A new raft of services including catering, hairdressing and housing could qualify for reduced VAT rates, the European Commission proposed today.

IN business terms, it’s a no-brainer. The country which charges the lowest rate of tax on your profits is always going to be an attractive place in which to do business.

EU MEMBER states are being asked to review their anti-abuse rules in the direct tax area, in an effort to ensure it does not conflict with internal market principles and is not being used to allow unfair avoidance of tax.

THE European Union is considering proposals to introduce VAT to certain consumer goods in Ireland, including children’s shoes and clothes.

THE European Commission has met a number of Irish fears over plans for a common consolidated corporate tax base (CCCTB) when it discussed the latest progress report on the plan.

EU internal markets commissioner Charlie McCreevy will break ranks with his fellow EU Commissioners today when they discuss introducing common rules for calculating company tax across the EU.

EUROPE is being flooded with fake medicines, the EU warned yesterday.

THE State has been told by the European Commission it must give tax relief to donations and gifts made to non-Irish charities.

THE Government is taking about €36 million annually in VAT from Irish charities, curbing vital services to help poor and sick people, a campaign group claimed yesterday.

TO VAT or not to VAT nappies is exercising the minds of the European Commission.

The European Commission today dropped a lawsuit against Britain for violating EU rules by seizing and taxing cheaper alcohol and tobacco products bought by travellers in other EU countries.

BANKS, insurance companies and fund managers would be allowed reclaim VAT under proposals from the European Commission.

THE Government has been told it must scrap the minimum price it imposes on cigarettes and replace it with increased taxes.

A COMPLETE harmonisation of corporation tax rates across Europe will not happen, the EU Taxation and Customs Commissioner said yesterday.

Costly car registration tax is to be phased out over the next decade in a bid to ensure a true EU single market for vehicles, it was revealed today.

There are no plans to harmonise corporate tax rates across the EU, according to the European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs.

IRELAND will lose competitiveness to other EU member states if it continues to resist adopting a common tax base, the European Taxation Commissioner Laszlo Kovacs warned.

SMALL companies with branches in other EU member states could compute their company tax according to the rules of their home country following a proposal adopted by the European Commission.

A SHAKE-UP of custom procedures within the EU has been proposed, with the introduction of a computer- based system designed to reduce costs for business and tackle counterfeiting and VAT fraud.

A RANGE of measures to harmonise tax system elements throughout the European Union has been put forward by Taxation Commissioner Laszlo Kovacs.

The European Union head office proposed an overhaul of taxes levied on cars in the 25-nation union today, calling for the charges to be focused on the amount of pollution they emit.

FINANCE Minister Brian Cowen insisted yesterday that there is no question of any eurozone country abandoning the single currency.

THE European Commission yesterday backed moves to tax aviation fuel to help fund aid to developing nations - a step that would increase airfares.

The European Commission today backed moves to tax aviation fuel to help fund aid to developing nations – a step that would increase air fares.

AT least one-in-every 20 goods on sale is a fake according to the latest figures from the European Union. The counterfeiters have never been as busy, having decided to swap quality for quantity.

US Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge is to station a top envoy in Brussels to cooperate with EU officials in the war on terror.

Ann Cahill

THE European Parliament yesterday approved the reshuffled 25-member European Commission, ending a political showdown over objections to the team.

Political leaders at the European Parliament declared victory today and said they would give their backing to the new executive under Jose Manuel Barroso after the incoming EC chief presented his reshuffled team.

A NEW European Commission team was announced by Jose Manuel Barroso last night, a week after he withdrew the previous line up because of objections from the European Parliament.

Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi tonight confirmed his foreign minister Franco Frattini to replace Rocco Buttiglione in the European Commission.

THE Taoiseach has indicated that Rocco Buttiglione, the controversial Italian candidate for the European Commission, will have to step down to resolve the row over the new commission.

IRELAND’S Charlie McCreevy has got a glowing report from the European Parliament following the hearing for his job as Commissioner for Internal Market and Services.

Ministers in the Cabinet of newly elected Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany were set to be sworn in today as part of his push to raise living standards and apply “truly Social Democratic” values to Hungary.

Moving to end a political crisis with its government coalition partner, Hungary’s Socialist Party has announced that Prime Minister Medgyessy is no longer head of the government and that it plans to nominate his replacement next week.

European Jewish leaders today said anti-Semitism was on the rise and called on the European Union and national governments to take action against it.

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy said there will be a referendum on joining the EU on April 12.

Vatican Radio has denounced The Magdalene Sisters being awarded the top prize at the Venice Film Festival.