Programme of activities of the Maltese Presidency (debate)
Sven Giegold (Verts/ALE). – Mr President, while this Parliament has made the fight against tax evasion and money laundering a priority, Malta unfortunately exploits a loophole in EU corporation tax policy: it treats local income differently to international income. Local businesses have to pay 35% on their profits; international corporations profit from a corporation tax rate of as little as 5%. That is not social; that is not European. Prime Minister, I call on you to change that in the interests of the coherence of the common market. Secondly, members of the Maltese Government appear in the Panama papers. Will you cooperate fully with our inquiry committee and publish the investigative report by Manfred Galdes on the inclusion of some members of your government – or close to your government – in the Panama papers information?