1/4% Tax on all stock trades pushed in NY Times today

I can't read the article, but if it's Ireland who wants to force a QMV vote...And France and Germany who wants to postpone...It's a good sign.
 
Quote from bjw:

so assuming this post is still current, we can update it a bit. romania and lithuania both seem willing to vote yes now

so you have definite yes from "the 11": austria (10), belgium (12), estonia (4), france (29), germany (29), greece (12), italy (29), portugal (12), slovakia (7), slovenia (4), spain (27). plus lithuania (7) and romania (14).

definite no's from UK (29), Czech Rep (12), Sweden (10), Denmark (7), Ireland (7), Luxembourg (4), Malta (4), Finland (7). that's 80, we need 88.

so that leaves 8 point that should come from

hungary (12) is about to introduce its own ftt, so seems likely "yes", but then again. searching google suggest they have purposely introduced their own tax, and not joined the cooperation, because they don't like the set-up (and probably just want to keep proceeds for themselves). not a likely supporter for our case, but who knows.

cyprus (4) seems like a likely no and should give us 4 of the 8 points we still need. they have always been negative, let's hope that doesn't change with the bailout package they might need from europe and the negotiations preceding that.

poland (27). who knows really.

netherlands (13). being dutch myself i know the fight isn't over yet. 1 of the 2 governmental parties has made strict conditions (and doesn't really want the tax at all), which likely won't be acceptable for the remainder of the EU. Assuming they won't flip-flop, the FTT-battle is definitely not decided yet. I'm not sure if that will mean they'll vote no though, I'm fearing they might vote yes (or abstain, if that's at all possible), but simply not join the cooperation for now.

finally latvia (4). could be key player and google suggest they're not in favour yet, but again, who knows.

edit, and i forgot bulgaria (10), this link from october still suggest a no. http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=144428

anyway, sounds like it will come down to the last couple of points to decide this, but it's really not looking that bad. which also would explain why there hasn't been a vote yet.
More...

This was the last estimate of voting intentions on 14 December. AFAIK no country has actually declared that they'll vote no in QMV so we'll just have to wait and see.

Even if it passes QMV it can still be challenged in the courts.
 
Many countries in the EU are slipping into or already in recession. Hopefully - and I know we can't bank on hope - these countries will come to understand "don't raise taxes during a recession."

Just read about Finland and Nokia today and how they are in recession and there is gloom. It's probably one reason why they said no to FTT and cheering from Brussels. Who wants to hurt their tax base to fund Greece? Northern EU countries resented bailouts before and they will resent them more as the recession bites during this cold winter. They are getting cold feet on FTT.

I do think that France and Germany are stalling a losing QMV vote. Like Leader Harry Reid not bringing a bill for voting on the Senate floor.

Pile on the media comment boards with "don't raise taxes and hurt your economic base during a recession." That argument makes politicians very nervous. Of course, we know FTT is bad in any economic cycle.

The EU is losing manufacturing jobs to emerging markets due to significant wage and payroll tax differences. Why tax banks and capital with FTT which will chase banking and finance jobs to emerging markets, too?
 
According to this, QMV will take place next week:

http://www.fxcentre.com/news.asp?3025451

[...]The Ministers noted that at next week's Ecofin, the first under the presidency of Minister Noonan, the Council will take a decision to authorise Member States to move ahead under enhanced cooperation in the area of a Financial Transaction Tax.[...]
 
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