Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1089428
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 6 MARCH 2019 3 NEWS MASSIMO COSTA TAX harmonisation in the European Union doesn't ap- pear to be on the horizon, the European Commission's vice- president said. In comments to MaltaToday following a conference organ- ised by PN MEP Roberta Met- sola on EU investment plan op- portunities for local businesses, Jyrki Katainen said that only a unanimous decision amongst member states could lead to tax harmonisation. Consequently, the chances of measures to this effect coming into place in the near future are quite slim, he said. "According to the EU trea- ties, taxation needs unanimity. If the EU wants to do take de- cisions on taxation, it requires member states' unanimous ap- proval," Katainen underscored. "Some member states and the Commission had raised some discussions on whether we should reconsider this, but I don't believe that the treaties may be changed anytime soon," he said. "There are some understand- able reasons why we should we more effective in matters of taxation - for instance regard- ing tax avoidance or artificial profit-shifting related issues - but many of these have already been addressed. So I might per- sonally consider some chances [of tax harmonisation] but I don't believe it will happen any- time soon, due to the fact that the EU treaties identify very clearly that taxation always needs unanimous decision making,: MEPs against tax harmonisation Nationalist MEP Roberta Metsola said that, with strong arguments, Malta's MEPs could resist the wave of support for a common corporate tax base that was voted last year by a majority of MEPs. "With robust arguments, we can continue to resist," Metsola said, "And we would like to see more MEPs join us in our ar- gumentation that a common corporate tax base would have negative spillover effects in the internal market, such as on the Maltese economy." The Maltese government must also persist with efforts in this regard, she said. "We have to fight against tax harmonisa- tion] not solely in the European Parliament. The Maltese gov- ernment, within the Council of Ministers and the European Council, has to also continue to make its case effectively that removing the exclusive com- petence of member states in this area would have a dispro- portionately negative effect on Malta." No EU tax harmonisation anytime soon, says EC vice- president JAMES DEBONO THE removal of an illegal scrapyard op- posite the Burmarrad Commercials com- plex has been included in a policy aimed at increasing building heights in the area, 25 years after the yard was served by an enforcement order. The Planning Authority has now drafted a policy originally requested by the gov- ernment, setting building heights along a part of Triq Burmarrad allowing retail and office development of up to 17.5 me- ters (the equivalent of four storeys) on the site of the road currently designated for one-storey development. The area includes the unsightly Burmar- rad Commercials site and a vacant plot of land previously earmarked for a petrol station and now for retail development which is owned by the Tum Invest firm. The local plan earmarked the site as an Area of Containment, a designation for brownfield sites, which cater for develop- ment which normally cannot be carried out in urban areas. It also limited devel- opment on this site to a single storey and only allowed retail and office develop- ment as ancillary to the main use of the site for "vehicle repairs and maintenance, storage, and showrooms." The new policy now foresees the rede- sign of the junction next to the Scott's su- permarket which leads to the new com- mercial area, a 3m pedestrian footpath along the whole commercial site facing the rural area and the closure of the illegal plant yard opposite Burmarrad commer- cials. An 8m-wide service road is also be- ing proposed on the side of the proposed development. During the first consultation held on the government's intentions for the area, Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar objected to what it described as "piecemeal changes of the local plan" and the removal of the requirement for "comprehensive plan- ning", which obliged the different land owners to come together and present a single application for the entire site. FAA warned that through this policy Areas of Containment meant to provide for industrial and related uses which can- not be situated outside the urban area, will now accommodate offices for finan- cial and professional services. The PA replied that the development of offices will be restricted to only 30% of the gross developable floorspace. The Environment and Resources Au- thority has also expressed its concern that the policy revision would increase the al- lowable building height for the area from one floor to 17.5m. The PA replied that the increase in building heights in this area would be ac- companied by a requirement on approved developments to step down by 3 metres when facing the ODZ rear side. The PA also expects a visual improve- ment because any new development on the site will not be allowed to use the land for open storage. This does not mean that existing uses which include the storage of cars will be banned but any new applica- tion will be limited to retail or office de- velopment. The illegal scrap ard An enforcement order against a "park- ing space and scrapyard" located on the other side of the road of the proposed commercial area was first issued against Raymond and Mario Gauci in 1994. The enforcement is currently "pending direct action". The PA had rejected two at- tempts by Mario Gauci to regularize the development in 2005 and 2006. An appeal against this refusal was rejected by the Appeals Tribunal in 2011. Illegal scrapyard to be removed Burmarrad four-storey zoning The illegal scrapyard in Burmarrad Road was served an enforcement order 25 years ago