§ Mr. WhittingdaleTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions have taken place with other European Ministers about the harmonisation of excise duties; and if he will make a statement. [54632]
§ Dawn PrimaroloExcise duty rates on alcohol, tobacco and oils within the EU were discussed in ECOFIN on 23 October 1995.
In relation to oils, a proposal for a directive restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of energy products was introduced at the 17 March 1997 ECOFIN. The Presidency created a High Level Working Group at official level to discuss the proposal, and produced a brief progress report to ECOFIN on 12 May 1997. ECOFIN called on the Commission to do further work on the single market case for the proposal, its environmental and economic justification, and the impact on competitiveness. A number of discussions took place at official working group level under the Dutch, Luxembourg and UK Presidencies to examine technical aspects of the proposal. The last Ministerial level 670W discussion took place in the Tax Policy Group, under the chairmanship of Commissioner Monti, on 3 July this year at which I represented the UK.
For tobacco products, the Commission published its report on its biennial review of the minimum rates in June. The first discussion, at official working group level, is scheduled to take place in September. Discussion in ECOFIN is expected to follow.
The Commission's report on alcohol minimum rates, due by 31 December 1996, is awaited.