Cooperation of Member States on information exchange in the area of taxation

15.1.2014

Question for oral answer O-000012/2014
to the Commission
Rule 115
Sylvie Goulard, Anneli Jäätteenmäki, Sophia in 't Veld, on behalf of the ALDE Group

There has been much progress at EU level over the past 12 months on the clamp-down on tax evasion, including recent proposals by the Commission to expand automatic information exchange and fight VAT fraud, along with the parent-subsidiary directive. There has also been a strong commitment at the highest political level internationally to both a new global standard of tax transparency and the base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) project against tax avoidance. At the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) of December 2013, many Member States declared their willingness to lead the way in implementing this new global standard. However, no agreement was reached on the savings directive, as two Member States were not in favour.

Does the Commission think that an agreement will be made on the savings directive by March 2014, as per ECOFIN conclusions of December 2013?

How does the Commission assess the Global Forum report of November 2013, in which it is stated that certain Member States do not comply with OECD standards on tax transparency?