Brussels, 26/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 26 February, the French MEP Alain Lamassoure (EPP) was elected chair of the special committee of the European Parliament on tax rulings. He will be supported by Bernd Lucke (ECR, Germany) as first vice-chair, Marisa Matias (GUE/NGL, Portugal) as second vice-chair and Eva Joly (Greens/EFA, Franco-Norwegian) as third vice-chair.
“We need results and we need them fast. We need to take advantage of the impetus provided by a number of revelations in the press to put an end to certain eminently questionable practices”, said Alain Lamassoure. He called for unity beyond political alignment or national sensitivities. He went on to say that the special committee should not encroach on the competences of the economic committee of the European Parliament, or duplicate its work. On behalf of the Greens/EFA group, Belgium's Philippe Lamberts stressed that those involved in the initiation work which led to the special committee were motivated by the need to change practices, rather than to carry out a public witchhunt. UK MEP Ashley Fox (ECR) pointed out that taxation is a national competence and that the work should focus on tax practices which may constitute illegal state aid. He is concerned that by placing the emphasis on tax policy, the special committee will be “ignored by the Council”. The special committee will look into dominant tax practices implemented from 1 January 1991, when the first agreement was concluded between Apple and Ireland. The meeting of 9 March will take stock of the working agenda. (Elodie Lamer)