Press Release: Indirect taxation: Infringement proceedings against Italy, Germany and Greece for their failure to transpose EU Directives

The European Commission on 14 July 2005 decided to bring Italy before the European Court of Justice for failing to notify it of national measures implementing Directive 2003/96/EC on the taxation of energy products and electricity. The Commission also decided to send a formal request to Germany in the form of a reasoned opinion, the second stage of infringement proceedings under Article 226 of the EC Treaty. The Commission was also planning to send reasoned opinions to Italy and Greece, which had failed to notify it of national measures implementing Directive 2004/79/EC on mutual assistance for the recovery of tax claims.