While the G20 Finance Ministers are due to give their green light at their meeting in Riyadh on 22 and 23 February to the OECD's work on international tax reform (see EUROPE 12416/20), the organisation Oxfam accuses the United States, but also some European countries, of trying to weaken the reform.
"The United States, together with European countries such as Sweden, Ireland, Denmark and Belgium, are pushing hard to water down these historic tax reforms", denounced Johan Langerock, political advisor at Oxfam, in a press release on Friday 21 February.
In addition to the United States, which is pushing for a system based on the 'Safe Harbor' model, which would give companies the choice of whether or not to apply the new system set by the OECD, Sweden and Denmark are also opposed to Pillar I of the reform (digital taxation), while Ireland, Poland and Belgium are pushing for a watered-down Pillar II (minimum taxation).
The organisation is also critical of France, which, in its view, would now like to reduce the scope of Pillar I and ensure that Pillar II allows derogations for tax incentives.
Several times called upon to speak with one voice at the OECD, EU Member States have failed to coordinate their positions.
"If these countries get their way, big corporations will continue to get away without paying their fair share of taxes - and rich and poor nations alike will continue to lose out on tax revenues they desperately need", Langerock warned.
The next major step is expected to take place on 1 and 2 July in Berlin, where the OECD's Inclusive Framework on BEPS hopes to reach agreement on the main political features of the reform. (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)