EU and the UK
date: 26/01/2018
Galileo Security Monitoring Centre back-up site moves to Spain
As a consequence of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the EU the Commission has adopted a decision to transfer the back-up site of the Galileo Security Monitoring Centre from the United Kingdom to Spain. The Galileo Security Monitoring Centre (GSMC) is a technical infrastructure which plays a key role in ensuring the security of the EU's satellite navigation programme Galileo, including its Public Regulated Service (PRS). The new site will become operational in the coming months.
Commission calls on the United Kingdom to align its national practices regarding the VAT Mini One-Stop-Shop scheme with EU rules
The Commission decided on 25 January to send a 'letter of formal notice' to the United Kingdom for failing to collect and transmit to other member states the bank account details for each taxable person registered for the recently agreed, EU-wide system for VAT collection on online sales of e-services (VAT Mini One-Stop-Shop). This failure breaches EU rules on administrative cooperation (Council Regulation 904/2010 and Commission Implementing Regulation 815/2012). At the moment, member states who want to refund taxable persons in the UK have to collect additional information themselves on a case-by-case basis, which delays refunds. If the United Kingdom does not act within the next two months, the Commission may send a 'reasoned opinion' to the UK authorities. Ultimately, the Commission can refer cases to the European Court of Justice.
The infringement procedure begins with a request for information (a ‘Letter of Formal Notice’) to the member state concerned, which must be answered within a specified period, usually two months.
EU infringement stages in a nutshell: infograph
General information on infringement procedures
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