While the standard rate of value added tax currently in force in the various Member States, combined with the mechanism of the transitional system, has ensured that this system has functioned to an acceptable degree, it is nonetheless important to prevent a growing divergence in the standard rates of VAT applied by the Member States from leading to structural imbalances in the Community and distortions of competition in some sectors of activity, at least in the period in which a new VAT strategy is being implemented to simplify and modernise current Community legislation on VAT, as set out in the Commission Communication of 7 June 2000.
Medtem, ko je splošna stopnja davka na dodano vrednost, ki je trenutno v veljavi v različnih državah članicah, kombinirana z mehanizmom prehodnega sistema, zagotovila, da ta sistem deluje na sprejemljivi stopnji, pa je kljub temu pomembno, da se prepreči naraščajoča razlika v splošnih stopnjah DDV, ki jih uporabljajo države članice, da ne bi prišlo do strukturnih neravnotežij v Skupnosti in izkrivljanja konkurence v nekaterih sektorjih dejavnosti, vsaj v obdobju, ko se izvaja nova strategija DDV, da se poenostavi in modernizira sedanja zakonodaja Skupnosti o DDV, kot je določeno v sporočilu Komisije z dne 7. junija 2000.