Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant told the European Parliament that peripheral regions and islands within the European Union need to safeguard fair tax competition, now that European regulations have already curtailed their competitivness. Dr Sant made this statement when reacting to a motion on the Preparation of the Commission Work Programme 2017, submitted jointly by the S&D, the EPP and ALDE. Dr Sant abstained on the final vote of this resolution while voting against references requesting further harmonisation at EU level on taxation related matters. He also abstained on references for the involvement of NATO in the context of the EU’s common security and defence policy.
“I can only repeat what I said last year regarding the Commission Work Programme 2015. It rightly defines as an important objective the elimination of rampant tax evasion and avoidance, as well as aggressive tax planning by multinational corporations. Measures that, in a transparent and consistent manner, seek to attain this goal in the context of a level playing field are desirable.”
Dr Sant said a serious problem arises however when the measures contemplated go beyond the stated objective and prepare the ground for tax harmonisation. “This goes against the interest of peripheral regions and islands having limited endowments. When adopting European regulations they have among others, removed protective trade barriers, adopted consumption taxes that follow continental models, phased out state aid, adopted stringent budgetary rules, abandoned exchange rate autonomy. This has severely curtailed their competitivity. The only element that remains for them to safeguard is fair tax competition.”
The Maltese MEP said this resolution, endorses a common consolidated tax base, a financial transaction tax and a minimum effective tax rate on corporations. “In current circumstances, these proposals amount to a first substantial step towards harmonisation. They are hugely detrimental to the development prospects of islands and regions at the periphery of the Union. I cannot approve them.”
The Joint Resolution passed with 417 votes in favour, 209 against and 78 abstentions. All the other Maltese MEPs voted in favour of the resolution.
Maltese Version – FL-INTERESS TAL-GŻEJJER TAL-UE LI JIBQGĦU JŻOMMU L-KOMPETIZZJONI ĠUSTA FIT-TAXXI
Ir-reġjuni tal-periferija u l-gżejjer fi ħdan l-Unjoni Ewropea jaqblilhom ikomplu jżommu l-kompetizzjoni ġusta fit-tassazzjoni, issa li r-regoli tal-Unjoni diġa` naqsulhom mill-kompetittivita` tagħhom. Il-kap tad-delegazzjoni Maltija Laburista fil-Parlament Ewropew qal dan waqt mozzjoni dwar il-preparamenti tal-programm ta’ ħidma tal-Kummissjoni għas-sena 2017, imressqa b’mod konġunt mis-Soċjalisti u d-Demokratiċi (S&D), il-Partit Popolari (PPE) u l-ALDE. Dr Sant astjena fil-vot finali ta’ din ir-riżoluzzjoni u vvota kontra referenzi favur l-armonizzazzjoni fuq livell Ewropew ta’ oqsma relatati mat-taxxi. Dr Sant astjena wkoll fuq referenzi għall-involviment tan-NATO fil-kuntest tal-politika ta’ sigurta` u difiża komuni tal-Unjoni Ewropea.
“Nista’ nirrepeti dak li għedt is-sena l-oħra dwar il-Pjan ta’ Ħidma tal-Kummissjoni għas-sena 2015. Huwa tajjeb li l-pjan jelimina l-evażjoni u l-evitar tat-taxxa, filwaqt li jeżiġi ppjanar aggressiv fil-ħlas tat-taxxi mill-korporazzjonijiet multinazzjonali. Miżuri li b’mod trasparenti u konsistenti jfittxu li jiksbu dan l-għan f’kuntest ġust huma mixtieqa ħafna”.
Dr Sant qal li tinħoloq problema serja meta l-miżuri maħsuba jmorru lil hinn mill-iskop ewlieni tagħhom u jħajru l-armonizzazzjoni tat-taxxi. “Dan imur kontra l-interessi tar-reġjuni fil-periferija tal-Ewropa u tal-gżejjer li għandhom riżorsi limitati. Meta dawn ir-reġjuni adottaw ir-regoli Ewropej, kellhom ineħħu fost oħrajn, it-tariffi li jipproteġu l-kummerċ, adottaw taxxi fuq il-konsum li jimxu fuq mudelli kontinentali, neħħew l-għajnuna tal-istat, adottaw regoli ibsin fuq il-budgets tagħhom u abbandunaw l-awtonomija fir-rati tal-kambju. Dan kollu naqqas b’mod drastiku l-kompetittivita` tagħhom. L-uniku element li għad fadlilhom biex jikkompetu, u tajjeb li jħarsuha sewwa, hija l-kompetizzjoni ġusta fit-tassazzjoni.”
L-Ewroparlamentari Malti qal li din ir-riżoluzzjoni tapprova bażi ta’ taxxa konsolidata komuni, taxxa tat-transazzjoni finanzjarja u rata ta’ taxxa effettiva minima fuq il-korporazzjonijiet. “Fiċ-ċirkostanzi preżenti, dawn il-proposti jammontaw għal pass sostanzjali favur l-armonizzazzjoni. Dan huwa ta’ dannu għall-iżvilupp tal-gżejjer u r-reġjuni li jinsabu fil-periferija tal-Ewropa. Ma nistax napprovahom.” irrimarka Alfred Sant.
Ir-Riżoluzzjoni konġunta għaddiet b’417 vot favur, 209 kontra u 78 astenzjoni. Il-Membri Parlamentari Ewropej Maltin l-oħra kollha vvotaw favur din ir-riżoluzzjoni.
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