14/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - The 12 December General Affairs Council adopted without debate a directive extending until the end of 2010 the minimum standard rate of VAT at 15%. The directive maintains the minimum standard VAT rate applicable in EU Member States currently in force, which would otherwise have expired on 31 December 2005, for a further period long enough to cover the ongoing strategy to simplify and modernise current EU VAT legislation (see Europe 9083). On 1 December, the...