About: Taxation
A fairer playing field for businesses and consumers
The EU's new VAT regime will create rules fit for the digital age and benefit businesses and consumers, writes Gerassimos Thomas.
EU sets end of May deadline for Turkey to avoid blacklist
The European Union decided not to include Turkey in its blacklist on Monday (15 February) after the Turkish authorities made some commitments to facilitate the exchange of information on tax matters.
Poland and Hungary score against Commission over taxes
The EU Court of Justice’s advocate general dismissed on Thursday (15 October) the European Commission’s appeal about Poland and Hungary’s tax regimes and recommended upholding the verdict in favour of the two eastern member states.
Economy agenda: Recovery and taxation to dominate the EU’s priorities
The implementation of the EU’s recovery fund and taxation will dominate the second half of the year, as both issues will top the German presidency agenda, and new resources are needed to finance the stimulus package to respond to the coronavirus crisis.
Dutch MEP Paul Tang to chair new tax subcommittee
Dutch Labour MEP Paul Tang is expected to be elected the chair of the new European Parliament’s subcommittee on taxation on Friday (10 July), after the political groups reached an agreement on his choice, Parliament sources have told EURACTIV.com.
Socialists to lead European Parliament’s new tax subcommittee
The Socialist group will chair the European Parliament's new permanent subcommittee on tax matters, which will focus on tax fraud and tax evasion, group officials told EURACTIV.com
Will the EU have a new ‘single market tax’ for multinationals?
The European Commission is working on a proposal for a new tax on multinationals operating on the single market to finance the recently proposed recovery fund, but the Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, told EURACTIV he recommends being "very cautious" rather than too imaginative in picking new levies.
Smart taxation in a fast-changing global economy
Smart taxation is the solution to drive growth, address current and future challenges of economic change and fulfill international goals, whilst at the same time taking into consideration national needs.
Smart taxation should consider national and consumption realities
States need to be prepared and equipped to tax what cannot be seen, but also to increase the fairness and effectiveness of the collection of tax revenues, a panel of experts has agreed. The Focus Group ‘Smart taxation in a...
Watered-down Tobin tax could enter into force in 2021
EU finance ministers will discuss on Friday (14 June) a new draft proposal for a financial transaction tax (FTT), which will significantly lower expected revenues once participating member states adopt it, according to details of the text seen by EURACTIV.
In Fukuoka, EU to focus on trade tensions at G20, seek tax on digital firms
Resolving global trade tensions must be a top priority to preserve an expected modest rebound in global growth, European Union finance ministers will tell G20 counterparts this week amid an escalating US-Chinese trade conflict.
EU elections 2019: This is what the parties want for our economy
A new industrial policy for Europe, more support for small-and-medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and improved tax policy are common priorities of the European political families for the next mandate, while a review of the ECB mandate is also included in the manifestos of many parties for the EU elections.
Romania torpedoes EU deal on alcohol excise duties over moonshine
Member states clashed on the reform of the directive on alcohol excise duties during a meeting of EU financial ministers last Friday (17 May), as the Romanian Presidency of the EU tried to raise the maximum limit on home distillation, in pursuit of its own national interest.
LEAK: Commission ramps up pressure on minimum corporate tax
European Commission will urge finance ministers on Friday (17 May) to agree on a floor to corporate taxation, as part of a strategy to shape the ongoing global debate on tax matters, according to documents seen by EURACTIV.com
First clashes liven up last EU Spitzenkandidat debate ahead of election
The six lead candidates of the main political parties laid out their visions of Europe on Wednesday evening (15 May), clashing over jobs and climate change in their last televised debate before the EU elections.
EU’s ‘Tobin tax’ now expected to collect only €3.5 billon
The latest proposal for an EU financial transaction tax (FTT) received lukewarm support earlier this week, with expected revenues brought down tenfold, to €3.45 billion annually, under a watered-down version tabled by France and Germany, according to documents seen by EURACTIV.
The EU’s digital tax is dead, long live the OECD’s plans
Ireland, Sweden and Denmark are set to maintain their opposition to the EU’s digital tax next Tuesday, forcing finance ministers to kill the European solution and focus instead on the OECD’s ongoing work to levy digital companies.
Time to get rid of EU’s unanimity rule on green fiscal matters
Taxation is the last EU policy area where decision-making exclusively relies on unanimity. A gradual shift to qualified majority voting would help reach environmental objectives more effectively at a time when action on climate change is more urgent than ever, argue Eero Yrjö-Koskinen, Patrick ten Brink and Emma Watkins.
Member states shield national vetoes on tax matters
A large majority of EU governments opposed on Tuesday (12 February) the European Commission’s proposal to end the unanimity required to pass legislation on taxation, saying they want to protect national sovereignty and avoid having decisions forced on reluctant countries.
French finance chief wants to tax expatriate business leaders
French Minister of Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire wants to introduce legislation to ensure that heads of large French businesses living abroad pay more taxes in France. EURACTIV France’s partner La Tribune reports.
Le Maire renews push for EU-wide digital services tax
Renewed plans to roll out an EU-wide digital services tax may be back on the cards and could be agreed by the end of March, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said in an interview published on Sunday (20 January).
EU digital tax: MEPs call for higher rates
The European Commission should consider increasing the proposed rates in the controversial digital tax plans, MEPs from the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs committee suggested on Tuesday (9 October).
Member states approve reduced tax for e-books and digital press
EU finance ministers reached an agreement on Tuesday (2 October) to allow willing member states to apply reduced VAT rates or even scrap taxes on electronic books and digital press.