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PARALLEL TEXTS
Le disposizioni del regime speciale dell’IVA applicabili alle agenzie di viaggio non si limitano ai casi di vendita di viaggi ai viaggiatori e si estendono alle vendite a qualsiasi cliente
Inglese tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-120_en.htm
Italiano tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-120_it.htm
Data documento: 26-09-2013
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The provisions of the special VAT scheme for travel agents are not limited to sales of travel services to travellers and extend to sales to any customer
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Le disposizioni del regime speciale dell’IVA applicabili alle agenzie di viaggio non si limitano ai casi di vendita di viaggi ai viaggiatori e si estendono alle vendite a qualsiasi cliente
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The Court therefore dismisses in their entirety the Commission’s actions against Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Greece, France, Finland and Portugal and upholds in part the action against Spain
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La Corte respinge in tal modo nella loro interezza i ricorsi della Commissione contro la Polonia, l’Italia, la Repubblica ceca, la Grecia, la Francia, la Finlandia e il Portogallo e accoglie parzialmente il ricorso contro la Spagna
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The European Commission brought a series of infringement proceedings against eight Member States for failure to comply with their obligations under the directive on the common system of value added tax.
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La Commissione europea ha proposto una serie di ricorsi per inadempimento nei confronti di otto Stati membri per inosservanza degli obblighi loro imposti dalla direttiva che disciplina il sistema comune d’imposta sul valore aggiunto.
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The actions relate to the special scheme for travel agents.
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I ricorsi riguardano il regime speciale delle agenzie di viaggio.
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Czech Republic, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Poland and Portugal
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Finlandia, Francia, Grecia, Italia, Polonia, Portogallo e Repubblica ceca
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6 |
The Commission considers that the special scheme for travel agents is applicable only to sales of travel services to travellers.
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La Commissione ritiene che il regime speciale delle agenzie di viaggio sia applicabile soltanto in caso di vendita di viaggi ai viaggiatori.
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It complains that the Member States concerned authorised the application of that scheme to sales of travel services to any type of customer.
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Essa addebita a questi Stati membri di avere autorizzato l’applicazione di tale regime in caso di vendita di viaggi a qualsiasi tipologia di clienti.
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In its judgments of today, the Court acknowledges that there are particularly significant differences between the language versions of the directive, some using the term ‘traveller’ and/or the term ‘customer’, at times varying the use of those terms from one provision to another.
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Con le sue sentenze odierne, la Corte riconosce che esistono divergenze particolarmente significative tra le versioni linguistiche della direttiva, giacché talune utilizzano il termine «viaggiatore» e/o il termine «cliente», talvolta alternando l’utilizzo dei medesimi da una disposizione all’altra.
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The Court points out that where there are discrepancies between the various language versions of an EU instrument, the provision at issue must be interpreted by reference to the general scheme and purpose of the rules of which it forms part.
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La Corte ricorda che in caso di divergenza tra le diverse versioni linguistiche, la disposizione dell’Unione dev’essere interpretata in funzione dell’economia generale e della finalità della normativa di cui costituisce un elemento.
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In that regard, the Court considers that an approach consisting in applying the special scheme to any type of customer is the best way of achieving the aims of the scheme.
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La Corte ritiene che l’approccio che consiste nell’applicare il regime speciale a qualsiasi tipologia di clienti sia quello maggiormente in grado di raggiungere gli obiettivi del regime.
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It enables travel agents to benefit from simplified rules regardless of the type of customer to whom they provide their services, while encouraging a fair distribution of receipts between the Member States.
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Infatti, esso consente alle agenzie di viaggio di beneficiare delle norme semplificate indipendentemente dalla tipologia di clienti ai quali forniscono le prestazioni, favorendo al contempo una ripartizione equilibrata delle entrate tra gli Stati membri.
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Furthermore, the Court has already interpreted the word ‘traveller’ by giving it a meaning wider than that of final consumer.
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Inoltre, la Corte ha già interpretato il termine «viaggiatore» attribuendogli un senso più ampio di quello di consumatore finale.
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13 |
Therefore, since it considers that the provisions of the special scheme are not limited to sales of travel services to travellers, the Court dismisses in their entirety the Commission’s actions against Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Greece, France, Finland and Portugal.
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Pertanto, considerando che le disposizioni del regime speciale non si limitano ai casi di vendita di viaggi ai viaggiatori, la Corte respinge nella loro interezza i ricorsi della Commissione contro la Polonia, l’Italia, la Repubblica ceca, la Grecia, la Francia, la Finlandia ed il Portogallo.
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Spain
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Spagna
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15 |
With regard to Spain, the Court dismisses, first, the Commission’s action in so far as it complains that Spain, like the other seven Member States, authorised the application of the special scheme to sales of travel services to any type of customer.
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Per quanto riguarda la Spagna, in primo luogo la Corte respinge il ricorso della Commissione, nella parte in cui addebita a tale Stato, così come agli altri sette Stati membri, di aver autorizzato l’applicazione del regime speciale in caso di vendita di viaggi a qualsiasi tipologia di clienti.
