Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2015-05-18-Speech-1-295-000"
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"en.20150518.19.1-295-000"2
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"Mr President, I would like to begin by thanking Commissioner Ansip for his attempts to build a digital single market, and in particular for his willingness to listen to the problems of the many small business people in the UK who have faced enormous difficulties with the shift in the VAT regime that came into force on 1 January. My understanding is that the Commission originally proposed a threshold for micro-businesses but that this was not taken up. I can only think that the digital economy has advanced rapidly since that time and that politicians had not managed to understand how it was changing.
On the positive side it has been really inspiring to see the creative enterprise that has been flourishing in my constituency and the wonderful potential there is for the digital economy to help us to build cultural and social links between the countries of our Union. These businesses are often run by the very people we seek to encourage into starting small businesses, especially women and those living in rural communities. They are now selling songs and teaching materials, knitting patterns and recipes, to customers in countries they may never have visited. But these businesses are fundamentally threatened, as other speakers have said, by the ending of the VAT exemption. I know that many of these entrepreneurs are already closing down their export operations or sometimes their whole business because the VAT regime is just too onerous.
I know that Commissioner Ansip has heard their cry for help but I would like to ask him to act swiftly and decisively to support the small businesses of the UK and other countries affected."@en1
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