| Author (Corporate) | European Commission: Press and Communication Service |
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| Series Title | Press Release |
| Series Details | IP/00/237 (9.3.00) |
| Publication Date | 09/03/2000 |
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The Commission has sent a letter to Belgium urging the Government to respect Community law by ensuring the immediate and definitive repeal throughout the country of all taxes levied on satellite dishes and the refund of any taxes already paid. The Commission believes that the tax levied by some local authorities ('communes') on satellite dishes constitutes an obstacle to the cross-border reception and distribution of television signals and therefore violates the principle of the free movement of services as laid down in the Treaty (Article 49). Following the reasoned opinion (the second stage of formal infringement proceedings) sent by the Commission to Belgium in May 1999 on the subject (see IP/99/281), Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels-Capital declared they would comply with the Treaty and a number of places (including all Communes of Brussels) have now repealed the tax. But the Commission has received several complaints that it is still imposed in a large number of communes, specially in Wallonia and particularly in certain large cities, such as Mons, Charleroi, Liege and Namur. Moreover, all requests for reimbursement of taxes already paid have so far been systematically rejected by competent authorities, according to the complaints. |
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| Source Link | http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/00/237&format=HTML&rapid=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en |
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| Subject Categories | Internal Markets |
| Countries / Regions | Belgium |
