MOTORISTS could be paying car tax linked to the amount of CO2 emissions from their vehicles within a few years under proposals being considered by the EU.

ANYBODY watching the mayhem that was the European Parliament in Strasbourg yesterday could be forgiven for believing the whole EU project is surreal and has little connection to the normal world.

A PROPOSAL to allow multi-national companies to use a common EU base for corporate taxes was condemned as the thin end of the tax harmonisation wedge by government and business yesterday.

Some of the European Union’s most vocal advocates of greater integration have the worst performance in actually implementing EU laws on the single market, the EU’s head office said.

BUILDERS, bookmakers and garages are among a range of businesses to be targeted under tough new money laundering proposals drawn up by the European Commission.

Last year there were 2,688 reports to the Revenue Commissioners of possible money laundering transactions.

The newly-elected European Parliament launched itself with a bang this afternoon – taking EU governments to court over air passenger privacy rights.

THE EU has approved an anti-terrorism deal with Washington for sharing passenger data on flights to the US, rejecting warnings about potential violations of privacy rights.

The European Commission has approved an anti-terrorist deal with the United States for sharing airline passenger data, overriding objections from the European Parliament.

The European Commission today outlined a tough new strategy to crack down on organised financial crime.

THE European Commission has proposed dropping national restrictions on the purchase and shipping of cheaper beer and wine from low tax countries.

THE European Commission is to propose that only one auditor be responsible for the overseeing of company accounts under new rules for statutory auditors to be released in March.

TAXPAYERS are being forced to make up for at least €5 billion lost through excise duty fraud on cigarettes and alcohol, according to the EU.

PERSONAL details of all air passengers flying to America, including credit card details and home addresses, will be handed over to US authorities under a deal agreed with the EU.

IRELAND is to be referred to the European Court of Justice for failing to open up business to competition.

POLITICAL cynicism is on display in the EU this week in a number of forms. The most common kind is in the relationship between the EU and its member states.

IRELAND is keeping to its promise to implement all outstanding EU laws concerning the internal market before the country takes over the presidency of the union next January.

IRELAND was confident of retaining its zero rate VAT on children’s shoes and clothes despite a plan to harmonise rates discussed by EU finance ministers in Italy at the weekend.

American concern over terrorism is understandable in the aftermath of September 11.

AER LINGUS will provide US authorities will details of all passengers flying to America from the end of this month, despite fears that it may invade people’s right to privacy.

PARENTS are being ripped off by shops and manufacturers who are charging more for children’s shoes despite a zero VAT rate.

THE price of a standard stamp will increase by 21% or about eight cent under proposals released by the European Commission.

The Danish presidency of the EU said the European Commission and Switzerland remain at odds over banking secrecy following talks yesterday.

FINANCE Minister Charlie McCreevy has backed a British veto on plans to abolish Vehicle Registration Tax on cars. The proposal being drawn up by the European Commission would scrap VRT, which at present adds from 21% to 30% to the cost of cars in Ireland, and replace it with an annual road tax.

PLANS to harmonise and increase tax on diesel and unleaded petrol and to harmonise vehicle registration tax will bring Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy on a collision course with the European Commission.

The European Commission says Microsoft could be fined by individual EU states if it's found guilty of breaching data protection law.

The European Commission has launched an attempt to force banks to cut huge customer charges for moving money around the EU.