Officially to support economic growth, the goal is to coordinate fiscal policies.
This is especially to accelerate the adoption of the proposed directive on the common consolidated corporate tax base (CCCTB).
The Chancellor and the President said in their joint letter to the President of the European Council of 17 August 2011. The ministers were asked to submit specific proposals for the convergence of the tax base and rate of corporation tax in Germany and France. Several potential areas of convergence were selected.
These proposals should be implemented from 2013. The objectives are ambitious and timing if not untenable.
Remember that this convergence does not appear to be the taste of Francois Hollande and the electoral situation of Chancellor looks tricky in 2013. The success of one and / or failure of the other could jeopardize the whole process of convergence.