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The European Union is struggling to gain support for its controversial plan to create a single means of calculating corporation tax in its 27 member states.

The U.K. government said last week that it would not back the idea and media reports suggest at least six other nations have told EU policymakers they are against it.

The EU wants to create a pan-European tax system, arguing this will make life easier for companies and stop member states using favorable tax rates as a tool of economic policy.

But some member states are concerned that the plan – known as the “common consolidated corporate tax base”, or CCCTB – will undermine their national sovereignty.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron said last week: "Those in the EU who want to see further tax harmonization usually make one of two arguments: either they want to raise more money for the EU, which I do not agree with, or they are trying to reduce tax competition within the EU, which I also do not agree with."

And recent research suggested the scheme could actually increase compliance costs, not cut them.

EU countries to express worries so far include the Netherlands, Poland, Bulgaria, Sweden, Malta, Ireland and the UK.

Under the CCCTB plan, companies that operate across Europe would have their tax bills calculated centrally, with the revenue shared out among the member states in which they do business.

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