Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-09-01-Speech-1-238"
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"en.20080901.24.1-238"2
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"Mr President, tax fraud is the business of the EU because fraudsters make use of cross-border loopholes, and that is what we are trying to close.
As the Commissioner says, the savings tax issues are complex. I think it is possible for us to reach agreement through our voting that we do not pre-empt too much the more detailed discussions that we are going to have to hold on that topic when the Commission comes out with their further proposals. Likewise I think that we can also avoid reference to tax competition where we are divided but which is not core to this report. Therefore I think we can achieve some harmony amongst ourselves.
On all these fronts, colleagues and Commissioner, I do not think that inaction or tentative action is an adequate response. 2.5% of GDP is at stake. That is a huge chunk of the tax base. As our colleague, Mr Sánchez Presedo, points out, that is possibly 5% of tax.
If any politician here or in any Member State campaigned on the basis of putting up tax by 5% to pay for nothing, they would not get very far. So, and I say this to Member States in particular, getting prickly about exchange of information, doing the minimum, being fearful, is just the same as taxing 5% for nothing, for that is what it costs the honest taxpayer. That is the message that I wish to send in this report and I believe it is the collective message that this Parliament wishes to send in this report supporting the Commissioner in his efforts and urging him to be bold."@en1
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