Premier calls for Euro-tax

Date: 01/02/01

By Gareth Harding

Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt has risked stirring up a huge row with the EU's more reluctant members by calling for a directly-levied European charge to be slapped on all Union taxpayers.

In an interview with European Voice, Verhofstadt said the current system of financing the EU through national contributions has serious disadvantages as member states get bogged down in endless arguments about how much each pays and how much each gets back.

"The best solution is that you have a direct contribution of every citizen to the European Union," said the prime minister. "Like everyone pays their local and national taxes, you should have a direct financing system for the EU."

Although Verhofstadt emphasised that his call for a Euro-tax was a personal opinion and unlikely to find its way onto the Laeken declaration in December, he said this year's Belgian presidency of the EU would seek to "create a framework to start the debate on such ideas".

In a wide-ranging interview, the Liberal leader accused European institutions of lacking efficiency, transparency and democracy and called for a directly-elected European Commission President.

Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt has risked stirring up a huge row with the EU's more reluctant members by calling for a directly-levied European charge to be slapped on all Union taxpayers.