28The Spanish Government's argument that its interpretation of Article 19 of the Sixth Directive enables balance in terms of competition, and hence the principle that VAT should be neutral, to be observed must be rejected. The Member States are required to apply the Sixth Directive even if they consider it to be less than perfect. As indicated in Case C-388/98 Commission v Netherlands [2001] ECR I-8265, paragraphs 55 and 56, even if the interpretation put forward by certain Member States better served certain aims of the Sixth Directive, such as fiscal neutrality, the Member States may not disregard the provisions expressly laid down in that directive by introducing, in this case, limitations of the right to deduct other than those laid down in Articles 17 and 19 of that directive.
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