EU Commission wants to abolish the compulsion to unanimity of the member states with decisions to European tax policy. For EU tax issues, ‚gradual‘ qualified majority voting should be introduced, said Economic Commissioner Pierre Moscovici today in Strasbourg. Europe’s citizens see the fight against tax fraud and fraud as a priority.
This must be taken into account. The transition should begin with „the most obvious, urgent and consensual issues,“ Moscovici said. It is only about „certain tax issues“. The Commission does not want to „harmonize new competences, new taxes, new revenue or tax rates“.
Brussels refers to consequences of tax evasion
Brussels issued a communication pointing to billions of dollars in redundancy through tax evasion and tax avoidance for failure to reconcile VAT rates and a lack of a common corporate tax base. Even a financial transaction tax and a tax on large Internet companies have failed so far unanimity principle.
The Commission does not believe that the proposal could be adopted before the European elections in May. Moscovici said yesterday that it would be „difficult“ to get Member States‘ approval of the planned changeover by the end of the legislature in March. Because this would have to be done unanimously according to the procedure chosen by the Commission. Every EU country would have a right of veto.
