The Commission has announced plans in areas such as cross-border income, inheritance taxes, dividend taxes, car registration taxes and e-Commerce to counter double taxation and difficulties in claiming tax refunds and in obtaining information on foreign tax rules.

The Commission set out a number of initiatives which include:

• A Communication on Double Taxation in 2011, examining the extent and gravity of this problem across the EU, followed by legislative proposals in 2012, proposing solutions.
• Proposals in mid-2011 to address cross-border inheritance tax problems.
• Measures to resolve the double taxation that can arise when a car that is first registered in one Member State is then moved to and re-registered in another Member State.
• Extension of a “one-stop-shop” system for e-Commerce, in order to make reporting obligations for businesses much simpler and easier for them to offer goods and services online to foreign consumers. Obstacles to e-Commerce will also be addressed within the review of the EU's VAT System for which a consultation is now open.
• Proposals in 2012 to solve problems related to the taxation of cross-border dividend payments.

In addition, the Commission intends to promote a wide dialogue amongst national authorities and stakeholders to see what else can be done to simplify tax measures to the benefit of citizens and the Internal Market. Ideas include standardised tax claim and declaration forms throughout the EU, single info-points where workers and investors could get clear and reliable tax information, and special tax measures at national level to cater for the needs of mobile and border workers.

Further details are available at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/1751&format=HTML&aged=0&language=en&guiLanguage=en