States whilst at the same time bringing the common cultural heritage to the fore? Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission (20 December 1999) The EC Treaty ü and in particular Article 151 thereof (formerly Article 128) ü gives the Community competence in the area of culture. According to Article 151, Community action is aimed exclusively ü in full compliance with the principle of subsidiarity ü at contributing to cooperation between Member States; contributing to the flowering of the cultures of the Member States, while respecting their national and regional diversity; and fostering cooperation with third countries and the competent international organisations in the sphere of culture. Consequently, the Commission cannot intervene in a matter which, in this case, is solely the responsibility of Italy. (2000/C 170 E/185) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2220/99 by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission (19 November 1999) Subject: Tax discussions 1. What meetings have been held in the last month to discuss elements of what is known as the Monti tax package, and what meetings are scheduled for the same purpose in the next two months? Specifically, what tax matters have been discussed at the meetings held during the last month, and 2. what matters are due to be discussed at upcoming meetings? In the interests of transparency, will the Commission provide Parliament with summary reports of 3. these meetings and with any documents on which discussions have been based? Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission (3 December 1999) 1. and 2. The following is a list of the meetings with Member States which have taken place since 1 October 1999. The tax package is due to be discussed at the European Council in Helsinki on 10 and C 170 E/152 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 20. 6. 2000 11 December 1999. Apart from that, there is no information at present on what, if any, further meetings will take place in the next two months on the subject of the tax package. The code of conduct group met on 14 and 15 October 1999 and on 27 October 1999 when a few outstanding issues and a first draft of the groupís final report were discussed. Revised drafts were prepared, considered and further developed at meetings on 3 and 4 November 1999 and 12 November 1999 and the report of the group was presented to the Ecofin Council meeting on 29 November 1999. On the proposal for a directive on the taxation of savings income there was a Council working group technical meeting on 6 October 1999 on certificate procedure and elimination of double taxation. At the Ecofin Council on 8 October 1999 reports were presented on the promotion of the principles of the proposed directive in the dependent and associated territories of Member States. At a Council working group high level meeting on 19 October 1999 there was a general discussion on a possible redrafting of the savings directive. There was a Council ad hoc meeting at political level on 28 October 1999 on outstanding issues of the tax package. The Ecofin Council on 8 November 1999 examined the tax package as a whole. A meeting organised by the Presidency with market operators took place on 18 November 1999, there was a Council working group meeting on 22 November 1999, and the proposal was discussed at the Ecofin Council on 29 November 1999. On the proposal for a directive on interest and royalty payments a Council working group meeting took place on 26 October 1999 on all issues outstanding. A further Council working group meeting on outstanding issues took place in the afternoon of 17 November 1999. The proposal was discussed along with the other two elements of the tax package at the Ecofin Council on 29 November 1999. 3. As all the meetings listed above are Council meetings, the official reports of these meetings and all working documents discussed at the meetings are the responsibility of the Council. The Commission does not, therefore, have the authority to supply these documents to the Parliament. However, the Commis- sioner responsible for the internal market has undertaken to be available to the relevant parliamentary committees to discuss and explain in person the position of the Commission on policy issues, and he discussed the tax package with the Economic and monetary committee on 25 November 1999. (2000/C 170 E/186) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2231/99 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission (1 December 1999) Subject: Estimate of the black economy Please give estimates or a range of estimates of the size of the áblackí economy for each of the Member States and briefly describe the methodological basis of calculation. Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission (21 December 1999) The concept of the áblackí, hidden or underground economy is not well defined. The Commission is not directly engaged in measuring it and has no estimates of its size. A large number of transactions and activities are in fact not recorded by administrative processes or by statistical enquiries for a wide range of reasons (including fraud, but also absence, exemptions, size thresholds). These transactions or activities are not necessarily in any sense hidden