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We support the call for a rebalance of power in the governance of global tax issues.

The publication of a new set of corporate tax principles by The B Team, a coalition of progressive business leaders, was welcomed by Oxfam today. The principles have been endorsed by companies such as Allianz, Unilever and Vodafone Group Plc.

This discussion paper proposes what ‘good’ looks like in responsible corporate tax behavior, and contains a wide range of positive behaviors and actions companies can undertake to go beyond legal compliance and result in significant gains for developing countries.

The European Commission admits that wealth taxation is gaining “traction globally” as a tool to “ensure a fairer sharing of the tax burden across individuals”. This is according to the Commission’s new Annual Report on Taxation, which mentions the recent G20 discussions around taxing the super-rich and the European Citizens Initiative for a wealth tax.

Renewed demands by the G77 for a UN-led body to stamp out tax havens were lauded by Oxfam today.  G77 Ministers, who met on the side-lines of the UN General Assembly in New York, re-launched their proposal for a UN-led tax body, which was blocked at a UN meeting to discuss finance for development in Addis Ababa last year.

“Today’s so-called ‘hammer blow’ against tax cheats misses. If the proposed registry of beneficial owners of companies and trusts is hidden from the public, how can we know who is hiding their profits and fortunes and trying to avoid paying their fair share?" said Susana Ruiz, Oxfam's tax policy expert.

Responding to IMF Managing Director, Christine Lagarde’s curtain-raiser speech today, ahead of the IMF and World Bank Spring meetings, Nadia Daar, Oxfam International’s Head of Washington office, said: “Madame Lagarde reminds us that traditional approaches to economic growth are failing and poor countries are being hit hardest. We are glad the IMF recognizes the ‘winner takes most' economies we have created are unsustainable and we welcome her call to address excessive inequality through progressive tax measures and more spending on public services such as education…

This report reveals the widespread use of tax havens and low tax jurisdictions in the corporate structures of companies holding petroleum rights in Kenya.

The European Commission has proposed legislation that recognises the rights and importance of all whistleblowers in the EU, including those reporting on tax malpractices. Oxfam welcomes the protection mechanisms that will establish safe channels for whistleblowers to report within and outside of their organisation.

The report seeks to demonstrate the gendered implications of how tax systems are designed, focusing on identifying aspects of taxation that can damage women's economic autonomy. It also offers recommendations for transforming tax policy as an instrument to help combat some of the inequalities affecting women.