DUBLIN: Proposals to introduce a tax fiercely opposed by Ireland will be discussed by European finance ministers meeting in Brussels next week.
Tuesday’s meeting about the European digital tax on internet companies’ profits will be preceded on Monday by a gathering of euro zone finance ministers at which a new Eurogroup head to replace Jeroen Dijsselbloem will be elected.
The former Dutch finance minister is stepping down from the role in January.
But it is the proposals for the digital tax, which would be levied on the sale of big digital players in EU markets, that Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe will be watching more closely than any election.
Next year, the European Commission will publish its legislative proposal for new forms of taxation on digital companies.
The Irish Government fears this could dramatically reduce the attractiveness of Ireland as a base for many of the world’s biggest technology companies, including Google, Apple, Facebook and LinkedIn, all of which maintain big operations in Ireland.
