Gender equality and taxation policies in the EU

Today, the European Parliament has just voted for a raft of actions aimed at supporting gender equality in taxation policies. The report gender equality and taxation policies in the EU, which was co-authored by Greens/EFA MEP Ernest Urtasun, calls on the European Commission to end gender-discrimination in taxation policies through the individualisation of tax systems and for VAT exemptions for essential basic goods such as sanitary products.

Ernest Urtasun, Greens/EFA co-rapporteur on gender equality and taxation policies in the EU comments:

"Tax policies can have bias of gender and discriminate directly or indirectly against women We are very pleased that for the first time the European Parliament is addressing the issue of gender and taxation. Unequal fiscal rules can create disincentives for women to enter and stay in the labour market, and also recreate traditional gender roles and stereotypes.

"We have included a series of measures aimed at eliminating all bias of gender related to taxation in the EU, such as the individualization of personal income tax, the elimination of tax discrimination on products and services related to the care of people and female hygiene products such as tampons".

Molly Scott Cato, Greens/EFA spokesperson on tax comments:  

"As the wealthiest people in the world - most of them men - engage in tax avoidance on income and capital, EU countries are constantly increasing the sales tax VAT which impacts disproportionately on women, including women who are barely able to feed their children. Now it's time for the European Commission to recognise that gender-discrimination through taxation must end and that all citizens should be treated equally through all policies. It's time for the EU to ensure that the gender impact of its tax policies is assessed and to prove that it can be a force for positive change for women everywhere".