Anneliese Dodds MEP at the APPG for Responsible Tax

Anneliese Dodds MEP has just spoken at the APPG for Responsible Tax. Here is a summary of her comments.

• The EU has responded to OECD with its tax package, and promoted an anti tax avoidance directive.
• The tax debate at an EU level is driven by the free market, and generally supported by UK government.
• However, we should not be uncritical on OECD.
• Countries should have the option to go further or faster. The OECD has been critical of this.
• Developing countries were consulted, but not really involve.
• OECD in the past not taken firm line on tax havens.
• OECD calls for non-public CBCBR. This is not sufficient. It should be public. The European Parliament has voted on this 5 times. The UK government seems positive.
• We need greater protection for whistle-blowers.
• Formulary apportionment would get away from the games played by companies. It isn’t perfect. It is used in the US and is not ideal there, but UK government should look again. It is the way to go, particularly for e-commerce. It will increase simplicity.
• We need to recognise EU is a single market, where free and fair competition must be implemented properly. Successful investigations on State Aid are appropriate where tax regime not worked.
• I don't see the involvement of the EU and the UN and diminishing the impact of the OECD. It should be a global debate.
• On tax rulings there will be automatic exchange of information, although not as automatic as it could be.
• Important that politicians are able to understand tax issues in order to be able to address these issues.
• The EU is part of the solution.
• We have debated about reputational damage and positive models such as the Fair Tax Mark.
• Shareholders have a responsibility to put pressure on businesses. Investment community want CBCR.