Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-04-24-Speech-2-330"
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"en.20070424.47.2-330"2
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".
The question has nothing to do with the issue we are discussing, but I am pleased to hear your questions and to have the possibility of answering them.
First, I want to clarify that the Commission is not even dreaming of increasing or harmonising the corporate tax rate – that is very far from our intention. What we have in mind, and what we have already tabled as a general proposal – not even a legislative proposal – is the harmonisation of the tax base only, i.e. the calculation of the tax base, which is now different in each and every Member State. We have 27 different ways of calculating the tax base, which results in enormous compliance costs and administrative burdens for companies. The lack of consolidation and of transparency makes it very difficult, or senseless, to compare the corporate tax rate of Ireland, which is 12.5 %, with the corporate tax rate of France, which is over 30 %, because we cannot compare the two tax bases.
We have no intention of harmonising the tax rates, only the method of calculation of the tax base, and certainly we have no power to force things. If the present legislative proposal, according to our time schedule, receives unanimity in early 2008, then of course Ireland, and all the other Member States, should comply. If there is no consensus – and I think that at least at the beginning there will be no consensus – then what we can do is to present a new proposal, not for all the 27 Member States but only for those who want to join. That is what we call enhanced cooperation. Enhanced cooperation is optional. Only those Member States that agree with the purpose of the exercise would participate, and Ireland, according to the best of my knowledge, will not be among the countries that will champion participation.
However, I believe that after a while, when the positive experiences are well known, then even those Member States that are reluctant for the time being and that will not join at the beginning of the enhanced cooperation can join later, because one of the conditions of enhanced cooperation is to leave the door open for other Member States who may wish to join in at a later stage."@en1
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