Survival of the Richest. Europe’s role in supporting an unjust global tax system 2016

According to a report released by Eurodad in December 2016, secret ‘sweetheart deals’ in the European Union soared. After the LuxLeaks scandal the amount of deals kept increasing dramatically, from 547 in 2013 to 972 in 2014, finally reaching 1444 by the end of 2015. According to the report’s analysis of new European Commission data, that is an increase of 160 per cent in just two years.

As these deals are secret to the public, the content of these agreements is unknown. However, the LuxLeaks scandal and several ongoing state aid cases have shown that these deals can create the basis for large scale corporate tax dodging in both developed and developing countries. Belgium and – incredibly – Luxembourg have made the greatest number of new sweetheart deals with multinational corporations.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: European Network on Debt and Development (Eurodad) http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-network-on-debt-and-development-eurodad/

EurActiv, 07.12.16: Luxembourg ‘made 172 secret tax deals’ with companies in year after LuxLeaks http://www.euractiv.com/section/euro-finance/news/luxembourg-made-172-secret-tax-deals-with-companies-in-year-after-luxleaks/

Eurodad: Press, 07.12.16: Sharp rise in secret ‘sweetheart' tax deals with multinational corporations exposed in new report http://eurodad.org/Sweetheart_deals_exposed_new_report

Politico, 07.12.16: Sweetheart tax deals in Luxembourg, Belgium spike http://www.politico.eu/article/sweetheart-tax-deals-in-luxembourg-belgium-spike/

EUObserver, 07.12.16: Secret tax deals in Luxembourg in dramatic rise https://euobserver.com/economic/136175

Irish Times, 07.12.16: Ireland accused of ‘unfair’ tax treaties with developing countries http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/ireland-accused-of-unfair-tax-treaties-with-developing-countries-1.2896295

ESO: Background information: Luxleaks whistleblowers found guilty, given suspended sentence http://www.europeansources.info/record/sentence-and-appeal-for-luxleaks-whistleblowers/

---