Brussels, 18/11/2004 (Agence Europe) - On 16 November, the Ecofin Council adopted a regulation that will take effect on 1 January 2005, as well as a directive to intensify the fight against fraud relating to excise duties on tobacco, alcohol and energy products such as transport fuel, heating fuel and electricity. These rules mainly bring in an obligation to carry out an automatic exchange of information as soon as the risk of serious fault arises in a Member State.
The new legislation has a dual objective. It intensifies the exchange of information and establishes clearer and more binding rules for cooperation between national tax authorities. In the event of serious fault or the risk of serious fault, the exchange of information becomes compulsory. The time allowed for answering the requests of another Member States cannot exceed three months. Transmission of statistical data to the Commission will be better ensured and collaboration with third countries strengthened.
The Commission proposed these new rules at the beginning of the year. As the Parliament did not make any amendments at first reading (codecision), the Council immediately passed the two legislative acts.
The new legislation completes other rules already in existence. An EU decision of June 2003 aimed to set up a system for the computerisation of documents to accompany products subject to excise (EUROPE of 5 June 2003). According to the Commission, the cost of the system to the Community budget will be EUR 35 million between 2003 and 2009. In 1996, the loss of tax revenue due to fiscal fraud related to excise duties on alcohol and tobacco reportedly reached EUR 4.8 billion.