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EU taxes "a real possibility"
22.01.10
IRISH consumers could
soon be slapped with extra taxes by the EU, a
campaign group has warned. Patricia McKenna of the
People's Movement, said EU taxes are "now a real
possibility with support for the idea growing among
EU politicians".
“Proposals for European Union consumer taxes is
gaining momentum among EU leaders and Luxembourg has
now added its voice to such proposals with its
Finance Minister, Luc Frieden, saying this week that
such taxes would give the public a 'direct link' to
the EU.”
Ms McKenna said: “During the Lisbon Treaty
referendum we warned that EU taxes were a real
possibility but were ridiculed and accused of
scaremongering. |
"However, it is now
clear that our concerns were indeed justified with
proposals for such tax being supported by the new EU
President, Herman Van Rompuy, appointed after the
Lisbon Treaty came into force creating his new
presidential position.
"If the most powerful political figures in the EU
are in support of the idea, there is little chance
of Ireland with its reduced voting power, being able
to block it.”
The former Green MEP said the tax plan will be
tabled in Spring as part of a review of EU funding.
She said it already had the support of the EU
commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso, |
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and the newly-appointed
Polish Budget Commissioner.
"Proposals to use VAT, fuel duties or aviation taxes
to give the EU a direct and independent source of
income have long been demanded by the Commission and
recent calls for a carbon levy to fight climate
change and a “Tobin Tax” on transactions in the
financial sector have given the idea a new lease of
life," added Ms McKenna.
“It is clear that initially EU tax will be presented
in a way that links it to environmental factors,
carbon levies and financial transactions on carbon
emissions to divert public attention away from the
true significance of EU taxes.” |
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