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16 |
Secondly, the Commission claims that the Spanish legislation is incompatible with EU law, in so far as it excludes from the special scheme sales of travel services organised by wholesale agents but carried out by retail agents.
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In secondo luogo la Commissione sostiene che la normativa spagnola è contraria al diritto dell’Unione, nella parte in cui esclude dal regime speciale le vendite di viaggi organizzati da tour operator ma effettuate da agenzie dettaglianti.
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The Court considers that complaint to be justified, since such an exclusion from the scope of the special scheme is not provided for in the directive.
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La Corte ritiene che tale censura sia fondata, poiché una simile esclusione dall’ambito di applicazione di tale regime speciale non è affatto prevista dalla direttiva.
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18 |
Thirdly, the Commission claims that, contrary to EU law, the Spanish legislation allows travel agents, after consulting the customer, to mention in the invoice, under the heading ‘amount of VAT included in the price’, a defined percentage of the price including VAT, which is deemed to be payable by the customer and which the customer is entitled to deduct.
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In terzo luogo la Commissione deduce che, contrariamente al diritto dell’Unione, la normativa spagnola consente all’agenzia di viaggio, previa consultazione con il cliente, di indicare in fattura, alla voce «importo IVA incluso nel prezzo», una percentuale definita del prezzo IVA inclusa, che è ritenuta a carico del cliente e che quest’ultimo è legittimato a detrarre.
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19 |
The Court notes that such a deduction is not provided for by the special scheme for travel agents.
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La Corte rileva che una tale detrazione non è affatto prevista dal regime speciale delle agenzie di viaggio.
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It recalls that the principle of the right to deduct VAT relates to the input VAT on the goods or services used by the taxable person for the purposes of his taxed transactions.
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Il principio del diritto a detrazione dell’IVA riguarda l’imposta che ha gravato a monte sui beni o servizi impiegati dal soggetto passivo per le necessità delle sue operazioni soggette ad imposta.
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In order to ensure neutrality of VAT, the amount of tax deducted must correspond exactly to the amount of the input tax due or paid.
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Per garantire la neutralità dell’IVA, l’importo dell’imposta detratta deve corrispondere esattamente all’importo dell’imposta dovuta o assolta a monte.
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Therefore, since it considers that the Spanish legislation relates not to the exact amount of VAT on the services obtained by the taxable person, but to an amount estimated on the basis of the total amount paid by him, the Court rules that that legislation is incompatible with the method of calculating VAT and with the rules in the directive relating to the right of deduction.
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Pertanto, considerando che la normativa spagnola riguarda non già l’importo esatto dell’IVA che ha gravato i servizi ottenuti dal soggetto passivo, bensì un importo stimato sulla base dell’importo globale da esso pagato, la Corte dichiara che tale normativa non è compatibile con il metodo di calcolo dell’IVA né con le norme sul diritto a detrazione previste dalla direttiva.
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23 |
It also follows that the mention in the invoice of an amount corresponding to a percentage of the total price charged is not consistent with the rules in the directive relating to the content of invoices.
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Ne risulta altresì che l’indicazione, in fattura, di un importo corrispondente ad una percentuale del prezzo totale fatturato non corrisponde alle norme relative al contenuto delle fatture di cui alla direttiva.
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Moreover, the Court finds that, by allowing the possible deduction at issue only where services are provided in Spain, the Spanish legislation discriminates on grounds of nationality, which is incompatible with the common system of VAT.
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La Corte afferma inoltre che la normativa spagnola, consentendo l’eventuale detrazione soltanto nel caso in cui i servizi siano forniti in Spagna, comporta una discriminazione in base alla cittadinanza, incompatibile con il sistema comune dell’IVA.
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Fourthly, the Court addresses the Commission’s argument that the Spanish provisions providing for the possibility of making an overall determination of the taxable amount of the travel agent’s margin have no legal basis in the directive.
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In quarto luogo la Corte risponde all’argomento della Commissione secondo il quale le disposizioni spagnole che prevedono la possibilità di determinare la base imponibile del margine di utile delle agenzie di viaggio in modo globale non hanno fondamento giuridico nella direttiva.
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26 |
In that regard, the Court confirms that, in the travel agency sector, the taxable amount must be determined by reference to each single service supplied by the travel agent, not on an overall basis.
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La Corte conferma che, nel settore delle agenzie di viaggio, la base imponibile dev’essere determinata riferendosi a ciascuna prestazione di servizi unica fornita dall’agenzia di viaggi e non in modo globale.
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NOTE:
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IMPORTANTE:
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28 |
An action for failure to fulfil obligations directed against a Member State which has failed to comply with its obligations under European Union law may be brought by the Commission or by another Member State.
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La Commissione o un altro Stato membro possono proporre un ricorso per inadempimento diretto contro uno Stato membro che è venuto meno ai propri obblighi derivanti dal diritto dell’Unione.
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If the Court of Justice finds that there has been a failure to fulfil obligations, the Member State concerned must comply with the Court’s judgment without delay.
