Est. 1min 25-02-2002 (updated: 07-11-2012 ) Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>> Languages: Français | DeutschPrint Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram In an interview with ‘The Times’, Mr Gerhard Schröder, the German Chancellor, suggested that the EU should set tax rates in the Member States. Read more with Euractiv Commission adopts leniency policy for cartel whistleblowersThe Commission has updated the conditions for leniency in the imposition of fines on corporate members of price-fixing and market sharing cartels. Subscribe now to our newsletter EU Elections Decoded Email Address * Politics Newsletters BackgroundSo far, the German Chancellor had avoided any hint of a European vision, which he left to Mr Joschka Fischer, the German Foreign Minister. Now, in the interview with 'The Times', Mr Schröder: called for the "Europeanisation" of "everything to do with economic and financial policy"; called for a need for more "co-ordination and co-operation" in economic affairs in order to "soothe British feelings"; stated euro membership means signing up for political union because of the constitutional convention in 2004 and many new entrants will change Europe "as surely as the introduction of the euro has done"; stated that "Mr Blair was the man best equipped to lead the [UK] into the euro". At the same time Jack Straw, the UK Foreign Secretary, refuelled the national debate by suggesting that "the ultimate decision on the euro would be for the Cabinet and not the Treasury" and that even if the Treasury failed to deliver a "clear and unambiguous" verdict on the five euro tests, the Cabinet could still take a political decision to call a referendum. (see also EURACTIV22 February 2002)
