06/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - At the Ecofin Council in Luxemburg on Tuesday 5 June, German Federal Finance Minister Peter Steinbrück had some harsh words to say on the attitude of the Irish who oppose the planned harmonisation of the corporate tax base. According to the Irish daily Irish Times, he accused Ireland of subsidising its public services with European money while, at the same time, engaging in unfair tax competition, an attitude which could undermine the very idea of building a European Union. “It is unfair to reduce taxation levels and to receive EU funds to finance public spending,” he said during an exchange of views on this matter. Mr Steinbrück, who is the current chairman of the Ecofin Council, apparently also mentioned Dublin's International Financial Services Centre, whose policy of low taxation levels attracts industries and contributes to tax dumping. “A dozen” member states expressed their hostility towards, or their reservations on, the preparatory work on harmonisation of the corporate tax base at EU level, according to a diplomatic source. (mb)