Fair Taxation: The Commission sets out next steps to increase tax transparency and tackle tax abuse

The European Commission presented on 5 July 2016 the next steps of a strategy to boost tax transparency in order to fight tax evasion and avoidance in the European Union. Key actions include:

+ Access to information for tax authorities;

+ Increasing cross-border transparency on beneficial ownership;

+ Improving oversight of tax advisors' activities;

+ Promoting tax good governance worldwide and tackling uncooperative tax jurisdictions;

+ Protecting whistle-blowers.

This Communication was presented in parallel with a proposal to amend the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive. The Commission also submitted for consultation to the European Parliament and for endorsement to the Council of the European the proposal for access to information for tax authorities (an amendment to the Directive on Administrative Cooperation for Taxation).

• Primary Source

European Commission: DG Communication: MEMO/16/2406, 05.07.16: Questions and Answers on measures to increase tax transparency and tackle tax abuse http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-16-2406_en.htm

European Commission: Remarks by Commissioner Moscovici at the press conference at the launch of the new transparency rules to tackle terrorism financing, tax avoidance and money laundering http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-16-2417_en.htm

ESO: Background information: Tax authorities to gain access to beneficial ownership information http://www.europeansources.info/record/tax-authorities-to-gain-access-to-beneficial-ownership-information/

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