The French Finance Minister, Bruno Le Maire, called on the EU on Wednesday 9 September to assume its responsibilities in the face of the American blockade at the OECD on digital taxation (see EUROPE 12553/16).
“We will have to draw conclusions from the US blockade at the OECD in order to make progress at EU level”, he told the press ahead of the informal meeting of European Finance Ministers in Berlin on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 September, where the subject is to be discussed (see EUROPE 12556/21).
“If the blockage is confirmed by the end of the year, we expect the EU to table a formal proposal for digital taxation in the first quarter of 2021”, he said.
According to the French Minister, “the United States does not want taxation at the OECD” and is voluntarily multiplying the obstacles to the negotiations, criticising the tax base or advocating a voluntary ‘Safe Harbor’ scheme. “We can't wait for good American fun!”, he added.
Asked what the new Eurogroup president, Ireland’s Paschal Donohoe, could do to put the brakes on this European tax project, Mr Le Maire dismissed the fears, recalling that Ireland had “given its word” that if the OECD failed, the country would be ready to look into a European solution. He also recalled that these issues are not dealt with within the Eurogroup, but within the Ecofin Council. (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)