Brussels, 26/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - In a draft European Parliament (EP) resolution on tackling tax evasion and tax havens, drawn up on the basis of a report by Slovenian socialist MEP Mojca Kleva Kekus and approved by a wide majority on 24 April (21 to 1, with 2 abstentions) by the EP's economic and monetary affairs committee, the aim is stated of halving lost tax revenue in the EU by 2020 (see EUROPE 10835).
To achieve this, the EP, which has only a consultative role to play, urges member states to introduce as soon as possible the European Commission Action Plan on tackling tax evasion. The EP lists some 30 recommendations. Internationally, it recommends that, instead of individual member states, the EU, via the Commission, should discuss these matters with other countries and calls for the Commission to prevent private or state bodies that violate EU tax rules from getting any EU funding or state aid. It wants the Commission to introduce a common definition of tax havens based on the OECD definition, to establish an EU black list by the end of 2014 and to issue penalties against non-complaint jurisdictions (criticising double taxation agreements) and bodies operating in these countries (withdrawing their bank licences). In terms of tackling tax evasion, it recommends suspending or withdrawing licences for bodies or professionals who aid their clients in avoiding tax. It recommends that the fourth EU money-laundering directive be brought into force rapidly and that companies be required to keep registers of the owners or beneficiaries of companies, trust funds and other such structures. The EP recommends the rapid introduction of the common consolidated tax basis for corporate tax unveiled by the Commission in order to calculate companies' taxable income; the updated savings tax directive to tackle secret bank accounts head on; and introduction by the Commission of a country-by-country system of reports on multinationals, requiring them to provide details of the amount of tax paid in each country where they do business, including tax havens, in order to monitor the transfers of cash for the purposes of tax avoidance. (FG/transl.fl)