Italian, France econ ministers back digital services tax

The Italian and French economic ministers say they will work for the speedy adoption of an EU Commission proposal to tax digital services from the end of this year.

Meeting Wednesday in the Italian capital, Italian economic minister Giovanni Tria and his French counterpart Bruno Le Maire said in a joint statement that the digital tax is an issue "of utmost importance for citizens and would ensure greater fairness and efficiency." They also agreed to work for swift progress on the harmonization of corporate taxes in Europe.

The ministers also said that would make it a priority to improve a banking union with a goal of guaranteeing "greater stability, growth and jobs" in the eurozone, as well as creation of a euro area budget to ensure "greater stabilization and convergence."