Main news from Brussels this week
date: 20/01/2017
Better privacy on Facebook, fewer nuisance calls and fewer barriers to cross-border services
The European Commission proposed earlier this month a series of measures that will bring EU data privacy rules in line with the latest technology developments. Separately, it also unveiled a package to reduce barriers to providing services across borders that would benefit open economies like the UK.
Entry into force of new transparency rules for tax rulings
As of 1 January 2017, member states are obliged to automatically exchange information on all new cross-border tax rulings – in other words rulings by one national tax authority how it will calculate tax due in its jurisdiction on transfers of goods and services between countries. This will be done through a central depository, accessible to all EU countries. The objective is to help tackle tax abuse, profit shifting and companies gaining unfair advantage by playing off national tax systems against each other.
EU enforcement action drives car rental companies to treat consumers fairly
A change in car rental commercial practices by Avis, Europcar, Enterprise, Hertz and Sixt will see European consumers treated more fairly across the EU this year. The car rental companies' commitment brings to an end a two-year EU enforcement drive by national consumer agencies and the Commission, led in the UK by the Competition and Markets Authority. The action was prompted by a huge increase in consumer complaints over the past few years on lack of pricing transparency, unclear terms and conditions and other issues.
All this week's key European Commission announcements can be found here