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.

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 3-6 July 2017

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg Plenary included: Longer lifetimes for products would benefit consumers and business; Country by country reporting will help deliver tax justice; Endocrine Disrupters definition not fit for purpose; “PIF” directive will help Union in the fight against fraud; New parliamentary committee on terrorism; Turkey: EU progress incompatible with proposed constitutional reforms; Marrakesh Treaty - copyright exceptions on books for the blind or visually impaired; Refugees and migration.

MEPs back measures to fight VAT crime

VAT fraud

The European Parliament has backed the directive on the protection of the financial interests of the EU (or "PIF Directive"). This will reform the collection of VAT for cross-border businesses and will make consistent EU-wide rules on VAT fraud.

Blatant disregard for the banking union rules

EU Commission approves rescue of Monte dei Paschi

"The European Commission has again shown blatant disregard for the rules of the European Banking Union. There is no legal justification for further banking subsidies from the European Commission, only a clearly political one," says Sven Giegold.

Country-by-country reporting is a major win for tax justice

Tax Justice

The European Parliament has today backed proposals for country-by-country reporting of financial information, a major tool in the fight for tax justice. Country-by-country reporting would require large multinationals operating within the EU to publish financial information for all territories in which they operate, including those outside the EU.