EU
Policies
:
Environment
Public
consultation
on a
possible
EU
scheme
on
Environmental
Technologies
Verification.
Source :
DG ENV
Date of
writing
:
19/11/2007
Latest
update :
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Objective
The
objective
of this
consultation
is to
gather a
wide
variety
of views
on the
main
options
identified
in order
to
prepare
for a
formal
proposal
in 2008.
The
consultation
is open
until
the 20th
January
2008.
More
information
The
consultation
paper
and
online
consultation
are
available
at the
following
address:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/etap/consultation_en.htm
_____________________________________________________
EU
Policies
:
Enterprise
Policy &
Financing
VAT:
Commission’s
public
consultation
on the
possible
introduction
of an
optional
reverse
charge
mechanism
Source :
DG
Taxation
&
Customs
Union
Date of
writing
:
21/08/2007
Latest
update :
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the
context
of the
recent
discussions
on a
co-ordinated
strategy
in the
fight
against
VAT
fraud a
debate
has been
launched
by a
number
of
Member
States
on the
possibility
to
change
the VAT
system
substantially
in order
to
combat
VAT
fraud.
One of
the
options
discussed
is the
possible
introduction
of an
optional
reverse
charge
mechanism,
which
would
imply
shifting
the tax
liability
from the
supplier
to the
recipient
with
respect
to
commercial
transactions
whose
value
would
exceed a
certain
threshold.
On 14
August
2007 the
European
Commission
launched
a public
consultation
on this
issue
with the
objective
to
ascertain
the
views
and
opinions
of
businesses
on
additional
costs
and/or
benefits
which
the
possible
introduction
of an
optional
reverse
charge
mechanism
might
cause
for them.
The
consultation
is based
on a
study
assessing
the
expected
impact
of such
an
option
on
businesses.
The
final
report
of this
study
together
with
some
more
information
can be
found
here:
-
Consultation
paper -
Possible
introduction
of an
optional
reverse
charge
mechanism
for VAT
- Impact
on
businesses
- Study
in
respect
of
introducing
an
optional
reverse
charge
mechanism
in the
EU VAT
Directive
The
Commission
hopes to
obtain a
set of
reactions
and
contributions
concerning
the
issues
raised
by the
study.
Among
others,
the
contributions
made by
all the
interested
parties
will
contribute
to the
further
considerations
of the
Commission.
The
consultation
document
is of
particular
interest
to all
businesses,
regardless
of size
or
branch
of
industry,
since
all
economic
operators
might be
affected
by a
reverse
charge
system.
However,
the
consultation
document
should
not be
interpreted
as a
commitment
by the
Commission
to any
initiative
in this
area.
Interested
parties
are
invited
to
submit
their
comments
by 15
October
2007 at
the
latest.
Comments
may be
sent by
letter,
fax or
electronic
mail for
the
attention
of Ms
Petra
Spaniol.
Correspondence:
European
Commission
Directorate
General
for
Taxation
and
Customs
Union
Administrative
Cooperation
and
Fight
against
Fraud
Rue
Montoyer
59,
office
5/11
B-1049
Brussels
Belgium
Fax: +
32-2-299-36-48
Electronic
mail:
TAXUD-D4-ATFS@ec.europa.eu
The
Commission
will
publish
a report
summarising
the
outcome
of this
consultation
as soon
as
possible
after
the end
of the
feedback
period.
If, for
any
reason,
you wish
your
comments
to
remain
confidential,
please
state
this.
Otherwise
the
Commission
will
assume
that you
have no
objection
to their
subsequent
publication
on its
website.
Useful
link:
Website
of DG
Taxation
&
Customs
Union
http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/taxation/index_en.htm
_______________________________________________________________
EU
Policies
:
Environment
Cleaner
trucks
and
buses:
Commission
consults
on
tighter
emission
limits
Source :
Europa
website
Date of
writing
:
23.07.2007
Latest
update :
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reducing
harmful
emissions
from
trucks
and
buses is
the
objective
of a
draft
package,
which
the
European
Commission
intends
to bring
forward
by the
end of
2007.
Before
finalising
this
so-called
“Euro
VI”
proposal,
the
Commission
is now
inviting
stakeholders
to
comment
on the
future
limit
values,
for
emissions
such as
particulate
matters
or
nitrogen
oxides (NOx).
The
Commission
proposal
will
significantly
contribute
to a
further
improvement
of air
quality
in
Europe.
The
Commission
will
take
into
account
the
feedback
received
in the
consultation
when
drafting
the
final
proposal.
