Brussels/Washington, 04/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - At a hearing in Congress on the "FSC" affair, US politicians and legislators assessed the problems surrounding the issue of reforming the export tax aid scheme to bring it into line with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. Given the WTO's analysis, we believe that a significant change will have to be made in the US tax system, said international taxation advisor at the US Treasury Barbara Angus, noting that the system has been condemned by the WTO four times now. The scheme is at least thirty years out of date and the usual palliative approach will probably not be sufficient, she commented, noting that in the view of the Administration, the affair raised fundamental questions about equity in tax policy. She said few things were as crucial for the sovereignty of a country as the right to decide on its own tax system. Launching the hearing last Wednesday, the Chairman of the influential Ways and Means Committee, Bill Thomas, who is party to the Committee-USTR-Congress discussions, also called for more fundamental changes than in the past, for major restructuring. "If we do nothing, trade sanctions against our country still remain a distinct possibility", he said, calling on all Members of Congress, as well as on the Administration, to "demonstrate its commitment to address the problem (…) We must build consensus on a new approach that will meet our international obligations while maintaining the competitiveness of American businesses and workers in the global marketplace (…). The United States believes we should set our own course, but we are a partner among partners and we have to start with the recognition that we have to change".