Mandate of the Panama Inquiry Committee

What role for the Greens in Europe to fight tax evasion and tax avoidance?

20.05.2016

In the light of the recent scandals (the Offshoreleaks, Luxleaks, Swissleaks scandal, Panama papers), this event will be the opportunity to present what the Greens / EFA group in the European Parliament has started to do within the framework of its Tax Justice Campaign. Denouncing the role of tax havens in Europe (and in the US), highlighting concrete examples of how big companies are avoiding taxes (the IKEA report) and fighting within the EU institutions for tax reforms (inquiry committee, initiative reports) are just a few examples that will be discussed.

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 9-13 May 2016

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg plenary included improving transparency of foreign direct investment; Greek bailout and Euro crisis in the spotlight again; Situation in Turkey and visa liberalisation; Reforming EU asylum policy; Saving the Schengen free movement system; Small step towards corporate tax transparency; Panama Papers: EP inquiry into tax evasion and money laundering in the EU.

The role of the United States as a tax haven

New Greens/EFA research looks at implications for Europe

On the same week of the publication of the Panama Papers’ database by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, providing a useful resource to track shell companies often created with the objective to evade taxes or launder dirty money, the Greens launch a new report on why the United States are becoming the biggest tax haven on the planet.

Tax avoidance

US should be considered a tax haven according to new research

New research commissioned by the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament has outlined how the US has fallen behind on tax transparency and made the case for it to be considered as a tax haven under the new EU blacklist (1). The research has been published ahead of a delegation by the European Pa...

The Greens/EFA Co-Presidents' briefing

10.05.2016

LIVE press conference 10 May 10:30-10:50

Greens/EFA co-presidents Rebecca Harms and Philippe Lamberts present the key issues of the plenary session and of the European agenda for the Greens/EFA group

What the Panama Papers tell us about today's world

Even if tax scandals have been in the European media for years now, the Panama Papers revelations take the problem to a whole new level. This Panama Papers leak is an unprecedented event, by the size of the consortium of journalists coordinating the investigation (376 journalists from 109 media outlets) but also by the scope of the revelations, involving politicians, stars and many other celebrities.

Financial benchmarks

EP adopts a much too timid response to recent Libor, Forex and commodity index rigging scandals

The Greens/EFA group today voted against the proposed Regulation of financial benchmarks, which was adopted by a large majority of MEPs.

Greens push the European Investment Bank to clean up its act!

Blog post by Benedek Jávor, Bart Staes and Ernest Urtasun

Citizens and activists working on transparency and accountability issues tend to follow one simple rule: "Follow the Money"! However, this is not just because we want to know how public money is being spent; it is because money really matters. Money equals power. That's why it's so impor...

Greece/Eurogroup

Posturing must end; responsible decisions on Greek economy needed

Commenting on the latest developments regarding the Greek bailout programme, Greens/EFA co-president Philippe Lamberts said: "The renewed posturing on the implementation of Greece's bailout programme is a worrying distraction from the persistent deterioration of the Greek economy. The decision ...

IKEA flat pack tax avoidance

new episode

You may remember that in February, the Greens published a report demonstrating how IKEA companies were avoiding €1 billion across Europe over the last six years. Six weeks later, we finally got a reply from Inter-IKEA Group - one of the 2 IKEA companies.

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 11-15 April 2016

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg plenary included air passenger data retention (PNR); strengthening data protection in the EU; Erasmus+ scheme; ensuring sustainable fisheries beyond EU waters; the refugee crisis and the EU-Turkey agreement; Panama Leaks: tax evasion and money laundering in the EU; the vote on the possible reapproval of glyphosate; Poland and the rule of law; EU trade secrets rules and the implications of whistleblowers; energy poverty: tackling poverty in the face of increasing household costs.