Code of Conduct Gruppe: Steuertricks der Konzerne gehen weiter

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„Seit LuxLeaks gelobt die EU, Steuertricks der Konzerne zu bekämpfen. Wir verlieren hunderte Milliarden Euro jährlich durch Disney, McDonald‘s & Co. während die EU durch die Kürzungspolitik zerfällt. Die Empfehlungen des Europäischen Parlaments hierzu werden weiter ignoriert“, kommentiert Fabio De Masi (DIE LINKE.) die von der Linksfraktion GUE/NGL beantragte Plenardebatte am heutigen Dienstag zur Umsetzung der vom LuxLeaks-Sonderausschuss TAXE an Rat, Kommission und Mitgliedstaaten abgegebenen Empfehlungen sowie insbesondere der Reform der Ratsarbeitsgruppe Verhaltenskodex Unternehmensbesteuerung (Code of Conduct Gruppe).

Der Europaabgeordnete und stellvertretende Vorsitzende des Panama Papers Untersuchungsausschusses des Europaparlaments weiter: „Die Code of Conduct Gruppe ist seit 20 Jahren zuständig, schädlichen Steuerwettbewerb in der EU zu bekämpfen und versagt. Auch Herr Juncker behinderte permanent Fortschritte. Ohne eine Reform der Code Gruppe und der EU-Verträge werden wir – ob bei schwarzer Liste der Steueroasen oder konsolidierter Ermittlung von Unternehmensgewinnen in der EU – immer wieder ausgebremst. Dies betrifft nicht nur Luxemburg sondern auch Deutschland – etwa weil es die öffentliche Berichterstattung von Konzernen nach Ländern blockiert.“

De Masi abschließend: „Vor dem Panama Papers Ausschuss wird Jean-Claude Juncker erneut aussagen müssen. Angesichts seines Sündenregisters muss er sich zur Reform der Code of Conduct Gruppe bekennen oder gehen.“

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Urgent reform of Code of Conduct Group long overdue in fight against tax dumping

More than two years after the LuxLeaks scandal, MEPs have tonight been debating on the merits and recommendations for reforming the Code of Conduct Group on business taxation (CoCG) at the March plenary in Strasbourg.

During its 19-year existence, the CoCG has pursued its objective of combating harmful tax practices in the EU through legally non-binding agreements in the areas of administrative practices, anti-abuse rules, transparency and exchange of information in the area of transfer pricing and promotion of the principles of the code of conduct in non-EU countries.

Given the scandals over corporate sweetheart deals and tax evasion at the heart of the EU, the group’s effectiveness has been called into question.

For GUE/NGL’s Fabio De Masi – a member at the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) – the status quo must change:

“Since LuxLeaks, the EU has promised to fight corporate tax dumping. Yet, we are still losing hundreds of billions of euros a year to Disney, McDonalds and others whilst the EU is falling apart.

“The Code of Conduct group has been responsible for combating harmful tax competition for 20 years. But that has been a failure with very little to show for.”

“If we keep giving EU tax havens veto powers, we will never make progress with either establishing a blacklist for tax havens or a sufficiently progressive Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base for Europe,” said De Masi.

Equally damning of the situation is Irish MEP Matt Carthy who sits as a substitute on the ECON Committee and who reserved criticism for EU member states that continue to veto reforms for fair and transparent corporate taxation. 

“Ireland’s Finance Minister claims our country is committed to the highest international standards on tax transparency. But he’s also on the record as opposing public country-by-country reporting (CBCR).”

“Government and tax industry representatives claim this is about trust – the Irish people have trust in our Revenue agency therefore making CBCR public is unnecessary,” said Carthy.

“Well, lots of people don’t trust Revenue – the agency that gave illegal sweetheart deals to Apple.”

“Making CBCR public is vital to ensure democratic, public scrutiny of corporate tax,” the Irish MEP added.

 

GUE/NGL Press Contact:
Ben Leung  +32 22 83 2299 / +32 (0) 470 880 965
European United Left / Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL)
European Parliamentary Group
www.guengl.eu