EU summit

Commenting on the conclusions of the EU summit of heads of state and government in Brussels today, Sven Giegold, Greens/EFA coordinator for the EP economics and monetary affairs committee, commented:

"It is a great succes for the alterglobalist movement that the European Council has for the first time shown its support for a financial transaction tax. The pledge is made a little too easily given that it is specifically made for a global tax, the best solution but one already rejected by the US Secretary of the Treasury.

The Greens/EFA Group calls on Europe to go it alone if necessary and pioneer the introduction of the financial transaction tax. Each time zone and each currency area can introduce such a tax autonomously. The evasion possibilities are within acceptable limits, given that the ECB has wide control possibilities when it comes to settlement of Euro transactions."