10/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - Against the backdrop of the informal council of EU Trade Ministers (see EUROPE of 8 September, p.7), the European Commissioner Pascal Lamy spoke about the Tobin Tax, saying that he was sympathetic to the desire for governance inherent in the idea and the problems it implies (instability in the capital markets, speculation and resources in the third world) but he had never been convinced that the problem would be solved by a tax, and also had doubts as to the technical feasibility of the instrument. The Tobin Tax will be discussed at the informal ECOFIN council in Liège on 21/23 September and the Commission ahs also pledged to examine the issue.