Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Qorti Kostituzzjonali (Malta) lodged on 10 February 2012 - Vodafone Malta Limited and Mobisle Communications Limited vs L-Avukat Ġenerali, Il-Kontrollur tad-Dwana, Il-Ministru tal-Finanzi, and L-Awtorità ta' Malta dwar il-Komunikazzjoni

(Case C-71/12)

Language of the case: Maltese

Referring court

Qorti Kostituzzjonali

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicants: Vodafone Malta Limited, Mobisle Communications Limited

Defendants: L-Avukat Ġenerali, Il-Kontrollur tad-Dwana, Il-Ministru tal-Finanzi, L-Awtorità ta' Malta dwar il-Komunikazzjoni

Questions referred

Do the provisions of Directive 2002/20/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on the authorisation of electronic communications networks and services (Authorisation Directive), and in particular its Articles 12 and/or 13, prohibit the Member States from imposing a fiscal burden on mobile telecommunications operators ('the operators') that is:

(a)    a duty, called an excise duty, introduced through national legislation;

(b)    calculated as a percentage on the charges levied by mobile telephony operators on their users for the services provided to them by these operators, with the exception of those services exempted by law;

(c)    paid to the mobile telephony operators by their users on an individual basis, and this amount is subsequently passed on to the Comptroller of Customs by all operators offering mobile telephony services, which amount is payable only by the operators and not by other undertakings, including those providing other electronic communications networks and services?

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