Milan, 26 Aug. (LaPresse) – “I believe we can make progress by discussing and engaging with the business community, particularly in the hydrocarbons sector. I am strongly opposed to any suggestion of windfall profits or taxes. When I hear the word ‘taxes’, I break out in hives. It is right that there should be a dialogue and that a contribution should be made, as we have done with the banks and the insurance companies. There must be an agreed dialogue, asking for a contribution at a difficult time from companies in the sector as well, but I do not want to hear the word ‘excess profits’, which smacks very much of the Soviet Union.” This was stated by the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Secretary of Forza Italia, Antonio Tajani, on the sidelines of the Rimini Meeting. “Moreover, ‘excess profit’ does not exist in law: who decides? Does a bureaucrat decide where profit ends and excess profit begins? What is excess profit? It’s a dirty word. An agreed contribution, on the other hand, seems to me to be the right thing to do. We have held discussions; we have always supported this. In difficult times, everyone must contribute to solving problems, but it is one thing to contribute through an agreement, and quite another to bring down the axe of taxation,” added Tajani.
Fuel: Tajani: “I’m strongly opposed to taxes on windfall profits – they smack of the USSR”
Milan, 26 Aug. (LaPresse) – “I believe we can make progress by discussing and engaging with the business community, particularly in the hydrocarbons sector. I am strongly opposed to any suggestion of windfall profits or taxes. When I hear the word ‘taxes’, I break out in hives. It is right that there should be a dialogue and that a contribution should be made, as we have done with the banks and the insurance companies. There must be an agreed dialogue, asking for a contribution at a difficult time from companies in the sector as well, but I do not want to hear the word ‘excess profits’, which smacks very much of the Soviet Union.” This was stated by the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Secretary of Forza Italia, Antonio Tajani, on the sidelines of the Rimini Meeting. “Moreover, ‘excess profit’ does not exist in law: who decides? Does a bureaucrat decide where profit ends and excess profit begins? What is excess profit? It’s a dirty word. An agreed contribution, on the other hand, seems to me to be the right thing to do. We have held discussions; we have always supported this. In difficult times, everyone must contribute to solving problems, but it is one thing to contribute through an agreement, and quite another to bring down the axe of taxation,” added Tajani.