General tax policy
EU Fact Sheets
13-06-2024
Taxation is a prerogative of the Member States, the EU having only limited competences. As EU tax policy is geared towards the smooth running of the single market, the harmonisation of indirect taxation was addressed before that of direct taxation. Efforts to combat the problem of tax evasion and tax avoidance then followed. EU tax legislation must be adopted unanimously by the Member States. The European Parliament has the right to be consulted on tax matters; for budgetary-related issues it is even co-legislator.
EU Fact Sheets