Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

As I informed the House on 28 February, the European Commission has not yet made a formal proposal on the common consolidated corporate tax base. At the informal ECOFIN in September 2004, it was agreed that the Commission should establish a technical working group to consider such matters. While we opposed such a move, we are participating in the group without prejudice to our national position of opposition. As there is no proposal currently being examined by the European Council, the issue of exercising a block does not arise.

See this speech in context