Von der Leyen calls for new EU taxes on big firms in €2tn budget proposal

Plan, which also includes levies on tobacco and electronic waste, ignites major political scrap to define bloc's future

The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, has called for new EU taxes on large companies, tobacco and electronic waste as part of a proposed 2tn (1.7tn) budget.

Announcing the planned EU budget for 2028 to 2034, she effectively fired the starting gun on a major and complex political fight to define the EU's future.