Brussels, 29/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - By a wide majority of 32 to 6 and 1 abstention, the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee voted in favour of the draft recommendation by Greek socialist Anni Podimata on Thursday 29 November giving the go-ahead to the Council of Ministers for enhanced cooperation to introduce a financial transactions tax (FTT) in 11 member states to start with (Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia and Slovakia) (see EUROPE 10716).
Pleased, Podimata said she was not surprised, because the Parliament had been the first body to suggest using enhanced cooperation to get the tax off the ground given the lack of unanimous agreement at the Council for introducing an FTT across the EU. The Council now has its hands free to authorise the launch of enhanced cooperation based on a proposal submitted by the Commission (see EUROPE 10716), the next stage being examination of a further Commission proposal due to be unveiled later in the year. (FG/transl.fl)