Contents: The plenary session of 14 and 15 March 2018 was attended by Andrus ANSIP, European Commission vice-president for the Digital Single Market and Marcos PEÑA, president of the Spanish Economic and Social Council. The following opinions were adopted: Economic and Monetary Economic and Social Cohesion VAT reform package (I) Rapporteur: Giuseppe GUERINI (Various Interests IT) – Co-rapporteur: Krister ANDERSSON (Employers SE) – Reference: COM(2017) 566 final COM(2017) 567 final - 2017/0248 (CNS) COM(2017) 568 - 2017/0249 (NLE) COM(2017) 569 - 2017/0251 (CNS) EESC-2017-05392-00-00-AC-TRA Key points: The EESC: considers that the current EU VAT system is highly fragmented and complex and subsequently reduces and distorts trade and investment by creating unnecessary and extensive administrative burdens and trade barriers for businesses; welcomes the Commission's determination to close the VAT gap and the involvement of the European Public Prosecutor's Office in cases of VAT fraud above EUR 10 million; recommends that tax authorities investigate how upcoming technologies can contribute to the fight against VAT fraud and be used as a helpful tool for simplifying the administrative burden on both businesses and tax administrations. In particular, Member States should create appropriate fora for the exchange of best practices in revenue collection and on how to develop technologies to facilitate proper tax collection in cross-border trade situations;
Contents: The plenary session of 14 and 15 March 2018 was attended by Andrus ANSIP, European Commission vice-president for the Digital Single Market and Marcos PEÑA, president of the Spanish Economic and Social Council. The following opinions were adopted: Economic and Monetary Economic and Social Cohesion VAT reform package (I) Rapporteur: Giuseppe GUERINI (Various Interests – IT) Co-rapporteur: Krister ANDERSSON (Employers – SE) Reference: COM(2017) 566 final COM(2017) 567 final - 2017/0248 (CNS) COM(2017) 568 - 2017/0249 (NLE) COM(2017) 569 - 2017/0251 (CNS) EESC-2017-05392-00-00-AC-TRA Key points: The EESC: considers that the current EU VAT system is highly fragmented and complex and subsequently reduces and distorts trade and investment by creating unnecessary and extensive administrative burdens and trade barriers for businesses; welcomes the Commission's determination to close the VAT gap and the involvement of the European Public Prosecutor's Office in cases of VAT fraud above EUR 10 million; recommends that tax authorities investigate how upcoming technologies can contribute to the fight against VAT fraud and be used as a helpful tool for simplifying the administrative burden on both businesses and tax administrations. In particular, Member States should create appropriate fora for the exchange of best practices in revenue collection and on how to develop technologies to facilitate proper tax collection in cross-border trade situations;
eesc-2018-00950-00-01-tcd-tra-en.docx