Mr President, Mrs Sinnott and I have tabled two written declarations that focus Members’ attention on the fact that the lower rates of value added tax will at the end of December 2005 unless the Council of Ministers take the right and proper decision to extend them. We also try to extend the area of choice to make sure that the aged and the disabled will benefit from lower rates of VAT, which will give them cheaper housing accommodation, particularly when they have adaptations carried out.
– Signor Presidente, come lei sa, la Presidenza in carica del Consiglio ha approvato una dichiarazione, a nome dei 25 Stati membri, nella quale esprime la sua preoccupazione per la situazione di tre prigionieri politici a Cuba, torturati dal regime cubano: José Daniel Ferrer García, Víctor Rolando Arroyo e Félix Navarro, che stavano facendo lo sciopero di fame.