Alfred Sant supports EU tax transparency measures, but objects to tax harmonisation

Maltese MEP Alfred Sant expressed his support to tax transparency measures, while objecting to proposals for tax harmonisation measures at EU level when invited to address a conference entitled “Building an EU tax system” by the European Tax Adviser Federation (ETAF) in Brussels.
EC Commissioner Pierre Moscovici was present at this conference aimed at gathering MEPs, representatives from the European Commission and the current and upcoming Presidency of the Council of the EU, as well as stakeholders from a broad range of tax professionals notably in order to notably discuss the role of tax intermediaries in a “fairer EU tax system”.
Dr Sant underlined that this legislation is “already a step forward towards defining and regulating how intermediaries will be working”. Asked about how corporations will react, Dr Sant stressed that there could be psychological reactions from clients but on the other hand, “not all corporations are immoral or out to cheat”.
“It is normal that corporations want to minimise their tax bill, the question is whether they do it legally or not. I believe that quite a number of corporations want to have a tax panning that is legal and that is transparent.” remarked the Maltese MEP.
Members of the Parliament will be proposing their amendments on the Tax Directive during discussions to start on Thursday at the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee in the European Parliament (ECON). The Directive provides for the collection by tax authorities of “reportable” cross-border tax arrangements designed by intermediaries. These arrangements are reportable if they tick a number of features indicating a potential tax abuse. These features are called “hallmarks” in the legislation. It would come as a European legislative framework for tax consulting services and tax intermediaries.

Maltese Version – ALFRED SANT FAVUR TRASPARENZA FIT-TAXXI FL-UE IMMA KONTRA L-ARMONIZZAZZJONI FIT-TASSAZZJONI

Alfred Sant esprima l-appoġġ tiegħu favur miżuri għal aktar trasparenza fit-taxxa iżda oppona l-proposti dwar miżuri għall-armonizzazzjoni tat-taxxa fuq livell Ewropew meta ntalab jindirizza l-konferenza “Nibnu sistema tat-taxxa fl-UE” organizzata mill-European Tax Adviser Federation (ETAF) fi Brussell.
Il-Kummissarju Ewropew Pierre Moscovici kien preżenti għal din il-konferenza li kellha l-għan tgħaqqad l-Ewroparlamentari, rappreżentanti tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea u l-Presidenti tal-Kunsill tal-UE u professjonisti fil-qasam tat-tassazzjoni bl-għan li jkun diskuss ir-rwol tal-intermedjarji f’ “sistema Ewropea ta’ taxxa aktar ġusta”.
Dr Sant saħaq li din il-leġiżlazzjoni “hija diġa` pass ’il quddiem li jiddefinixxi u jirregola kif se jkunu qed jaħdmu l-intermedjarji”. Mistoqsi dwar kif il-korporazzjonijiet se jkunu qed jirreaġixxu, Dr Sant saħaq li jista’ jkun hemm reazzjonijiet psikoloġiċi mill-klijenti, imma min-naħa l-oħra, “mhux il-korporazzjonijiet kollha huma immorali u qarrieqa”.
“Huwa normali li l-korporazzjonijiet iridu jimminimizzaw il-kont tat-taxxa tagħhom, il-kwistjoni hija hux qed jagħmlu dan b’mod legali jew le. Nemmen li numru kbir ta’ korporazzjonijiet jixtiequ ppjannar tat-taxxa li hu legali u trasparenti,” qal l-Ewroparlamentari Malti.
Il-Membri tal-Parlament Ewropew se jkunu qed jipproponu l-emendi tagħhom fuq id-Direttiva tat-Tassazzjoni waqt diskussjonijiet li se jibdew il-Ħamis fil-Kumitat Ekonomiku u Monetarju tal-Parlament Ewropew (ECON).