Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-04-18-Speech-3-414-000"
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"en.20120418.22.3-414-000"2
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"Mr President, Minister, honourable Members, in these difficult times, we must ensure that taxes are efficiently and fairly collected. We cannot ask citizens to accept the burden of increased taxes and cuts in public services if we do not do our utmost to clamp down on activities and practices that rob Member States of legitimate income. I am particularly pleased that the European Council has called for an improvement in this field.
In conclusion, I believe that we must continue acting strongly against tax fraud and evasion and I look forward to a vibrant and constructive debate with you.
Thank you.
As stated in the AGS last December, the Commission has already been working on a strategy to enhance the fight against tax fraud and evasion. The request of the Heads of State or Government and your debate today will give further momentum to this work. In this context, I look forward to hearing your views and concerns today.
In order to better frame a European-wide strategy, I believe that we need to take a three-pronged approach.
Firstly, Member States need to make the best use of the tools available at EU level. For example, Eurofisc can provide a real return on investment to fight VAT fraud through the quick exchange of targeted information and the opportunity for joint risk analysis. The Commission will continue to support Eurofisc and the practical activities under the Fiscalis spending programme. In direct taxation, Member States have to use fully the provisions of the Mutual Assistance Directive and the mechanisms of the Savings Directive.
This brings me to my second point: progress in the Council on pending proposals that impact on the fight against tax fraud and evasion is too slow. Finance Ministers have to find a way out of the impasse on the revision of the Savings Directive that we have been in for too long, the more so since there have been important international developments over the last three years. The exchange of information has become a global standard undermining bank secrecy. It is now time for the European Union to take its own mechanisms a step forward. The first step has to be for the Council to mandate the Commission to negotiate with our partners in neighbouring jurisdictions, particularly Switzerland.
Thirdly, we need to look forward by developing new ideas. What can be done? For example, develop a joined-up approach to controls and investigations not only across borders between tax administrations, but also between different agencies such as those dealing with customs and tax. New ideas should also be developed, such as quick reaction mechanisms for allowing Member States to take rapid action against new types of carousel VAT fraud.
As already announced in the Commission’s work programme for 2012, I also intend to go further in fighting against tax havens and aggressive tax planning. We need to leverage the economic and political muscle of the Union to ensure that we defend ourselves against non-cooperative jurisdictions and others that do not play fair. In parallel, based on the results of the ongoing double non-taxation public consultation, I will be continuing to push for effective means to end situations of aggressive tax planning which undermine fair tax collection.
Before concluding, let me point out that we are aware that improvements are needed not only on tax legislation. As Commissioner in charge of anti-fraud, I tabled last June the Commission anti-fraud strategy which tackles large-scale smuggling of cigarettes and alcohol at the EU Eastern border. It increases transparency in entities benefiting from EU funds: those which have not fulfilled their tax obligations would be refused any EU subsidies.
My fellow Commissioner, Michel Barnier, is also very active in promoting transparency in company accounts, with recent proposals on country-by-country reporting and interconnection of companies registers."@en1
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