Brussels, 29/04/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission recently launched a public consultation exercise that will run until 30 June on double taxation, whereby individuals and companies are forced to pay similar taxes in more than one member state. The consultation will look at income tax, company tax, capital gains tax, interest on savings, inheritance rights and taxes on gifts. The Commission wants to get an accurate picture of the scale of double taxation, which damages the proper functioning of the single market. It also wants to know whether cases of double taxation can be eliminated by appealing in law against the tax departments of the countries in question. In this connection, the European Commission will examine how agreements that member states have signed among themselves have prevented double taxation and solved tax disputes, but points out that the network of tax agreements does not cover the whole of the EU. (M.B./transl.fl)