HC Deb 17 February 1989 vol 147 c397W
Mr. Hind

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council.

Mr. Lilley

The ECOFIN Council met in Brussels on 13 February. I represented the United Kingdom.

The council heard proposals from the Commission for two new directives. The first would introduce a common minimum withholding tax on interest income. The second would amend directive 799/77 concerning co-operation between national tax administrations in the field of direct taxation and VAT. The proposed directives will be discussed by officials of the member states before being considered further at the April meeting of the ECOFIN Council.