asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the current state of play in EC negotiations for (i) equalisation of VAT rates and (ii) the meeting of the 1992 deadline under the Single European Act.
Written Answers. - EC Harmonisation Proposals.
26.
The Commission proposals for harmonisation of VAT and excise duties, published last August, were referred by the Council of Economic and Financial Affairs to its Economic Policy Committee in November. The Committee have been asked to report back to the Council by early spring on the macroeconomic aspects of the proposals. The Council will then decide on future action.
With regard to the 1992 deadline for the completion of the internal market, to date approximately 200 of the 300 proposals contained in the Commission's White Paper on Completing the Internal Market have now been tabled by the Commission, and about 70 have been adopted by the Council. Progress has fallen somewhat behind schedule, but it is expected that the improvement in the Council's decision making process brought about by the Single European Act will facilitate and speed up the completion of the internal market. Furthermore, it can also be expected that the agreement reached at the European Council on the Delors Plan at the end of last week will help to stimulate progress in this area.