Potentially corrupt conflicts of interest and lawful operation of the tax system

9.2.2017

Question for written answer E-000912-17
to the Commission
Rule 130
Tibor Szanyi (S&D)

In connection with combating the tax evasion and tax avoidance occurring in the EU, the Commission stated that it was necessary to improve the supervision of tax consultancy activities, because it was now clear now that certain tax consultants and financial intermediaries played an important role in facilitating tax evasion.

At the same time, the Commission also promised to examine how the activities of tax consultants could be more successfully investigated and how market operators promoting and facilitating aggressive tax planning could be efficiently controlled.

It transpired from the tax returns to be filed by Members of Parliament in Hungary by 1 February, that András Tállai, President of the Hungarian National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV), who is incidentally State Secretary of the Ministry for the Economy at the same time, received a monthly income from the companies Saldo Zrt. and Kompkonzult Kft. Both companies are engaged in activities associated with taxation and accounting.

These positions clearly present a conflict of interest and raise serious concerns about the lawful operation of the Hungarian tax system.

1. According to the Commission, do the positions held by András Tállai’s, as the President of the NAV, as the State Secretary of the Ministry for the Economy, and as a tax consultant to private companies, raise conflict-of-interest issues?2. Is the cumulation of such positions compatible with the steps taken by the Commission to increase transparency in taxation and to curb tax abuses?3. Being aware that fiscal sovereignty belongs to the fundamental sovereignty rights of EU Member States, what means and instruments does the Commission have at its disposal to eliminate potentially-corrupt conflicts of interest similar to the above case?