MEPs back Scicluna’s ‘Single Market Report’

Labour MEP Prof Edward Scicluna today welcomed the vote by the Economic and Monetary Affairs committee which gave an overwhelming majority to his opinion report on reforming the EU’s single market, where it concerns cross-border issues. The ECON committee, on which Prof Scicluna sits as Vice-Chair, yesterday endorsed his opinion on “The 20 main concerns of European citizens and businesses with the functioning of the Single Market”.

Prof Scicluna’s opinion focused on simplifying procedures for reclaiming VAT, making use of basic banking services, retiring abroad and reducing tax barriers for businesses and citizens. It also called on the European Commission to apply a ‘think small first’ principle when drafting legislation to assess the likely impact on small businesses.

Prof Scicluna said:

“The creation of the single market for nearly 500 million citizens was one of the biggest achievements of the EU. It has helped drive economic growth and made it easier for our companies to do business and for people to live and work in other European countries. Countries neighbouring the EU still want to gain access to it.”

“But there are a number of areas where citizens and small businesses raised a number of concerns. There are still problems around double taxation, and some EU laws inflict a heavy burden on small businesses. That is why I want to improve business access to micro-finance and venture capital and for us to take steps to reduce excessive regulatory costs.”

“In this time of economic uncertainty we need to make sure that the single market is fit for purpose and tailored towards the needs of the small businesses which are the lifeblood of our economy.”

– 2nd June 2012

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Rapport tal-Ewroparlamentari Laburista il-Prof Scicluna dwar ir-Riforma tas-Suq Uniku jiġi approvat b’maġġoranza assoluta

L-Ewroparlamentari Laburista, l-Professur Edward Scicluna laqa b’sodisfazzjon il-vot tal-Kumitat tal-Affarijiet Ekonomiċi u Monetarji li approva ir-rapport tiegħu b’maġġoranza assoluta dwar ir-riforma tas-suq uniku fuq ”

L-20 preokkupazzjoni ewlenija taċ-ċittadini u n-negozji Ewropej rigward il-funzjonament tas-Suq Uniku”.
L-opinjoni tal-Prof Scicluna iffukat fuq is-simplifikar tal-proċeduri biex tinġabar lura l-VAT, ikun hemm aċċess għal servizzi bankarji bażiċi, rtirar f’pajjiżi barranin u tnaqqis ta’ ostakoli fiskali għaċ-ċittadini u n-negozji. L-opinjoni saħqet ukoll mal-Kummissjoni Ewropea biex tapplika l-prinċipju ‘Think Small First’ kull meta tiġi biex tfassal legislazzjoni u kif din tista’ tħalli mpatt fuq intrapriżi zgħar.

Prof. Scicluna qal:

‘Il-ħolqien tas-suq uniku għall-kważi 500 miljun ċittadin kien wieħed mill-akbar riżultati tal- Unjoni Ewropea u għen biex jixpruna it-tkabbir ekonomiku filwaqt li għamilha iktar faċli għall-kumpaniji u għan-nies biex jinnegozjaw, jaħdmu u jgħixu f’pajjiżi oħra tal-Unjoni Ewropea. Pajjiżi ġirien tal-UE ukoll jixtiequ jkollhom aċċess għal dan.

“Pero, għad fadal xi jħasseb kemm liċ-ċittadini kif ukoll lil dawk li jmexxu l-intrapriżi ż-żgħar. Għad għandna problemi rigward it-tassazzjoni doppja, u xi liġijiet tal-UE qed ipoġġu toqol esaġerat fuq l-intrapriżi żgħar. Huwa minħabba f’hekk li rrid ntejjeb l-aċċess tal-intrapriżi għal micro-finance u nieħdu passi biex innaqqsu l-ispejjeż żejda fir-regolarizzazzjoni “.

“F’dan iż-żmien ta’ inċertezza ekonomika hemm bżonn niżguraw li s-suq komuni jilħaq il-bżonnijiet għall-esiġenzi u l-ħtiġijiet tal-intrapriżi ż-żgħar li huma vitali għall-ekonomija tagħna”.

– 2 ta’ Gunju 2012.

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