5.5% VAT on housing works and personal care services extended until 31 December 2003

Article 23 of the 2003 Finance Act postpones from 31 December 2002 to 31 December 2003 the end date of the 5.5% reduced VAT rate on improvement and maintenance works in homes completed more than two years earlier, on works in social rental housing and on personal care services provided by approved companies (Articles 257, 279 and 279-0 bis of the General Tax Code). This reduced rate is applied under the experiment authorised by Directive 1999/85/EC of 22 October 1999 on labour-intensive services. The measure was in Article 9 of the finance bill.