Commenting on the list of tax havens agreed by Finance Ministers today, Katja Lehto-Komulainen, Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) said:
“Any action against tax avoidance is good news, but we will continue to press for full disclosure of economic activities in all countries without exception, and common tax rules and minimum rates. What has been agreed today needs to be followed up by further action in future meetings.
“The EU needs to get its own house in order, given the well-documented tax avoidance schemes within the EU and in non-EU territories belonging to current EU members, as well as help to crack down on tax avoidance involving other regimes.
“After LuxLeaks, Panama papers, Paradise papers and the scandals involving Amazon, Apple and others, European citizens are really fed up with tax avoidance. Tax avoidance by multinationals and very rich individuals makes a mockery of tax justice, is unfair competition for the small and medium-sized enterprises which the EU says it wants support, and is a disincentive to all others to pay their taxes. In short tax avoidance undermines our revenue system and is a threat to public services and public investment. Tax avoidance is a symbol of the inequality and greed which threatens the social fabric of European society.”
