Brussels, 29/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - Commissioner Frits Bolkestein opened a two-day conference in Brussels on Monday on the "creation of a single market without tax obstacles", organised by the European Commission so as to hear the opinion of experts on the creation of a common company tax base, as suggested in its 2001 Communication on company tax. "The Commission believes that companies that have an international and cross-border activity within the EU should be able to calculate the revenue of their group according to a set of single rules, and draw up their consolidated accounts for tax purposes by eliminating the fiscal effects of transactions made within the group alone", commented Mr. Bolkestein. The goal, he stipulated, is to reduce costs, eliminate most of the problems of transfer costs, and enable companies to calculate their profits and losses on a European basis, eliminating the problems of dual taxation and discrimination. Experts were, notably, to set out their views on the two options being proposed by the Commission for the creation of a common tax base: 1) a system of mutual recognition, 2) limited alignment of the tax base. "Each model has its safeguards and inconveniences, and raises complex political and technical issues", the Commissioner acknowledged.