It appeared that certain financial instruments equivalent to interest-bearing securities and certain indirect means of holding these securities were not covered by the Directive 2003/48/EC.

It appeared that certain financial instruments equivalent to interest-bearing securities and certain indirect means of holding these securities were not covered by the Directive 2003/48/EC.

– (DE) Mr President, Commissioner, I too would like to begin by thanking the rapporteur most warmly on behalf of my group for this outstanding report, which rightly stresses the need for a European policy on immigration, an issue that must not be left, within Europe, solely to the Member States and their occasionally counter-productive self-interest.

In order to be more specific though, by way of an example, I would like to remind you that all of these programmes in devastated areas will be able to finance the restoration of our historical and cultural heritage, areas of economic activity, and industrial or trading areas. They could also finance the channels necessary for the flow of raw materials and industrial products, for port infrastructures – both commercial and leisure ports, the infrastructure of airports involved in business travel or tourism, productive industrial investments, aid to businesses, and historical and cultural heritage for tourism as well as training for employ ...[+++]ees qualified under the European Social Fund.

The Italian authorities have informed the Commission of the decision they have taken today to scrap the requirement whereby Italian residents had to lodge a non-interest-bearing deposit when purchasing foreign securities or real estate abroad.

Under that decision, the Italian Government was authorized to require individuals to lodge a non-interest-bearing deposit equivalent to 25 % of the value of the operation when purchasing foreign currency for the purpose of acquiring foreign securities or real estate abroad.