Ireland’s European Commissioner, Charlie McCreevy, has launched a strong attack on the European Commission’s efforts to introduce a common business tax base across Europe.

McCreevy has warned of the danger of a ‘‘bully-boys’ charter’’ which would favour large states over smaller members like Ireland.

The former finance minister, an outspoken critic of moves towards tax harmonisation in Europe, departed from his prepared script at a dinner on Friday night to criticise continuing moves to introduce common tax arrangements, which are led by his fellow commissioners and backed by a number of European states.

Speaking at the annual dinner of the Irish Auctioneers and Valuers Institute (IAVI) in Kilkenny, McCreevy said the tax harmonisation issue was being ‘‘aggressively pushed forward by some in Europe’’.

Posted: 04|1|07 at 8:04 am. Filed under: Auction News.