Unbelievably, the EU commissioners are now moving ahead with plans to impose a new 10% tax on mobility scooters imported into Europe, often manufactured in the United States. But some like physicist Stephen Hawking are angry as this will dramatically boost the costs to handicapped who now have to pay around 2,500 pounds for disability scooters.
The EU commissioners plan to lump disability scooters in the same league with sports car imports or other motorized vehicles so that they can add the new tax on disabled persons for these American imports for use by the handicapped.
In the UK, the government already gets around 6 million pounds a year on additional taxes on the estimated 25,000 disability scooters imported or sold.
Outrageous.
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Comments (7)
I agree, the EU really isn't honest when it comes to upholding free trade agreements. This is clearly an attempt to block American imports.
1. Posted by Chris | July 1, 2009 12:02 PM
Posted on July 1, 2009 12:02
Hello Chris. This story is so disgusting to me because the disabled often live on very tight financial means and have little cash to spend on huge costs related to their disabilities. It is a pure attempt to put up a roadblock to American imports, even if these imports are narrowly focused merely on aiding the handicapped. The EU plays real hardball with American imports.
2. Posted by Paul Hooson | July 1, 2009 12:17 PM
Posted on July 1, 2009 12:17
With the fall in the value of the dollar the EU has to do something to protect it's manufacturing base from cheap American imports. A few more years of Democrats in control and China will have to do the same thing.
3. Posted by Mac Lorry | July 1, 2009 12:30 PM
Posted on July 1, 2009 12:30
Wouldn't mobility scooters fall under "health care" and therefore be covered by the wonderful UK health system?
J.
4. Posted by Jay Tea | July 1, 2009 1:13 PM
Posted on July 1, 2009 13:13
Maybe the should do what Fauxbama does, and call it a 'mobility fee', then, then the EU can say it didnt raise taxes.
5. Posted by GianiD | July 1, 2009 2:19 PM
Posted on July 1, 2009 14:19
To Jay Teas point -
Is it likely that consumers are buying and importing American rascals because their socialized medical system makes it prohibitively expensive/difficult to get a scooter through the system?
6. Posted by LiberalNightmare | July 1, 2009 3:10 PM
Posted on July 1, 2009 15:10
LN:
"Is it likely that consumers are buying and importing American rascals because their socialized medical system makes it prohibitively expensive/difficult to get a scooter through the system?"
Hey, it's a win-win deal. The SYSTEM doesn't have to provide them, thus saving money, the people get them faster - even if they have to pay for them - and the import tax will help pay for the bureaucratic structure needed to not order the scooters. Everyone wins! Woo-hoo!
7. Posted by JLawson | July 1, 2009 4:17 PM
Posted on July 1, 2009 16:17