6 Conclusions
16. We are grateful to the Minister for listening
to our concerns about the problems associated with the aggregates
levy in Northern Ireland because of its land border with the Republic
of Ireland. In these circumstances we welcome the steps recently
taken by H M Treasury, together with the Department of the Environment
in Northern Ireland, to secure the environmental improvements
sought through the levy by the introduction of a new Code of Practice
and Compliance Framework.
17. We urge the European Commission to consider
urgently the UK Government's case for an extension of the levy
relief scheme. While this will probably appear small by comparison
with many of the Commission's other concerns the levy has proved
a significant obstacle to the aggregates and construction industries
in Northern Ireland, and by extension to the regeneration of the
region's infrastructure, and its economic development, to which
the European Commission commits substantial funding by other means.
18. We hope that the Commission and the UK Government
together will find a way to agree and implement this proposed
new scheme by 1 April 2004 so that additional burdens on the industry—which
would otherwise come into effect on that day—can be avoided.
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