Sanitary Protection: VAT

(asked on 26th May 2016) - View Source

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish all correspondence between his Department and the European Commission on the UK's request to introduce a zero rate of VAT on women's sanitary products.


Answered by
David Gauke Portrait
David Gauke
This question was answered on 10th June 2016

On 3 November 2015, I wrote to Commissioner Pierre Moscovici and other Member States setting out the Government view that EU Member States should have full discretion over what rate of VAT they apply to sanitary products. I reiterated that call in a letter to Commissioner Pierre Moscovici on 17 December 2015.

At the March European Council, the Prime Minister secured the agreement of all Member States to European Council Conclusions which welcomed ‘the intention of the Commission to include proposals for increased flexibility for Member States with respect to reduced rates of VAT, which would provide the option to Member States of VAT zero rating of sanitary products‎'.

The Chancellor wrote to Pierre Moscovici on 19 April, requesting that the Commission urgently bring forward a specific proposal to cover VAT rates on sanitary products.

On 25 May ECOFIN agreed Conclusions which called for a proposal ‘foreseeing an option to Member States of VAT reduced or zero rating for women’s sanitary products at the earliest opportunity’.

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