08/10/2018 (Agence Europe) – At an economic forum in Slovakia on Friday 5 October, the Visegrad countries reiterated their support for the proposed 3% tax on the gross earnings of the activities of digital platforms ('digital services tax' or DST). Attending the meeting, the French minister, Bruno Le Maire, a driving force behind the proposal, welcomed the joint declaration. More progress came in the form of reinstated support from Germany. The German finance minister, Olaf Scholz, having been accused of backpedalling (see EUROPE 12091), also stressed his commitment to a European solution, during a press conference. According to the French minister, there is now only a “very short list of countries that are against” the move – notably Ireland, which is sticking to its guns – leading to optimism as to the chances of an agreement before the end of the year. (MF)