In that
context,
the
draft
Euro VI
proposal
will lay
down
common
EU rules
on the
construction
of motor
vehicles
with
regard
mainly
to their
emissions
of ozone
precursors
(nitrogen
oxides –
NOx –
and
hydrocarbons
– HC)
and
particulate
matter (PM).
Stakeholders
are
requested
to give
their
views on
a number
of
scenarios
with
different
levels
of
stringency.
In order
to
converge
to
uniform
limit
values
in
different
parts of
the
world,
two of
the
scenarios
are
similar
to the
future
US
standards.
Stakeholders
are also
requested
to
comment
on the
influence
of the
different
scenarios
on fuel
consumption
and CO2.
Interested
stakeholders
are
invited
to email
their
comments
by 5
September
2007 to
the
following
address:
entr-emissions-euro-VI@ec.europa.eu
For more
information
please
see:
Public
consultation
on the
future
Euro VI
emission
limits
for
heavy
duty
vehicles
_____________________________________________________
EU
Policies
:
Internal
Market
Consultation
on a
possible
European
Private
Company
Statute
Source :
Europa
website
Date of
writing
:
20.07.2007
Latest
update :
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The
initiative
on a
European
Private
Company
Statute
was
identified
as one
of the
mid-term
measures
foreseen
in the
EU
Company
Law and
Corporate
Governance
Action
Plan
adopted
in 2003.
The
objective
is to
make it
easier
for
European
SMEs to
conduct
cross-border
business
by
providing
them
with a
European
legal
form,
uniform
in each
Member
State.
In this
context,
on 19
July
2007,
the
European
Commission
has
launched
a public
consultation
on the
obstacles
companies
– in
SMEs –
face
when
conducting
cross-border
business
in the
EU and
on the
content
of a
possible
European
Private
Company
Statute.
Responses
will be
taken
into
account
in a
forthcoming
impact
assessment
and
possible
legislative
proposal.
The
deadline
for
responses
is 31
October
2007.
The
questionnaire
is
available
here
For
further
information:
Press
release
of the
European
Commission
(IP/07/1146)
_____________________________________________________
EU
Policies
:
Internal
Market
Services
Directive:
launch
of a
vast
consultation
on codes
of
conduct
Source :
Europa
website
Date of
writing
:
05/06/2007
Latest
update : |
The Services
Directive - due
to be
implemented by
Member States by
end 2009 -
contains key
provisions
relating to
improving
quality of
service. In this
context, Member
States shall, in
cooperation with
the Commission,
encourage the
setting up of
codes of conduct,
in particular,
by professional
bodies,
organisations
and associations
at Community
level .
These codes of
conduct would
help to
facilitate the
free movement of
service
providers, who
would be able to
use detailed
rules of conduct
with which they
are already
familiar, and to
increase freedom
of choice for
consumers.
Internal Market
and Services
Commissioner
Charlie McCreevy
said: "Codes
of conduct are
crucial to
improving
quality of
service and are
an essential
part of the
Services
Directive.”.
He encouraged
all interested
stakeholders to
take part in the
consultation
launched on 30
Mai 2007 and
give the
Commission their
views on how
best to develop
these codes of
conduct at
European level.
The
questionnaire is
available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/services/services-dir/conduct_en.htm
The Commission’s
press release is
available at :
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/753&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=fr
________________________________________________________________________________________________
EU Policies :
Environment
Green Paper
of the
Commission on
market based
instruments for
environment and
related policy
purposes
|
Source : DG Taxation & Customs Union
Date of writing : 11/04/2007
Latest update :
|
It concerns a public consultation on advancing the use of
market-based instruments for environment and energy related policy purposes in
the Community. The consultation is open until 31 July 2007.
The Commission has just launched a broad public consultation on advancing the
use of market-based instruments for environment and energy related policy
purposes in the Community. Market-based instruments, such as taxes, charges and
tradable permit schemes provide a flexible and cost-efficient means for reaching
given policy objectives. In the Green Paper, the Commission explores a wide
range of areas where the use of market-based instruments including taxation
could be promoted further, such as energy consumption, environmental impact of
transport and other areas of environment policy.
More in particular the green paper explores possible ways
forward with the
Energy Taxation Directive to make it more supportive of the EU energy and
environmental policies in line with the
Action Plan for Energy Efficiency. The green paper also addresses broader
issues such as environmental tax reforms and role of taxation and fiscal
instruments in general in the context of the integrated energy and climate
change agenda of the EU.
All interested parties are welcome to comment on the paper
and/or send responses to all or selected questions raised in the green paper to
the following e-mail address:
Green-paper-mbi@ec.europa.eu
The public consultation is open until 31 July 2007.
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