Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-12-12-Speech-1-155"
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"en.20051212.18.1-155"2
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"Mr President, as the last of the speakers of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, I should obviously like to join in congratulating Mr Bersani on his report, but I should also like to thank a number of shadow rapporteurs and members of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and of the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats for the way in which they have handled this issue. I should also like to join Mr García-Margallo y Marfil in saying that I am pleased that it is Commissioner Kovács who will be handling this dossier, rather than his fellow-Commissioner Mr McCreevy, who paid us a recent visit.
Direct taxes, as we have noticed in this debate, are a subject that stirs up huge emotions and controversy, and it has always been very difficult for this House to reach common positions in that area, not least in the previous part-session. Even so, I have a feeling that we will succeed this time and I hope that Commissioner Kovács, will also succeed in reaching agreement with the Council or at any rate with a large number of Member States. I am pleased that common sense will prevail over ideological sabre rattling.
Common sense also obliges me to consider the modest role that the European Union plays in this. I want to dissociate myself completely from the comment that was made earlier, among others of the kind, about Brussels taking power away from the Member States. I think it is quite simply necessary in this area to guarantee an internal market and a level playing field and to ensure that these are not disrupted, along with the simplicity and certainty that will allow enterprises to operate in the European Union.
It is not without reason that the call for this common consolidated foundation originates from the entrepreneurial
; it comes, without exception, from companies, including UNICE and the Round Table. This has nothing to do with seizing power at European level. It is simply about accommodating the wishes of industry.
I think it is important to consider what the win-win situation can be. If everyone is clear what foundations we are working from, then enterprises will have a smaller administrative burden and governments will not need to compete for rates indiscriminately. Many of the new countries enjoy low tax rates, while also basing them very broadly. I therefore think that the solution to this process of harmonising the tax base lies in bringing rates much closer together than they are at present, and we need that kind of transparency. The discussion as to what will happen subsequently, also about possible minimum rates or forks or whatever, will not be held until later. For now, it is crucial to make this first step, and I can tell Commissioner Kovács that he can count on our support."@en1
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