SYRIA CRISIS APPEAL

European Union Office

Challenging EU policies to make them work for people in poverty

EU Office

Tax on the “private” billions now stashed away in havens enough to end extreme world poverty twice over

Press Release | 22 May 2013
At least $18.5 trillion is hidden by wealthy individuals in tax havens worldwide, representing a loss of more than $156 billion in tax revenue, according to new figures published today by international agency Oxfam.
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EU Finance Ministers fail to take bold stance on tax dodging

Media Reaction | 14 May 2013
Meeting today in Brussels, European Finance Ministers failed to take bold action against tax evasion and avoidance, leaving a great deal still to be achieved at next week’s EU leaders’ summit. While...
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EU still fooling itself on climate finance as Ministers fail to boost funding

Media Reaction | 14 May 2013
Oxfam warned EU Finance Ministers, who hailed Europe’s success in meeting its Copenhagen climate finance commitments at a meeting in Brussels today, used clever accounting to make up the figures....
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Oxfam response to UK Government's decision to launch legal challenge to plans for a European Financial Transaction Tax

Media Reaction | 19 April 2013
Responding to the UK Government's decision to launch a legal challenge to plans for a European Financial Transaction Tax, Nicolas Mombrial, Oxfam EU policy adviser, said:“The UK government has lost...
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Oxfam-Eurodad reaction to EU deal on transparency of extractives industries

Media Reaction | 10 April 2013
The European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU struck last night a deal on transparency of extractives industries. The agreement will be adopted by the Parliament and the...
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Reuters - EU members pledge 31.5 bln euros for poor countries

4 June 2013
http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/05/28/eu-aid-idINDEE94R0AD20130528

BBC - Syria conflict: EU struggles over arms embargo

4 June 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22677827

Deutsche Welle - Oxfam says $12tn stashed in European tax havens ahead of EU tax talks

4 June 2013
http://www.dw.de/oxfam-says-12tn-stashed-in-european-tax-havens-ahead-of-eu-tax-...

Sky News - Tax Dodgers 'Could End Extreme Poverty Twice'

4 June 2013
http://news.sky.com/story/1094115/tax-dodgers-could-end-extreme-poverty-twice

Public Service Europe - EU must take 'concrete action' against money laundering

26 April 2013
http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/3372/eu-must-take-concrete-action-aga...

EU-India free trade deal puts millions of lives at risk

by Leïla Bodeux, Policy Advisor in Essential Services at Oxfam-in-Belgium
As the mid-April deadline to conclude negotiations for the EU-India free trade agreement approaches, members of the European Parliament and civil society groups from across Europe mobilised in Brussels today to demand that the European Commission withdraw provisions that will harm people’s access to medicines in India and across the developing world.... Read more »

09 Apr 2013 | oxfameu | Read comments

Staggering 55% cut to EU funding for climate change adaptation

by Lies Craeynest, Oxfam’s EU climate change expert

European funding to help poor countries adapt to a changing climate is dropping remarkably at a time when it needs to be scaled up in line with UN commitments and people are dealing with increasing impacts of extreme weather events.
As part of an assessment that shows... Read more »

08 Apr 2013 | oxfameu | Read comments

EU Finance Ministers’ meeting

8 July, 2013 - 23:00
Brussels
Finance Ministers are expected to adopt their position on the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID). Mandatory limits on speculation on commodity derivatives are necessary to limit harmful speculation on food commodities while restoring the price discovery and hedging functions of markets. Strong evidence supports that a link exists between speculation by financial counter-parties and greater food price volatility and, in some cases, higher food prices. High and volatile food prices have had a devastating impact in poor and food import dependent countries, causing increased hunger, conflict and instability.

MEPs to vote on EU biofuels policy

9 July, 2013 - 23:00
Brussels
Members of the Environment committee (ENVI) will vote on a report regarding the European Commission’s October proposal to cap support for biofuels made from food crops at 5% of total energy in transport. Oxfam is calling on the EU to rule out support for biofuels competing with food for crops, water and land. They are pushing up global food prices and driving people off their land.

European Parliament plenary session

8 September, 2013 - 23:00 - 11 September, 2013 - 23:00
Strasbourg
The European Parliament will vote in plenary on the European Commission’s October proposal to cap support for biofuels made from food crops at 5% of total energy in transport Oxfam is calling on the EU to rule out support for biofuels competing with food for crops, water and land. They are pushing up global food prices and driving people off their land.

Oxfam International’s European Union office in Brussels works to influence key decision-makers to ensure that EU policies affecting poor countries have a far reaching, positive impact on the lives of those most in need.

Our work spans numerous policy areas including food security, climate change, development policy and finance, and the provision of humanitarian assistance to victims of conflicts and natural disasters.

The EU office works together with Oxfam’s eight European affiliates in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. We also join forces with allied NGOs and civil society organizations.

Meet the team:

Natalia Alonso
Head of EU Office
Tel: +32 2 234 11 14
Email: Natalia.Alonso@oxfaminternational.org

Natalia Danailov
Office Administrator
Tel.: +32 2 234 11 10
Email: Natalia.Danailov@oxfaminternational.org

Angela Corbalan
EU Media & Communications Officer
Tel:  + 32 2 234 11 15
Email: Angela.Corbalan@oxfaminternational.org

Marc Olivier Herman
EU Economic Justice Policy Lead (Food Security > Biofuels / Financial Market Regulation)
Tel: +32 (0)2 234 11 12
Email: Marco.Herman@oxfaminternational.org

Lies Craeynest
EU Economic Justice Policy Advisor (Food Security > Climate Change / Agricultural Development Policy)
Tel: +32 (0)2 234 11 20  
Email: Lies.Craeynest@oxfaminternational.org

Nicolas Mombrial
EU Essential Services Policy Advisor (Development Policy & Finance > Aid quantity & quality / Financial Transaction Tax / EU budget 2014-2020)
Tel: + 32 2 234 11 13
Email: Nicolas.Mombrial@oxfaminternational.org

Catherine Olier
EU Essential Services Policy Advisor (Development Policy & Finance > Health & Education / Budget Support / Domestic Resources)
Tel: +32 (0) 22 34 11 25
Email: Catherine.Olier@oxfaminternational.org

Tidhar Wald
EU Humanitarian Policy Advisor (Conflict & Humanitarian Affairs)
Tel: +32 2 234 11 16
Email: Tidhar.Wald@oxfaminternational.org

Eimear Gavin
PA to Director of Advocacy and Campaigns & Administrative Assistant
Tel +32 (0)2 234 11 21
Email: eimear.gavin@oxfaminternational.org

Isabel Martins
EU Advocacy Intern
Tel: +32 2 234 11 28
Email: Isabel.Martins@oxfaminternational.org

Serena Merrino
EU Advocacy Intern
Tel: +32 2 234 11 19
Email: Serena.Merrino@oxfaminternational.org

Nicholas Todd
EU Media and Communications Intern
Tel: +32 2 234 11 29
Email: Nicholas.Todd@oxfaminternational.org