Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-12-01-Speech-4-016"
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"en.20051201.3.4-016"2
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".
Mr President, Mr Becsey’s report on the minimum standard rate states that the European Parliament’s ultimate goal is to contribute to boosting economic productivity and growth rates in the EU. Whilst these are noble sentiments, I hope you will allow me to offer a few words of general advice.
The current growth projection in 2006 for the eurozone is estimated by the IMF at 1.8%, with the largest economies being the worst performers. This weak growth is far from sufficient to sustain the EU’s social programme. The Commission suggests that a cut in income tax of 1% of GDP would produce a greater than proportionate rise in growth. A harmonised VAT scheme, therefore, should be used to shift from direct to indirect taxation. Unfortunately, there is no undisputed evidence that this growth would occur. Moreover, this shift implies a redistribution from the poor to the rich, like the common agricultural policy, which rewards landowners rather than farmers. Is this really what we want?
I should like to suggest that instead of trying to harmonise taxation, our partners in the Commission should rather leave it alone. Do they not realise that their obsessive pursuit of the illusive level playing field and their inward-looking regulation-led policies are damaging growth rather than stimulating it? The working time directive, the temporary workers directive, the common agricultural policy: are all examples of a European Union that refuses to wake up to the reality of global markets, free trade and efficiency, but is instead intent on pursuing an outdated social model, which has no place in the global economy.
Harmonisation should be the last thing on the agenda of any national government that wishes to see its country’s economic growth rise. In contrast, a dose of genuine deregulation would bring wondrous results."@en1
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