tax havens

Since 2015 all banks based in the European Union have been obliged to publicly report their profits and tax on a country-by-country basis. This report showcases research by Oxfam that uses this new transparency data in depth for the first time to illustrate the extent to which the top 20 EU banks are using tax havens.

It is shameful to see European banks again involved in a major global money laundering scandal. 

The Netherlands, Ireland, Luxembourg and Cyprus are among the world’s 15 worst corporate tax havens, according to new Oxfam research published today. The report ‘Tax Battles’ reveals a global race to the bottom on corporate tax that is starving countries out of billions of dollars needed to tackle poverty and inequality.

The criteria adopted by EU Finance Ministers for screening countries over tax abuse will be of little to no use in ending the era of tax havens. 

EU governments are on the brink of agreeing a tax haven blacklist that could ensure corporate tax havens face international sanctions for the first time. This is a welcome move if the list includes objective and comprehensive criteria instead of focussing solely on opacity of tax systems, said Oxfam today.

Today the European Commission released its fourth package to combat tax evasion and tax avoidance. This corporate tax reform package notably includes a proposal to harmonize the tax base among EU 28 member states. Oxfam supports the ongoing efforts of the European Commission to reopen discussions on tax base harmonization and to push ahead in the fight against tax avoidance.

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.

The European Commission’s decision on Ireland’s sweetheart tax deal with Apple shows that some tax practises can be terribly damaging. In times where poverty in Europe has been rising, governments must not churn the chance to raise billions in corporate tax income for the benefit of their citizens.

EU governments are unwilling to tackle large-scale tax avoidance of multinational companies, Oxfam says in reaction to a new directive formally approved today.