Main results - Economic and Financial Affairs Council

13 March 2018

Ministers agreed on a proposal aimed at boosting transparency in order to address aggressive cross-border tax planning. The Council also updated the EU's list of non-cooperative jurisdictions in taxation matters.

Ministers reached agreement on transparency requirements for tax intermediaries.

The proposal is the latest of a number of measures designed to prevent corporate tax avoidance.

It will require intermediaries such as tax advisors, accountants and lawyers to report tax planning schemes that could be aggressive. And the member states will be required to share that information automatically, enabling measures to be taken to block harmful arrangements.

"Enhancing transparency is key to our strategy to combat tax avoidance and tax evasion", said Vladislav Goranov, minister for finance of Bulgaria, which currently holds the Council presidency. “If the authorities receive information about aggressive tax planning schemes before they are implemented, they will be able to close down loopholes before revenue is lost."

The Council adjusted the EU's list of non-cooperative jurisdictions in the light of:

It removed Bahrain, the Marshall Islands and Saint Lucia from the list and added the Bahamas, Saint Kitts and Nevis and the US Virgin Islands. [...]

 

Corporate tax avoidance: Agreement reached on tax intermediaries

Taxation: 3 jurisdictions removed, 3 added to EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions

 

Related article on POLITICO: Finance ministers scold Moscovici over tax-avoidance labeling

 


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