20/02/2007 (Agence Europe) - Hans-Rudolf Merz, Swiss federal minister for finance indicated that he would “soon” be meeting his German counterpart, Peer Steinbrück in Berlin. He said that this meeting should help him to make the Swiss Confederation's position on the tax dispute between the European Commission and Switzerland (EUROPE 9365) better understood by the EU. In an interview to Le Temps newspaper, Mr Merz declared: “I will hold discussions with him. Germany is financially under pressure, with enormous debt. The finance minister will leave no stone unturned to find new answers. What does the EU ultimately want? That holdings no longer come to Switzerland or that they even leave Switzerland in order to recuperate tax revenue? They want us to stop being competitive. We have not been informed or consulted about the subject of the code of conduct (European code on harmful tax practices) that they now want to impose on us”. (mb)