Maltese MEP Alfred Sant said the European Commission should remain careful in not having a disproportionate legislative response that risks harming States’ sovereignty in matters of taxation. Dr Sant, explaining his vote in favour of a motion on the EC’s new proposals to combat fraud at the European Parliament, said that careful attention should be paid to any arising complications that could burden small and medium enteprises, especially micro enterprises; as well as to the implications for commerce in the digital market.
Every year, EU member states lose more than €151 billion in tax revenue due to VAT fraud, including €50 billion through the so-called ‘carousel fraud’ on cross-border operations.
“I voted in favour of this proposal because it seeks to protect national tax revenues. In a way, it does this because it considers that national tax officers should and would protect the tax revenues of other States as if they were due to their own state. EU measures dealing with administrative cooperation between member states in the field of VAT have been in place for more than a decade now. The Commission is at present seeking to involve Member States in a common enterprise of protection of tax receipts across the EU. Such proposal is welcome in a context where the VAT gap is reaching staggering amounts. Everyone is losing from faulty tax collection systems, while illicit activities prosper thanks to the missing VAT dues. Opening national databases and transparency of information will certainly help tackling cross-border fraud schemes.” remarked the Maltese MEP.
The motion was passed with 576 votes in favour, 30 against and 32 abstentions.

Maltese Version – MEMBRI STATI TAL-UE JITILFU €151 BILJUN FIS-SENA BI FRODI TAL-VAT

Il-Kummissjoni Ewropea għandha tkun attenta li ma tkunx sproporzjonata fil-proposti leġiżlattivi tagħha biex tikkumbatti l-frodi fil-VAT bir-riskju li tweġġa’ s-sovranita` tal-membri stati tal-UE fil-qasam tat-tassazzjoni. Dan qalu Alfred Sant meta spjega l-vot tiegħu fil-Parlament Ewropew favur mozzjoni dwar il-proposti l-ġodda tal-KE kontra l-frodi fil-VAT. Dr Sant qal li għandha tingħata attenzjoni kbira għax il-kumplikazzjonijiet jistgħu jkunu ta’ piż fuq l-intrapriżi żgħar u medji, speċjalment fuq l-intrapriżi żgħar ħafna u jista’ jkun hemm ukoll implikazzjonijiet għall-kummerċ fis-suq diġitali.
Kull sena, il-membri tal-UE jitilfu aktar minn €151 biljun fid-dħul tagħhom minħabba frodi fil-VAT, inklużi €50 biljun bis-saħħa ta’ dik li tissejjaħ ‘carousel fraud’ f’kummerċ bejn stat membru u ieħor.
“Ivvotajt favur il-proposta għax tipproteġi id-dħul nazzjonali tat-taxxa. Tagħmel dan għax tikkonsidra li l-uffiċċjali tat-taxxa se jipproteġu id-dħul mit-taxxa ta’ stati oħra daqs li kienu dovuti lill-istat tagħhom. Miżuri Ewropej dwar kooperazzjoni amministrattiva bejn l-istati membri fil-qasam tal-VAT ilhom mwaqqfa aktar minn għaxar snin. Il-KE qed tipprova tinvolvi l-istati membri f’ħidma komuni biex tipproteġi l-irċevuti fiskali fl-UE kollha. Proposti ta’ dan it-tip huma milqugħa f’kuntest fejn il-frodi fil-VAT qed jilħqu ċifri xokkanti. Kulħadd jitlef minn sistemi ta’ ġbir ta’ taxxa li ma jaħdmux tajjeb, filwaqt li attivitajiet illeċiti jiffjorixxu grazzi għal ħlasijiet nieqsa tal-VAT. Il-ftuħ ta’ ‘databases’ nazzjonali u trasparenza fl-informazzjoni żgur se jgħinu biex il-frodi fit-taxxa bejn stat membru u ieħor ikunu indirizzati.” irrimarka l-Ewroparlamentari Malti.
Il-mozzjoni għaddiet b’ 576 vot favur, 30 kontra u 32 astenzjoni.

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