EU commissioner De Gucht disputes 900,000-euro tax fraud fine

EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht is fighting a 900,000-euro (1.2-million-dollar) fine for tax fraud in his native
Belgium, local media reported Friday, with court proceedings due to
open later this month, dpa reported.
De Gucht, who has been leading the EU team in free trade
negotiations with the United States, has received the backing of
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
The fee relates to the sale of shares worth 1.2 million euros that
De Gucht and his wife allegedly failed to correctly declare to the
tax authorities, wrote Belgian dailies De Tijd and L'Echo.
Tax inspectors have slapped a 50-per-cent fine and interest
payments on top of the initial payment due, the newspapers wrote. De
Gucht is challenging these demands.
-- SPA
19:30 LOCAL TIME 16:30 GMT
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