Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-02-08-Speech-1-098"
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"en.20100208.14.1-098"2
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"Mr President, this seemingly rather technical package in reality relates to some highly political issues. First, administrative cooperation between States on fiscal matters is a key question for the internal market. I believe that it is important to stress this, because the free movement of persons and capital constitutes one of the precious European Union
to which we are so attached. However, it must not result in an unjust taxation situation in which some well-advised and mobile citizens evade their fiscal obligations, whilst the more sedentary citizens remain subject to them.
Nor should it act as an incentive for competition between States, by which I mean an incentive for fraud or evasion. This explains our position in favour of a consolidated tax base for taxation on companies and the automatic exchange of data between Member States, which has already been discussed.
If Mrs Lulling had done us the honour of staying with us, I could have told her that the question of civil liberties does indeed arise when we are talking about the exchange of sensitive data, but that, in my view, there is a major difference between the data that we can exchange between Member States of the European Union – in other words in the framework of the internal market, and in the service of the internal market – and the data that we exchange with other countries, even friendly countries such as the United States.
The second, highly political issue, especially after the crisis, is the fight against tax havens, but also against grey areas – or indulgent practices – which unfortunately still exist within the European Union or in associated territories. Following the G20 declarations, the citizens are expecting results and a credible Union. This has been the thrust of many amendments, and I believe that this Parliament must attach renewed importance to the issue.
Finally, to conclude, I would like to say a word to Mr Kovács – it is quite rare to be able to say goodbye to someone on the very evening that their mandate is ending – and, above all, to give a piece of advice to the Commissioner-designate, Mr Šemeta, whose initial steps in this area we have welcomed, just as we have welcomed the initial steps of the Barroso II Commission, which seems determined to tackle the issue, especially by entrusting Mr Monti with the task of drafting a report on the internal market containing all of these aspects.
I believe that, however resistant and reluctant the Member States may be, it is up to the Commission to do as you have been able to do, Mr Kovács, and use its power of initiative, but perhaps to a greater extent. The Member States’ coffers are empty. Taxation is another way of filling them and, provided that this is done intelligently, we are in favour."@en1
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