Blair Rejects French PM's Call for Tax Harmonization in EUBritish Prime Minister Tony Blair on Monday rejected a call by French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin for European Union nations to eventually harmonize corporate taxation.Reacting to a much-awaited speech in Paris by Jospin setting out his vision for Europe in coming years, Blair told reporters that he won't accept Jospin's idea of the future of Europe. "We don't agree with tax harmonization across Europe. Unfair tax competition is another matter, however. That prevents the single market working properly," a Reuters report quoted Blair as saying during his campaigning for Britain's June 7 election. "We have won this argument (on tax harmonization) every time it has been raised in Europe," he said. Jospin had said in a speech in Paris that unfair competition between national tax regimes was "unacceptable" and that eventually there would need to be harmonization of corporate taxation. Blair had no other immediate comment on points raised in Jospin 's speech which had become an issue in the election because of its references to European policies. "The most important thing, however, is for Britain not to end up separating ourselves from Europe or losing influence in Europe in circumstances where 60 percent of our trade is with Europe and millions of jobs depend on it," Blair added. |
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