On Tuesday 5 September, nearly 300 millionaires, economists and politicians wrote an open letter to the G20, calling on countries to tax extreme wealth ahead of their meeting in New Delhi, India, on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 September.
“We call on the Member States of the G20 to work together to enact new tax regimes – at national and international levels – that eliminate the ability of the ultra-rich to avoid paying their dues, and introduce new rules that determine higher taxation of extreme wealth”, they wrote.
“An international agreement on wealth taxes would shrink dangerous levels of inequality while also allowing leaders to raise vital funds to tackle the multiple challenges facing our world”, they added. In particular, they mentioned extreme poverty, inflation and global warming.
This letter follows the appeal launched in March by 132 MEPs, economists, the Patriotic Millionaires, non-governmental organisations and the European Trade Union Confederation (see EUROPE 13142/26, 13141/33). In July, the Commission decided to register their European Citizens’ Initiative calling for a European tax on extreme wealth to benefit the ecological and social transition (see EUROPE 13198/21).
“It’s still the same request, but the base is broadening”, commented MEP Aurore Lalucq (S&D, French), one of the initiators, when contacted by EUROPE on Wednesday 6 July. “Our fight is being taken up by more and more people, who are ever more powerful and recognised”, she enthused. Although this issue is “not yet consensual”, “it is becoming mainstream”, she felt.
From the Council of the EU side, a senior official interviewed by EUROPE on Wednesday replied that the EU would not be opposed to discussing this issue “if we see a strong movement on the part of our partners”.
Read the open letter: https://aeur.eu/f/8gl (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)