EU Plots to Tax the internet

[Xerxes]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46645-2002Feb8.html

The EU (European Union for yanks with a 5th grade edjeecation) is planning on taxing e-commerce. Clearly the internet as it lies is an enemy of the socialist systems of European countries, because it bypasses their governmental value-added taxes placed on all european products.

This is going to be very interesting- watch this play out. The EU cannot simply order US stores to comply without major backlash from several sectors. This is obviously an issue that will have to be settled with world diplomacy to be satisfactory. The internet was created in a capitalist country, but how will global e-commerce thrive in a world with different distribution philosophies. I'd like to see what happens in the future with Chinese E-businesses. :hang:

[rm']

That is evil. The EU seemed to be the voice of reason in the cesspool of Socialism known as Europe, but some recent policy decisions are proving quite the opposite.

[Merlin]

Are you aware that BT (British Telecom) is filing a lawsuit claiming it invented hyperlinking, and that thus it should be paid a royalty by every company on the internet? That is absurd.

[edit]Here's the article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/in_depth/sci_tech/2000/dot_life/newsid_1814000/1814080.stm)

[Flynnz]

Originally posted by :Merlin:
Are you aware that BT (British Telecom) is filing a lawsuit claiming it invented hyperlinking ...HOLY FUCKING SHIT that's ridiculous!!! Wow.

"If the court decides in our favour then that will be nice. If it doesn't that won't be so nice."
But THAT is pretty funny. :D

[Lactobacillus]

I don't think that Europe or the European Union sees the Internet as an enemy.

This tax already applies for companies in the European Union. E.g. if a company in England sells digital music (à la the new Napster-buissnes scheme) to it's customer in Germany, it is taxed.

I am not in favour of this tax at all, but I don't see the point why non-European-Union companies should not be taxed.

Lactobacillus

[Xerxes]

Because theoretically you are buying foriegn products in countries wiht their own tax systems.

[Bilbo Baggins]

What the EU may do is impose the tax on the European branches of corporate websites, i.e amazon.co.uk

You little Hitlers are safe.

[CraigF]

They are going to find it incredibly hard to tax any isp for this. they may be able to tax the e-tailers, and sure, most e-tailers are registered companies anyway. So they have to declare certain things.

But the question is, are they trying to track down Mr Y who set up his own online store?

Chances are, the site would have no more impact than the guy selling stuff from his suitcase in the town center.

And as i said before, they couldnt tax the isp since they dont force you to buy online. And, taxing the isp would cripple our already lame internet services in this country.

[Aeroe]

haha europe....
gotta love the solutions to all their problems: TAXING LAWSUITS!
/me is never surprised by that anymore... :p


oh btw, hitler was for tax cuts?

[Nebraska]

Very interesting the methods people will use to get an income in their general direction. Politicians tax, and Lawyers sue. Not many of either group are real bad at it. But it doesn’t take that many to cause a problem.
I am not a legal scholar, how can I make someone in another country pay me a tax if I never heard of them and the two parties never tell me? Can make enforcement a challenge, unless you are not afraid of Big brother tactics.
Now how do I sue someone in another country? Bet they got that figured out to.;)

[Kalervo Manni]

Here's a tax for everything. Even before EU, Finland was one of countries with highest tax rate.

[Bilbo Baggins]

That is because Scandanavian countries are Socialist, and socialists like high taxes :)

[Xerxes]

So... You like high taxes?

[Kalervo Manni]

Originally posted by Xerxes
So... You like high taxes?

Not. It's not that nice to pay even over a half the money you earned. At beginning of the 1990's, many free services were cancelled and tax rates are still going up.

[Xerxes]

Yep. Quite a raw deal hmm? After we finish the "War on Terrorism", I think I will begin my one man "War on Socialism" :mad:

[Nebraska]

Good Idea, The problem is how to start? I vote for straitening out all the "useful idiots" (As Stalin put it). I figure that most died in the wool socialists would have a much harder time getting things done if it were not for the "useful idiots". The big question is how do you straiten out an idiot?:confused:

[Xerxes]

During the spanish inquisition they had this thing called "The Rack"... :)

[Nebraska]

While I agree it will definitely have an effect on their posture, they will still be an Idiot (Unless you turned the crank to far). Even if they figured out they should shut up. Of course there shutting up would be an improvement.:D

[Merlin]

Originally posted by Xerxes
Yep. Quite a raw deal hmm? After we finish the "War on Terrorism", I think I will begin my one man "War on Socialism" :mad:

After your 11-man ship-based crime spree succeeds?

[Bilbo Baggins]

Nebraska,what is it that you dislike so much about Socialism?

X, your funny :p

[Xerxes]

Dost thou mock me, BB? :)

[Nebraska]

It stifles freedom. After all it has been my observation that most socialists (not the useful idiots, but higher up in the ranks) are nothing more than control freaks. Freedom is what allows a people to prosper. I can see where that would make them harder to control. Do you like being controlled?

[Merlin]

Originally posted by Bilbo Baggins
X, your funny :p

You should have seen the avatar Bilbo was using at PabUK until recently. :eek: :)

[Xerxes]

A picture of BB performing Oral Sex on his custom ordered Lenin "Real Doll"?

[demonstar01]

Socialism doesn't constrict freedom, That would be communism. No there not one in the same either :D

[Nebraska]

Didn’t say socialism was like communism, here is the best way to separate the various forms of government.:D

Feudalism: You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk.
Socialism: You have two cows. State takes one and gives it to someone else.
Communism: You have two cows. State takes both of them and gives you as much milk as you need.
Bureaucratic Communism: You have two cows. State takes both of them and gives you as much milk as the regulations say you should need.
Bureaucracy: You have two cows. State regulates what you can feed them and when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. After that it takes both cows, shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to fill out forms accounting for the missing cows.
Fascism: You have two cows. State takes both of them and sells you the milk.
Nazism: You have two cows. The government shoots you, takes the cows and feeds one to the army and the other to the police
Liberalism: You have two cows. State tries to depict you as greedy because someone else only has one, (according to them). Then it takes one shoots it, gives it to someone else, then tries to make them look unkind to animals using the cow as evidence.
Capitalism: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull.