92000E2428

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2428/00

by Jeffrey Titford (EDD) to the Commission

(18 July 2000)

Subject: Removing the national veto on tax and other matters

With reference to the European Union's draft paper on institutional reform, is it correct that it calls for the abolition of the national veto on 39 separate areas of policy to forestall possible blockages in an enlarged European Union?

What are these 39 areas of policy?

The document apparently contains a list of tax matters which are closely linked to the internal market and those which are not closely linked to the internal market.

Can the Commission provide a full list of those tax matters said to be closely linked to the internal market, and those that are said not to be?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 2000)

The Honourable Member is referring to the Presidency's report to the Feira European Council on the Intergovernmental Conference on Institutional Reform(Confer 4750/00(1)). Annex 3.1 to the report contains a list of 39 provisions which should be examined with a view to a changeover to qualified majority voting. Annex 3.2 contains a draft by the Presidency for the reformulation of Article 93 (former Article 99) of the EC Treaty which would retain the principle of unanimous voting with regard to taxation. It also gives a brief list of specific measures linked to the internal market in respect of which voting by qualified majority could be envisaged. The report by the Presidency (Part I, Chapter 3, paras.6 to 8) indicates what stage the negotiations have reached.

(1) http://db.consilium.eu.int/cigdocs/EN/04750f.pdf.