Finance

EU Finance Ministers agree on whitewashed blacklist

Tax Havens

The EU Finance Ministers have today approved the EU’s tax haven blacklist. This lists 17 countries that have not responded to information requests from the European Council or that have not committed themselves to make their tax policy compliant with EU criteria.

Congratulations to “anti-Schäuble” Centeno

New Eurogroup leader

Today, the Eurogroup elected Portuguese Finance Minister Mario Centeno as its new President. Sven Giegold, financial and economic policy spokesperson of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, comments.

The fight against corruption and how to win it

Defeating the disease

New estimates released this year have shown the staggering amount of money that is lost due to corruption in the EU: between 179 and 990 billion euros, every single year. To play with a metaphor, corruption is like a contagious disease, a virus that spreads quickly, infecting people in ways that are not always visible, and ravishing our public services in its wake. The virus was created by humans, but we don’t need doctors to eradicate it, just a lot of hard work - or better said, a lot of teamwork! We need your support for these campaigns and we are happy to lend you ours as well – just get in touch, and let’s get to work.

Tax must be at the heart of Brexit negotiations

New report from Greens/EFA group

Cleaning up the UK's overseas territories should be a condition of any UK-EU trade deal after Brexit, according to the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament. The call comes as the group launches a new report which argues that the fight against tax havens, tax evasion and tax avoidance must be at the centre of Brexit negotiations.

Tax justice agenda for the Brexit negotiations

The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament has published a report looking at the UK's financial secrecy and corporate tax haven network. The Paradise Papers scandal shows there is an urgent need for the EU to take action against the UK’s pursuit of deepening its role as a global tax haven following its EU departure. The Greens/EFA group wants to see the leaning up the UK's overseas territories to be a condition of any UK-EU trade deal after Brexit.

Paradise Papers - the EU has no more excuse for inaction!

Plenary speeches by Green MEPs

With the Paradise Papers, the list of revelations has grown even longer, yet still member states refuse to act

European Council must stop dragging its heels

Money Laundering

"Each successive major tax scandal has shown the need for increased transparency. With the Paradise Papers, the list of revelations has grown even longer, yet still member states refuse to act," says Judith Sargentini, Greens/EFA member of the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs committee.

Tough criminal provisions needed for fraudsters

Tax crimes and money laundering

The European Parliament's committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) has voted in favour of a report from Greens/EFA MEP Eva Joly on "Countering money laundering by criminal law". This proposal for a directive aims at strengthening and harmonising the definitions and penalties f...

New leak shows urgent need for action

Paradise Papers

Molly Scott Cato, Green MEP and member of the European Parliament’s Panama Papers committee, comments on the latest big tax leak, the Paradise Papers.

European Parliament sets out powerful agenda for defeating money laundering and tax dodging

Panama Papers

"We now have a powerful set of proposals to tackle the illegal and corrupt financial flows unearthed by the Panama Papers," says Molly Scott Cato.

Schäuble leaves behind poisonous farewell present

Future of the Eurozone

Schäuble's paper continues to breathe the spirit of austerity policy. Although structural reforms are necessary in the countries in crisis, saving alone will not get the economy back on its feet. Schäuble ignores the fact that the differences within the eurozone are also the result of the policies of the richer countries of the North.

Independent EU body promises common approach to fight fraud

European Public Prosecutor’s Office

The European Parliament voted with a large majority in favour of establishing a European Public Prosecutor’s Office. The new EU public prosecutor will be an independent body with the power to investigate and prosecute fraud in the EU, particularly VAT fraud.