Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2016-02-02-Speech-2-085-000"
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"en.20160202.4.2-085-000"2
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"Mr President, there is a reason why tax should be decided by nation states and not the European Union. The diversity of culture across the European continent means each country has its own strengths. For instance, the French have their wine, the Germans industry, the Spanish tourism. These have not become clichés without some truth behind them. Each of these cultures needs to be able to reflect its strength in its own tax system.
Tax is a subject for each country to address multilaterally, not via the EU, because the EU’s solution to every problem is to harmonise. Competition between states in taxation also encourages them to get better value for money when they deliver public services. In this single market, Google was free to pay its corporation tax in the lowest tax bracket it could find. The EU’s solution will not be to close loopholes but to hike taxes across the EU, chasing companies who pay their fair share out of the EU entirely and taking thousands of jobs with them.
If anyone thinks EU powers over corporation tax are a good thing, just look at what they have done with VAT. Under EU law, Member States have to beg permission from the Commission to reduce VAT, but there is free rein to increase this tax. Look at the UK’s Green Deal: a 5% VAT rate on energy-saving materials. Obviously this is a welcome policy to keep heating bills down and make sure people are warm in the winter; but what did the EU do? It took the Green Deal to the European Court of Justice, and now the Green Deal is gone – killed off by unelected judges. The EU’s record on tax kills jobs and stifles innovation. Anyone who still thinks corporation tax will be safe with the EU is, frankly, out of their minds and, with the EU’s damaging policies, they may well be out of a job too."@en1
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