L-istrutturi tat-taxxa ta’ ekonomiji periferali m’għandhomx ikunu l-istess bħal dawk ta’ ekonomiji avvanzati ħafna – Alfred Sant

L-eks Prim Ministru u l-Kap tad-delegazzjoni Laburista tas-S&D fil-Parlament Ewropew Alfred Sant ivvota favur rapport dwar is-sistema tar-riżorsi proprji tal-Unjoni.

Fl-intervent tiegħu fil-plenarja tal-Parlament Ewropew, Alfred Sant qabel mal-approċċ esploratorju tar-rapport, mal-fatt li dan ma għandu l-ebda rabtiet legali u mal-prijorità reali li jiġi żgurat li l-Unjoni Ewropea tkun tista’ tiffinanzja lilha nnifisha l-attivitajiet tagħha taħt parametri definiti mill-qrib. Xorta waħda, huwa esprima riżervi dwar ir-rapport għaliex ma jqisx il-ħtieġa li l-ekonomiji periferali jkollhom struttura tat-taxxa li hija differenti minn dik applikata minn ekonomiji ċentrali avvanzati ħafna. “Ir-rapport jagħti l-idea li l-Unjoni Ewropea għandha timxi ‘l quddiem fi kwistjonijiet tat-taxxa li jaqgħu taħt il-Pilastru 1 tal-OECD, anke mingħajr ftehim globali multilaterali dwar il-qasam. Ma naqbilx ma dan”, huwa qal.

Il-Kummissjoni Ewropea adottat proposta għal deċiżjoni tal-Kunsill dwar l-introduzzjoni ta’ riżorsi proprji ġodda f’Diċembru 2021. L-hekk imsejħa “Deċiżjoni dwar ir-Riżorsi Proprji” (ORD) hija l-bażi legali li tipprovdi għal parti mis-sorsi ta’ dħul li jiddaħħlu fil-baġit Ewropew. . Hija wkoll il-bażi legali li tawtorizza fondi li għandhom jiġu mislufa mis-swieq finanzjarji biex jiffinanzjaw l-Istrument ta’ Rkupru tal-Unjoni Ewropea tal-Ġenerazzjoni Li Jmiss (NGEU).

Il-Membru Parlamentari Ewropew Laburista Alfred Sant innota li l-Unjoni Ewropea qed tiffaċċja ħtiġijiet finanzjarju dejjem akbar biex tiġġieled sensiela ta’ emerġenzi relatati mal-pandemija tal-COVID kif ukoll l-invażjoni Russa tal-Ukrajna. Huwa wissa li r-rekwiżiti finanzjarji imminenti tal-Green Deal mhux qed jingħata biżżejjed prijorità.

Sant qabel li r-rispons finanzjarju Ewropew għal dawn it-talbiet li għadhom ġejjin m’għandux ikun iffinanzjat biss permezz tas-self ta’ flus u ssuġġerixxa li dħul finanzjarju ġdid li juża riżorsi ġodda huwa meħtieġ. Il-Parlament Ewropew jagħmel tajjeb li jfittex riżorsi ta’ postijiet ġodda iżda dawn għandhom jiġu minn azzjoni maħsuba biex jiġġieldu l-isfidi ambjentali.

Tax structures of peripheral economies should not be the same as those of highly advanced economies – Alfred Sant

Former Prime Minister and Head of the Labour S&D delegation to the European Parliament Alfred Sant voted in favour of a report on the system of own resources of the Union. 

In his input at the plenary of the European Parliament, Alfred Sant concurred with the exploratory approach of the report, its non-binding character and the real priority to ensure that the European Union can self-finance its activites under closely defined parameters. Still, he expressed reservations about the report because it does not take into account the need for peripheral economies to have a tax structure that is different from that applied by central highly advanced economies. “The report gives the idea that the European Union should move ahead on tax matters falling under the OECD Pillar 1, even without a multilateral global agreement on the area. I disagree”, he said.

The European Commission adopted a proposal for a Council decision on the introduction of new own resources in December 2021. The so-called “Own Resources Decision” (ORD) is the legal basis that provides for part of the revenue sources that feed into European budget. It is also the legal basis authorising funds to be borrowed on the financial markets to finance the Next Generation EU Recovery Instrument (NGEU).

Labour MEP Alfred Sant noted that the European Union is facing increasing budgetary needs to counter a series of emergencies related to the COVID pandemic as well as the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He warned that the looming financial requirements of the Green Deal are being underestimated.

Sant agreed that the European budgetary response to these emerging demands should not be financed solely through the borrowing of money and suggested that a new budgetary input that taps new resources is required. The European Parliament does well to search for new venues resources but they should come from action earmarked to counter environmental challenges.

The report was adopted with 440 votes in favour, 117 against and 77 abstentions.