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 European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the Becsey Report calling for such an extension as part of the consultation procedure (see EUROPE 9082). MEPs want the maximum standard rate of VAT throughout the EU to be set at 25% until 2010 (a VAT ceiling is not yet covered by EU rules) but the ministers at the Council meeting did not discuss this.