Towards a European Super State

[Paddy]

Why?

They aren't uniform in the US, or Switzerland. I don't know about China or India.

In fact, even within Germany they have non uniform taxes at the moment.

Non EU, US has a federal system (each state has legislative powers,
Non EU Switzerland is Federal with the cantons. Germany is Federal and the taxation for some of the states is written in the constitution.

There are discussions in the EU to enforce tax harmonisation but it will never happen.

I was a supporter of the EU but in years since; the bankers have taken over the running of it. The EU laws are made to help large corporations but when it comes to small business and contractors there is no freedom or harmonisation or work without hinderance in other EU countries. BTW I have worked in many other EU countries before and after membership so I do have experience of the bureaucracy involved.

[doodab]

Non EU, US has a federal system (each state has legislative powers,
Non EU Switzerland is Federal with the cantons. Germany is Federal and the taxation for some of the states is written in the constitution.

Exactly, so why is a federal european state so hard to imagine?

I was a supporter of the EU but in years since; the bankers have taken over the running of it. The EU laws are made to help large corporations but when it comes to small business and contractors there is no freedom or harmonisation or work without hinderance in other EU countries. BTW I have worked in many other EU countries before and after membership so I do have experience of the bureaucracy involved.

I agree to a large extent, but while it's a valid criticism of the status quo, and possibly a reason to fear a european super state, it's not a reason why the latter won't happen. That is really what I am getting at, I hear lots of people saying "it will never happen" when what they mean is "I don't like the idea" and while I am well aware of the many reasons people think it's a bad idea I have yet to hear a convincing argument as to why it is "impossible" as many people seem to think.

Personally I would like to see some harmonization of the legal structures that can be used to trade in all EU countries (e.g. a common "eurocompany", or "eurofreelance" status) with harmonized tax treatment (i.e. tax status, not rates necessarily) and perhaps a harmonised VAT registration system so that one could register once and have a VAT number valid in all countries. As you say this isn't likely to happen any time soon, although there is some effort being made to simplify things. The EU services directive which is now in force requires each member to provide a single point of contact for small service businesses setting up shop. There is still just as much bureaucracy involved, but that's because it's inflicted upon us by the individual member states, not the EU. I do think in the medium term we will see countries competing to simplify the processes involved in setting up shop. The Germans for example have already introduced a "mini GmbH" structure with reduced capital requirements as a reaction to the number of people setting up UK Ltd companies to trade in Germany.

[AtW]

It should not be possible to have a EU member state with crazy low taxes like Ireland has in relation to others - just like with VAT there should be fixed range of certain taxes to ensure fair competition in Europe.

[minestrone]

On a per state political level much of Europe's electorate still flirts with far right and far left politics and on recent history Europe has been tending towards what we moved to during the Thatcher and Blair period, free market economics but keeping the old guard on side with a few nice brand logos and the promise to keep in touch with their socialist roots. I see no reason to follow what has been following us.

Britain ain't no dream state but we do not have too many whacky ideas on how to run things based on back of the fag packet ideas and generally we have an electorate who does not care that much to vote for real change.