EU: A Plan for Tax Harmony Creates Discordance

The Irish government is getting ready for a tough debate with its peers in the European Union about how companies are taxed in the Continental bloc. This year, the European Commission wants to introduce a single set of rules to calculate the taxable profits of companies operating in EU member states. This controversial plan, known as "tax harmonization," would allow the union to impose tax rules on its member states, which currently all have their own tax policies. From Brussels' perspective, having a common set of rules would reduce bureaucracy, combat tax avoidance and offer companies a predictable tax environment across the Continent. But for Ireland, this is a direct attack on its economic model, which is based on low corporate taxes and benefits for multinational companies....