10 steps towards tax justice in Europe

It’s been a year since the Luxleaks scandal. The Greens pushed hard for change and got the European Parliament to support tax transparency. But the fight continues.

EP tax investigation

Special committee must be extended to allow more complete investigation

The European Parliament's special committee investigating tax issues yesterday evening voted on a report, summarising the findings of the investigation so far. While the Greens voted in favour of the report, which contains some ambitious proposals, the group has argued that the investigation is ...

EP tax investigation

Report adopted but special committee must be granted extension to allow more complete investigation

On 26 October, the European Parliament's special committee investigating tax issues voted on a report summarising the findings of the investigation so far. While the Greens voted in favour of the report, which contains some ambitious proposals, we criticise the incomplete nature of the investigation, with member states and corporations refusing to cooperate with Parliament.

Data protection/Facebook

'Safe Harbor' must be immediately suspended by EU Commission

The advocate general of the European Court of Justice today issued his legal opinion on a case concerning the transfer by Facebook of the data of EU citizens to the US under 'Safe Harbor'. The advocate general found that the transfer of private data to the US by Facebook is at odds with EU data prot...

Recent revelations of high-level corruption cases in FIFA

Greens/EFA motion for resolution

 Tabled by Helga Trupel, Ernest Urtasun, Barbara Lochbihler, Igor Soltes on behalf of the Greens/EFA group The European Parliament, –        having regard to the recent corruption scandals which tarnish FIFA, –     ...

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 9-12 March 2015

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg plenary included Lux Leaks and tax evasion, gender equality, lorry design and road safety, credit card fees; services trade and liberalisation, EU enlargement progress; energy union and Ukraine, transparency and anti-corruption, Russia and Nemtsov's murder; counter-terrorism cooperation with third countries and human rights.

Transparency and anti-corruption

EU rules on whistleblower protection must be prioritised

The European Parliament today adopted a report on the fight against fraud. The report included a clear call on the European Commission to bring forward a legislative proposal on the protection of whistleblowers. After the vote, Green transparency spokesperson Benedek Javor said: "It is high ...

Tax evasion/Luxembourg leaks

EP tax evasion investigation kicks off; proper inquiry must be swiftly ramped-up

The European Parliament special committee to investigate tax evasion and dumping in Europe today met for the first time, agreeing on its structure and key posts at its constitutive meeting (1). The special committee will operate on the mandate proposed by the Greens/EFA group as the basis for an inq...

VAT fraud in the EU Member States

04.02.2015

A study published by the Commission in October 2014 estimates the VAT gap in the EU at EUR 177 billion a year, 16% per cent of the VAT revenue expected by Member States. VAT is an exceptionally important source of the revenues of all Member States, on average, about 20% of state revenues come from VAT in the EU, and the if the latest estimate is right, 1 from every 6 VAT euros expected by EU Member States are lost, mostly to fraud.

Disarm the secret corporate deals

TTIP, CETA & TISA

Citizens across Europe and the US are waking up to the threats associated with corporate deals like TTIP, CETA & TiSA. Since the Snowden revelations, Greens have strongly resisted efforts to start TTIP negotiations, which present yet another assault on our democracies.

Freedom of expression and assembly in Egypt

Greens/EFA motion for resolution

Tabled by Judith Sargentini, Tamás Meszerics, Michel Reimon, Klaus Buchner, Barbara Lochbihler, Ernest Urtasun, Margrete Auken, Ernest Maragall on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group For a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law   The European ...

Breaking out from the old pattern

A Green vision for the new EU Commission

  This time it’s different. The traditional “Europe at a crossroad” has morphed into a cliff-hanger situation. For the European Union, the next five years have become a matter of make-or-break choices. Shaken by the violent crisis of the past years, European public opini...