Yes to Tobin tax in Europe, but it serves "a more in-depth assessment of the impact of this measure on the cost of capital for households and businesses”. These are the words of the Italian premier, Mario Monti, who attended the meeting this morning Ecofin of Brussels as Minister of the Economy.
At the center of the debate, once again, the tax on financial transactions and the difficult negotiation that should lead the EU countries to introduce the law. “An agreement between all the Member States would be preferable for us”, continued the Professor, specifying however that although “the issue of a global agreement is pertinent, it cannot be a reason to paralyze our activity”.
Indeed, a 27 agreement on the Tobin tax does not seem possible: today once again Gren britain and the Czech Republic have expressed their opposition to the new instrument. Perplexity also from Holland.
In any case, Italy "supports the EU Commission's proposal on the taxation of financial transactions: the fact that there is no such global tax should not lead us to paralysis".
Monti's agenda today is really tight. After the meeting with the European finance ministers, the Prime Minister is expected by a plane that will take him back to Rome in the early afternoon. At 17 the Professor will meet the German Chancellor at Palazzo Chigi, Angela Merkel, which immediately afterwards will also be received by the President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano.
