Written question asked by Lord Dykes (Conservative), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 18 March 1997. It was answered by Phillip Oppenheim (Conservative) on Tuesday, 18 March 1997 on behalf of the Treasury.

Treasury

Question: If the VAT and Tax Committee established by ECOFIN has completed the draft code of conduct on VAT harmonisation.

Answer: Mr. Dykes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the VAT and Tax Committee established by ECOFIN has completed the draft code of conduct on VAT harmonisation. [20158] Mr. Oppenheim: The Verona informal ECOFIN of April 1996 established the high-level group on tax--the Monti group--to examine member states' tax systems and to consider issues of fiscal erosion. Monti recommended in a personal report to the Dublin European Council that the high-level group be continued in the form of a taxation policy group. This report was submitted to Parliament with an explanatory memorandum. The Dublin Council agreed to the continuation of the group and the taxation policy group met for the first time on 11 March 1997. The question of a code of conduct on unfair tax competition was raised but there are no proposals on the table. There is no code of conduct on VAT harmonisation.

Secondary information