Tax justice

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Stress test for banks

Taxpayers' money should not be used for bank bailouts

The European Banking Authority (EBA) will tonight publish the results of the 2016 stress test for banks. The EBA carries out the test to assess whether banks hold enough capital to see them through a further worsening of the banking crisis. The stress test results play a crucial role in possible ban...

Offshore Wealth Reconsidered – Tax havens are doing better than might you think

A new report from our Tax Justice Campaign

There are plenty of tax havens around the world, but probably not as many as there have been promises to shut them down. We have looked into whether the amount of wealth hidden in these countries has decreased over the past few years, either because of the financial crisis or because of international actions against tax havens. Spoiler alert: the answer is no!

Panama Papers: European Parliament kicks off its investigation

A blog from our Tax Justice Campaign

The biggest tax scandal of all time – involving both politicians and well-known figures, and triggering a range of investigations – deserved the highest possible response from the European Parliament. That is exactly what the Greens called for immediately after the Panama Papers revelations and what was finally approved at the beginning of June.

Final report on Luxleaks

Who’s to blame and what needs to change

When the Luxleaks scandal broke 18 months ago, the Greens in the European Parliament were the first to call for an inquiry committee to make sure we could properly investigate the revelations.

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 4-8 July 2016

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg plenary included: Energy labels and a common sense A-G system; Human trafficking and EU external relations; UK referendum aftermath; Diverting development aid to military purposes; Revising money laundering rules and tackling tax avoidance; Controversial EU-Canada trade deal ratification; EU border and coast guard and fundamental rights; Whistleblower protection: EU rules badly needed; Tax evasion: conclusion of Lux Leaks investigation.

EP tax avoidance investigation

Parliament adopts strong conclusions to Luxembourg Leaks investigation

The European Parliament today adopted the final report concluding the investigation of its special committee on tax avoidance. Welcoming the vote, Greens/EFA co-president Philippe Lamberts said:  “This investigation has shed light on the regulatory breakdown which allowed the large-scale tax ...

A step forward on money-laundering, but Commission needs to be bolder

After the Panama Paper revelations, the European Commission needs to show it is ready to take strong action on tax evasion and avoidance. Their newly published anti-money laundering package goes some way towards achieving that. But with up to €1 trillion lost from the real economy each year, they need to be much bolder.

EU anti-money laundering rules

Commission proposes steps forward in response to Panama Papers

The European Commission today presented proposals to update EU rules on anti-money laundering, including provisions to strengthen existing legislation in response to the Panama Papers revelations. Commenting on the proposals, Green MEP Judith Sargentini, who was co-rapporteur/draftsperson for parlia...

Tax is a feminist issue!

29.06.2016

A Greens/EFA conference

There is a unanimous concern among activists, experts and academics on the gender bias of tax systems, and, furthermore, on how the contemporary tax reforms may increase the incidence of taxation on the poorest women.

Luxembourg Leaks trial

Regrettable verdict a wake-up call on whistleblower protection

A Luxembourg court today ruled that ‘Luxembourg Leaks’ whistleblowers Antoine Deltour and Raphaël Halet were guilty of stealing documents, revealing business secrets and violating trade secrets (1). Criticising the verdict, Green transparency spokesperson Benedek Javor MEP, who was ...

Luxleaks committee delivers final verdict

A blog from our Tax Justice campaign

In the same week as Finance Ministers agreed a weak package of reforms on tax avoidance, the European Parliament Special Committee TAXE has published a harsh assessment of Member States' willingness to adopt tax reforms. The committee, created in February 2015 to investigate the Luxleaks scandal, also put forward a series of recommendations on how to make corporate taxation fairer.