Brussels, 29/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - Energy taxation, the common consolidated corporate tax base (CCCTB), the financial transaction tax (FTT), taxation of income from savings, and tackling tax fraud and evasion and sharing best taxation practice among member states were included in a paragraph in the conclusions of the meeting of the heads of state and government in Brussels on 28-29 June on tax policy, which “should contribute to fiscal consolidation and sustainable growth”.
FTT. European leaders conceded that, as noted by finance ministers on 22 June, it will be impossible to reach agreement “within a reasonable period” as a group of 27 on the proposal for a financial transaction tax, as proposed by the Commission. They gave their approval to the launch of enhanced cooperation among several states with a view to adoption of the tax by December 2012. French President François Hollande confirmed his desire to “make progress quickly” in the enhanced cooperation with Germany and “all the countries which wish to join. The more we are, the better it will be. We will also have to determine the base of this tax and the rate. Time is of the essence”. Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo stated his country's support for such a tax, alongside France, Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Poland, while Spain, Greece, Slovakia, Estonia and Romania remain “open to the idea”. Italy will give further consideration to the enhanced cooperation “within the relevant bodies, in particular the Ecofin Council”, said Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, adding that “one of the reasons for our not being more positive was that it was important to us to get what we, in fact, got”. He said that Italy was not against enhanced cooperation in the area of taxation, which made sense “only in a framework where it is possible to act together on other things, too, such as management of the financial policy of the markets”. Taxing income from savings, energy taxation, common consolidated corporate tax base (CCCTB). Work and discussion will continue on all of these three points which are all facing difficulties: the proposal on taxing income from savings and the review of agreements with five non-EU countries on this issue are still deadlocked in Council, while the proposal on energy taxation has just been amended by the Ecofin Council and the draft CCCTB is still meeting considerable resistance. Tackling tax fraud and evasion. The Commission is pursuing work, in particular on the basis of measures proposed recently by Commissioner Algirdas Semeta, who promised an action plan within the next few months. Exchange of best taxation policy practice. Member states involved in the euro plus pact will continue their discussions on this issue. (FG/transl.rt)