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Qualora la Corte di giustizia accerti l’inadempimento, lo Stato membro interessato deve conformarsi alla sentenza senza indugio.
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30 |
Where the Commission considers that the Member State has not complied with the judgment, it may bring a further action seeking financial penalties.
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La Commissione, qualora ritenga che lo Stato membro non si sia conformato alla sentenza, può proporre un altro ricorso chiedendo sanzioni pecuniarie.
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31 |
However, if measures transposing a directive have not been notified to the Commission, the Court of Justice can, on a proposal from the Commission, impose penalties at the stage of the initial judgment.
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Tuttavia, in caso di mancata comunicazione delle misure di attuazione di una direttiva alla Commissione, su domanda di quest’ultima, la Corte di giustizia può infliggere sanzioni pecuniarie, al momento della prima sentenza.
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LISTEN WITH READSPEAKER
The provisions of the special VAT scheme for travel agents are not limited
to sales of travel services to travellers and extend to sales to any customer
The Court therefore dismisses in their entirety the Commission’s
actions against Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Greece, France, Finland and
Portugal and upholds in part the action against Spain
The European Commission brought a series of infringement proceedings
against eight Member States for failure to comply with their obligations under
the directive on the common system of value added tax.
The actions relate to the special scheme for travel agents.
Czech Republic, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Poland and Portugal
The Commission considers that the special scheme for travel agents is
applicable only to sales of travel services to travellers.
It complains that the Member States concerned authorised the
application of that scheme to sales of travel services to any type of customer.
In its judgments of today, the Court acknowledges that there are
particularly significant differences between the language versions of the
directive, some using the term ‘traveller’ and/or the term ‘customer’, at times
varying the use of those terms from one provision to another.
The Court points out that where there are discrepancies between the
various language versions of an EU instrument, the provision at issue must be
interpreted by reference to the general scheme and purpose of the rules of which
it forms part.
In that regard, the Court considers that an approach consisting in
applying the special scheme to any type of customer is the best way of achieving
the aims of the scheme.
It enables travel agents to benefit from simplified rules regardless of
the type of customer to whom they provide their services, while encouraging a
fair distribution of receipts between the Member States.
Furthermore, the Court has already interpreted the word ‘traveller’ by
giving it a meaning wider than that of final consumer.
Therefore, since it considers that the provisions of the special scheme are not
limited to sales of travel services to travellers, the Court dismisses in their
entirety the Commission’s actions against Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic,
Greece, France, Finland and Portugal.
Spain
With regard to Spain, the Court dismisses, first, the Commission’s
action in so far as it complains that Spain, like the other seven Member States,
authorised the application of the special scheme to sales of travel services to
any type of customer.
Secondly, the Commission claims that the Spanish legislation is
incompatible with EU law, in so far as it excludes from the special scheme sales
of travel services organised by wholesale agents but carried out by retail
agents.
The Court considers that complaint to be justified, since such an
exclusion from the scope of the special scheme is not provided for in the
directive.
Thirdly, the Commission claims that, contrary to EU law, the Spanish
legislation allows travel agents, after consulting the customer, to mention in
the invoice, under the heading ‘amount of VAT included in the price’, a defined
percentage of the price including VAT, which is deemed to be payable by the
customer and which the customer is entitled to deduct.
The Court notes that such a deduction is not provided for by the
special scheme for travel agents.
It recalls that the principle of the right to deduct VAT relates to the
input VAT on the goods or services used by the taxable person for the purposes
of his taxed transactions.
In order to ensure neutrality of VAT, the amount of tax deducted must correspond
exactly to the amount of the input tax due or paid.
Therefore, since it considers that the Spanish legislation relates not
to the exact amount of VAT on the services obtained by the taxable person, but
to an amount estimated on the basis of the total amount paid by him, the Court
rules that that legislation is incompatible with the method of calculating VAT
and with the rules in the directive relating to the right of deduction.
It also follows that the mention in the invoice of an amount
corresponding to a percentage of the total price charged is not consistent with
the rules in the directive relating to the content of invoices.
Moreover, the Court finds that, by allowing the possible deduction at
issue only where services are provided in Spain, the Spanish legislation
discriminates on grounds of nationality, which is incompatible with the common
system of VAT.
Fourthly, the Court addresses the Commission’s argument that the
Spanish provisions providing for the possibility of making an overall
determination of the taxable amount of the travel agent’s margin have no legal
basis in the directive.
In that regard, the Court confirms that, in the travel agency sector,
the taxable amount must be determined by reference to each single service
supplied by the travel agent, not on an overall basis.
NOTE:
An action for failure to fulfil obligations directed against a Member
State which has failed to comply with its obligations under European Union law
may be brought by the Commission or by another Member State.
If the Court of Justice finds that there has been a failure to fulfil
obligations, the Member State concerned must comply with the Court’s judgment
without delay.
Where the Commission considers that the Member State has not complied
with the judgment, it may bring a further action seeking financial penalties.
However, if measures transposing a directive have not been notified to
the Commission, the Court of Justice can, on a proposal from the Commission,
impose penalties at the stage of the initial judgment. |