Verbatim report of proceedings

Thursday, 13 October 2011 - Brussels

Explanations of vote

Text tabled : A7-0318/2011

  Vilja Savisaar-Toomast (ALDE), in writing. – (ET) I voted in favour of the report on the future of value-added tax. In view of the important role of value-added tax in the harmonisation of differences in taxation, in the development of a common internal market and in reducing bureaucracy, and in order to safeguard Member States’ value-added tax revenues, I am glad that we were able to consider this topic. I believe that this report, which examines the modification of the value-added tax system, is important because it offers a solution to the problem that has arisen in the transport sector, offering equal opportunities to all modes of transport. Member States should ensure that similar goods and services receive like treatment in the application of value-added tax, and should also ensure that value-added tax is applied uniformly to different cross-border transport services, regardless of the mode of transport. The situation whereby some modes of transport, for instance, bus and train transport, are subject to value-added tax, while air transport and shipping are exempt, creates unequal conditions for the provision of these same cross-border transport services. Considering that 99% of entrepreneurs in the European Union are small and medium-sized enterprises, this is also of great importance in the reduction of the administrative burdens of SMEs. The report states that administrative burdens should be reduced by 25% by 2012. I sincerely hope that Member States will accept the amendments in question.