Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-09-01-Speech-1-226"
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"en.20080901.24.1-226"2
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"Mr President, first of all I would like to thank the European Parliament and, in particular, the rapporteur, Mrs Bowles, for its very constructive report on a coordinated strategy to improve the fight against fiscal fraud.
Thanks to close cooperation with the Member States in the Anti-Tax Fraud Strategy expert group of the Commission, the idea of an anti-fraud strategy at EU level is taking concrete form. The announced measures will be a big step forward, even if further efforts will have to be made.
Concerning your discussion on tax competition, you will know that we have been working in the Code of Conduct Group on abolishing harmful business tax regimes in the EU. All in all, the Code of Conduct Group assessed over 400 measures by the present 27 Member States and their dependencies and overseas territories, of which over a hundred were considered harmful. Almost all of those hundred have already been abolished and the remainder are set to be abolished, subject to the transitional arrangements. The work conducted under the Code has been successful. It has led to the dismantling of almost all harmful tax measures in the Member States and their dependent or associated territories.
In conclusion, I would like to thank the European Parliament for its constructive contribution to the debate on the coordinated strategy to improve the fight against fiscal fraud.
In May 2006, the Commission presented a communication aimed at launching a broad debate on the different elements to be taken into account in an anti-fraud strategy in the Community.
I am pleased that the European Parliament recognises and supports the initiatives taken and the approach chosen by the Commission in its communication. Equally, I am pleased to see that the European Parliament invites the Commission to submit further proposals.
The report is a very useful and comprehensive contribution to the ongoing discussion about the fight against fiscal fraud. The Commission fully agrees that fraud is not a problem that can be combated successfully at national level alone.
The Commission will take account of the numerous comments and suggestions made by the European Parliament in the context of its work on the current and forthcoming legislative proposals for conventional measures to combat tax fraud.
As far as actions foreseen in 2008 are concerned, I can confirm that the Commission is planning to present three sets of legislative proposals – one in October, the second in November and the third in December 2008. Those sets of measures include improved procedures for registration and de-registration of persons liable for VAT in order to ensure the swift detection and de-registration of fake taxable persons and to give more security to honest business. The legislative proposals will also cover traders’ joint and several liability, the creation of a European network (EUROFISC) aimed at improving cooperation in order to detect fraudsters at an early stage, fixing conditions for VAT exemption at importation, mutual assistance in recovery, automated access to data, confirmation of the name and address of taxpayers in the VAT Information Exchange System database and shared responsibility for the protection of all Member States’ revenues.
By October, the Commission will present a communication setting out the coherence of the approach it will present, together with a timetable for further actions. The communication will also address issues relating to a long-term approach, notably the necessity to examine the better use of modern technologies, which has also been underlined in your report.
The Commission is still open to examining alternative systems to the current VAT system, provided that certain conditions are met. The report mentions, in this context, a reverse-charge mechanism and the taxation of intra-Community supplies. The Commission has offered both of these radical options for consideration to the ECOFIN Council, but so far Member States have not shown the political will to take such far-reaching measures.
Regarding direct taxes, the Commission is working on the review of the Savings Taxation Directive, and intends to present the report on the operation of the Directive before the end of September, as requested by the ECOFIN Council of 14 May 2008. During the review process, we have been carefully analysing the current scope of the Directive and the need for amendments in order to enhance its efficiency. The report will be followed by a proposal for such amendments to the Savings Taxation Directive that prove necessary and appropriate. The Commission has also carefully taken note of the ECOFIN Council conclusions of the same date, emphasising the importance of promoting the principles of good governance in the tax area – that is transparency, exchange of information and fair tax competition – and the inclusion of related provisions in agreements with third countries and third country groupings."@en1
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