European Parliament supports greater cross-border cooperation between tax authorities

Today, the European Parliament has just voted with a broad pro-European majority in favour of the Fiscalis programme for improving cross-border cooperation between tax authorities, which is part of the Multi-Financial-Framework (MFF) programmes currently being negotiated between the Parliament, Council and Commission.

The Fiscalis programme helps tax authorities in the exchange of information and common tax audits. This is key to the fight against tax evasion and money laundering, as well as helping to share knowledge and expertise. With the successful vote in plenary today, the file will now be referred back to the ECON Committee and trilogues will start next week where the improvements of the Parliament will be negotiated with Council and Commission.

The Fiscalis report will determine the rules of spending about 300 Million Euros during the coming seven 7 year period. This is 10% more than originally foreseen.

Sven Giegold MEP, Greens/EFA economic policy spokesperson and rapporteur on the file comments:

"The best measure against dubious tax practices and to save millions of taxpayers´ money is the effective exchange of information. Despite the fact that progress on key tax files over the last few years have been blocked by certain Member States with vested interests, the cooperation between tax authorities has been a success and must be strengthened and supported. I am pleased that a broad majority supports my proposals to beef-up the cooperation in tax matters across borders.“

“We managed to include a list of priority actions that should be covered in the work programmes. These priority actions are suggestions based on lessons learned from scandals such as Lux Leaks and Panama Papers. The new priority actions will increase the effectiveness and the parliamentary control over the Fiscalis programme.“

“What is more is that Parliament calls for joint audits. We also added an amendment that will include joint tax audits as priority actions of the programme. Joint audits of several national tax authorities are effective to control tax payments of transnational corporations.”