15/05/2009 3:06:41 pm
Digging a Hole For Europe. The former EU Commissioner Mario Monti now claims that the only way to save the single market is tax harmonization. But one cannot defend a free and open market against protectionism by giving in to something equally bad.

The fact that European countries compete for better policies is our main path to prosperity. Harmonising taxes destroys that competition. The single market on the other hand enhances it, which explains a lot of why Europe has improved so much in recent years.

We need more of the single market, not least in welfare services and education. That would make us leave the recession stronger rather than weaker.