15/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - On a visit to Paris the German Minister for the Economy and Finance, Hans Eichel, reaffirmed on Thursday that the compromise of the ECOFIN Council allowing Germany to avoid receiving a warning on its public deficit, did not constitute any weakening in the Stability and Growth Pact. Mr Eichel explained that 0.5% of the public deficit in Germany came from German costs paid to the EU and another 0.75% from costs for reunification. He also pointed out that making calculations was not enough and the political dimension of the Pact had to be taken into account, with Eurogroup being called on in the future to play a more important role in co-ordinating economic and financial policy in the Euro-zone. Mr Eichel indicated that he was of the same opinion as Laurent Fabius in wanting to see greater tax harmonisation in Europe regarding company profits and surpluses. He described that maintaining a heterogeneous taxation system within the single currency area was an "anachronism" and that "the euro is incompatible with fiscal chaos".