§ Mr. Simsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when representations were last made to the European Community Commission and the Italian Government about Italy's failure to conform with outstanding European Court judgments concerning value added tax and state duty levied on spirituous beverages.
§ Mrs. FennerMy right hon. Friend wrote to the Commissioner responsible in July to express his concern on this matter and further representations have been made at official level since then. Additionally, two of my Ministerial colleagues have raised the question whilst on official visits to Italy, most recently on 31 October.
§ Mr. Simsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, whether he has made any representations to the United States Agriculture Minister regarding his threat of retaliation against imports of Community-produced spirituous beverages in the event of the European Community introducing a tax on fats and oils.
§ Mr. JoplingDuring a recent visit to Washington, I made clear to the United States Administration my strong opposition to the proposed tax on oils and fats and also my views on US retaliation.
§ Mr. Simsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the impact on the Scotch whisky industry of the recent agreement between the European Community and Greece whereby discrimination against imports by that country of Scotch whisky will remain until early 1989; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. FennerMy Department and the DTI have kept in constant touch with the Scotch Whisky Association and the Commission about the effect of Greek taxation measures on imports of Scotch whisky. It is unfortunate that the recent agreement between the Commission and Greece does not remove immediately the discriminatory taxes which affect Scotch whisky and other products, but a key element is the programme for their progressive removal which will be completed at the end of 1988.