Notice for the OJ

 

Reference for a preliminary ruling by the Simvoulio tis Epikratias by judgment of that court of 3 March 2004 in the case of Elmeka N.E. against the Minister for Economic Affairs

(Case C-181/04)

Reference has been made to the Court of Justice of the European Communities by judgment of the Simvoulio tis Epikratias (Council of State, Greece) of 3 March 2004, received at the Court Registry on 19 April 2004, for a preliminary ruling in the case of Elmeka N.E. against the Minister for Economic Affairs on the following questions:

(1)    Does Article 15(4)(a) of the Sixth Council Directive (77/388/EEC) of 17 May 1977 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to turnover taxes - Common system of value added tax: uniform basis of assessment, to which Article 15(5) of that directive refers, concern the chartering of both vessels used on the high seas which carry passengers for reward and vessels used for the purpose of commercial, industrial or fishing activities, or does it concern the chartering of vessels used on the high seas alone, when, in the latter case, Article 22(1)(d) of Law 1642/1986 appears wider than the directive as regards the category of vessels to which the chartering relates?

(2)    For the exemption from tax in accordance with Article 15(8) of the Sixth Directive, is the service required to be supplied to the vessel owner himself, or is the exemption granted also in respect of a service supplied to a third party, subject only to the condition that it meets the direct needs of the vessels referred to in Article 15(5), that is to say of the vessels covered by Article 15(4)(a) and (b)?

(3)    Under the Community rules and principles which govern value added tax, is it permitted, and subject to what preconditions, for tax to be charged for a past period where the person liable did not pass tax on to the other contracting party during that period, and, therefore, tax was not paid to the State, because of the conviction of the person liable, brought about by conduct of the tax authorities, that he did not have to pass on tax?

____________