Successful outcome of AGE lobby on VAT rules for NGOs

Successful outcome of AGE lobby on VAT rules for NGOs: EP has decided each Member State should decide itself about VAT for NGOs

On 13 October the European Parliament adopted a Resolution on the Future of VAT. This has key implications for older people’s NGOs:

AGE contribution to EC consultation

In AGE’s response to the Green Paper, we highlighted our members concerns that reflections on the future of VAT might lead to the removal of existing VAT exemptions on small revenues generated by the activities of non-for-profit organisations at the local level. Our members in countries which share the tax exemption (i.e. Austria, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden) were concerned that the removal of such exemptions would place a heavy administrative burden on small older people’s organisations, which are often run largely or entirely by volunteers, and would risk making their fundraising activities no longer financially viable.

AGE considers that it is essential that the Commission takes a detailed look at what the removal of VAT exemptions would mean in practice for small organisations staffed by volunteers and that it weighs up the administrative obligations and costs in terms of time and resources that this would impose on them. In order for locally-based older people’s organisations - who are carrying out social activities in the public interest - to be able to continue to play a vital role and to bring added-value to the communities in which they function, their fundraising activities should either remain exempt from VAT or a threshold should be set so that these not-for-profit organsisations with limited revenue sources will not be negatively affected by any future harmonisation in VAT rules.

What’s next?

The EP Resolution follows on from the Commission’s Green Paper consultation (December 2010) that launched the debate to evaluate the current VAT system. The consultation focused on how to strengthen and improve the current VAT system for tax payers and administrations and its findings will be available in the coming weeks. Currently the European Commission is carrying out a study on the impact of a reform of the VAT system in the EU. The results of this study, the consultation’s findings and the EP Resolution will contribute to the draft of their proposal which is expected by the end of 2011.

For further details, please contact Rachel Buchanan, Policy Officer for Employment and Non-Discrimination, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Adopted EP Resolution on The Future of VAT:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P7-TA-2011-0436+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN

AGE response to consultation on the Commission’s Green paper on the future of VAT:

http://www.age-platform.eu/images/stories/AGE_response_Final.pdf

AGE successfully lobbies for EP report on the European Disability Strategy 2010-2020 to retain call for anti-discrimination directive

Prior to the plenary vote on 25 October on the EP report ‘Mobility and inclusion of people with disabilities and the European Disability Strategy 2010-2020’ (rapporteur Ádám Kósa MEP (EEP/HU)), AGE successfully lobbied EPP MEPs and the Intergroup on Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity for their support against an amendment tabled by the EPP to attempt to water down the clear call for the draft horizontal directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment in paragraph 53 which was based on a hard won compromise between all political groups.

AGE reminded MEPs that the adoption of the EPP proposed amendment would prove counterproductive. It would have negative consequences not only for citizens' confidence in the EU project but in particular for their confidence in EP support to implementing the principle of equal treatment between all persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. AGE recalled that it is essential that the EP seeks to do justice for all its citizens by reinforcing its call on the Commission to continue to support the overcoming of technical difficulties within the Council in order to ensure that an agreement is soon reached on the draft horizontal directive.

AGE is therefore happy that this EPP proposal fell and that the adopted item reads as:

53. Notes that the Member States should, as a priority, agree and adopt as soon as possible the proposal for a Council directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation (COM(2008)0426); calls on the Commission to continue to support the overcoming of technical difficulties within the Council in order to ensure that a swift agreement is reached; notes that anti-discrimination policy plays a key role in promoting social inclusion and employment for people with disabilities.

This was approved with 362 votes in favour, 273 against and 23 abstentions.

EP Report: Mobility and inclusion of people with disabilities and the European Disability Strategy 2010-2020: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=5884332

For further details, please contact Rachel Buchanan, Policy Officer for Non-Discrimination and Employment, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Last Updated on Tuesday, 01 November 2011 09:05

New Communication on renewed EU strategy 2011-14 for CSR: AGE welcomes Commission’s intention to promote dialogue with enterprises on active ageing

On the 25 October 2011 the Commission launched its new Communication on CSR for the period 2011-2014. This Communication - which build on its 2006 predecessor - aims to strengthen EU global leadership on CSR by implementing an intensive ‘Agenda for Action’ with around 30 proposals for CSR commitments. Progress will be monitored and a joint review meeting bringing together the Commission, Member States, enterprises and other stakeholders will be held by mid-2014.

There are a number of aspects in this Communication of interest to AGE. It introduces important new elements to help further extend the impact of CSR policy. In particular, it aims to encourage companies to be even more involved in addressing employment and social issues within the Europe 2020 Strategy and in securing an exit from the economic crisis. Enterprises are also encouraged to adopt a long-term strategic approach to CSR and to explore opportunities for developing innovative products, services and business models that contribute to societal wellbeing and lead to higher quality and more productive jobs. Furthermore, the Commission promotes dialogue with enterprises and other stakeholders on issues such as employability, demographic change and ageing in the context of the upcoming EY2012, and on workplace challenges (including diversity management, gender equality, education and training, and employee health and well-being). The Commission believes these will be drivers of new commercial opportunities for companies. This will also be positive for reinforcement of the social market economy model, mitigation of recent job losses and the achievement of the 75% employment target.

With this new initiative, the Commission will continue to work closely with stakeholders, including companies, trade unions, and NGOs. For instance, to cooperate with CSR Europe to review and define the next steps of its Enterprise 2020 initiative, a reference initiative for companies committed to developing innovative business practices and working together with their stakeholders to provide solutions to emerging societal needs. AGE participates in this Enterprise 2020 initiative through its involvement as a leader in the CSR Europe led Collaborative Venture for  the Business Contribution to the European Year for Active Ageing. AGE is also involved in its Collaborative Ventures on Financial Capability for Europe's Youth and Retirees and Using Potential - Jointly Tackling Demographic Change in Europe.

For further details, please contact Rachel Buchanan, Policy Officer for Non-Discrimination and Employment, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Renewed EU strategy 2011-14 for Corporate Social Responsibility: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newsroom/cf/itemlongdetail.cfm?item_id=5511.

Collaborative Venture on Business Contribution to the European Year for Active Ageing: http://www.csreurope.org/pages/en/business_contribution_ot_the_european_year_for_active_ageing.html

Last Updated on Monday, 31 October 2011 14:35

AGE and ERIO launch joint position on older Roma

On the eve of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and the first Convention of the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion on 17 October 201, AGE and ERIO have launched a joint paper which looks in detail at those obstacles encountered by older Roma to access education, work-related training or employment, attain an adequate income in old age or to provide themselves with decent housing conditions and the health care and social support they need as they grow older.

This paper builds on existing work done by AGE and ERIO to raise awareness of the problems and difficulties that older Roma face in today’s society, drawing on a series of interviews carried out in 2010 for AGE by a Roma researcher, Maryana Borisova, carried out a study for AGE among older Roma living in four European countries where varying socio-economic conditions prevail: Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, and Poland. A few Bulgarian older Roma living in Belgium were also interviewed

AGE and ERIO believe that the various political levels can each play a different but complementary role in supporting the inclusion and wellbeing of older Roma. As a key step towards this objective, we stress the importance of ensuring that older Roma are integrated within all EU initiatives on Roma inclusion and considered as part of the target groups in the forthcoming 2012 European Year on Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations.   

For further details, please contact Rachel Buchanan, Policy Officer for Employment and Non-Discrimination, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The position paper is available here.

 

Last Updated on Friday, 14 October 2011 17:12