Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

First, nothing in this treaty changes the current position about unanimity on tax. I welcome the opportunity to clarify that point again. Second, I have been discussing the question of CCCTB actively with other member states, but I see little enthusiasm for it. President Barroso made a forthright statement recently when he was dealing mainly with tax rates. He pointed out the huge advantage of competition in tax rates. There is no advantage to the idea that one can have some sort of more bureaucratic arrangement.

There is an increasing awareness within the European Union that the Italian propositions, which are being worked on, present serious difficulties. I have discussed this matter with a significant number of my EU counterparts. If there was ever any enthusiasm for it, it is now on the wane. There is significant opposition, so I believe it is dead in the water. The Senator is right in saying that it would be helpful to have confirmation of the situation. It would be helpful if the European Commission, which reports back to the commissioners and the Berlaymont, decided that this dead duck is left where it is. The most significant and important point, however, is that there nothing in this treaty that changes the unanimity rule on tax.