The EU is also contributing in the move towards more transparency through the significant global influence of the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes. In this context, I think that the forthcoming legislative proposal targeted to the use of shell companies will be particularly relevant, and we are looking forward to receiving it from the Commission as soon as possible.
The two anti-tax avoidance directives have also given an impetus to make the use of shell companies less attractive by introducing rules and controlled foreign companies and hybrid mismatches, just to name a few aspects. Exchange of information is essential between Member States as well as with third countries. Administrative cooperation is regarded as a priority in the fight against aggressive tax planning worldwide. Thanks to DAC 6 on cross-border aggressive tax planning, for instance, intermediaries are now under an obligation to report dubious schemes to tax authorities. Thanks to the various directives in the field of administrative cooperation, the so-called DAC Directive, Member States have the tools to exchange a wide array of data relating to taxation. In the area of taxation there has been significant progress on transparency. The Council is determined to move towards a mandate for negotiation with the Parliament in a swift manner. The article by article examination of the proposal is ongoing in the competent working parties, and even through this will require thorough discussion. One of the aims of the package is to close loopholes used by criminals to launder illicit proceeds through the financial systems. In this context, I would also like to mention the anti-money laundering package that the Council has received over the summer. One of the aspects that merits highlighting in the introduction of the Member States of publicly available register for companies, trusts and other legal arrangements, which has already yielded some results.
On financial secrecy, a lot of progress has been made on enhancing financial transparency through the successive anti-money laundering directives. Since the Council has started working on this issue, we have reached quite some progress in the area of fighting evasive practices over the last few years, be it in the area of money laundering or in the field of taxation. The EU will continue to strongly support work in this field. But this revelation shows once more how important the ongoing efforts in the area of fighting tax fraud and evasion remain. Of course, it is not up to the Council to pronounce itself on any specific case mentioned in the most recent revelation. The most recent data gathered in the context of the Pandora Papers should be the subject of further analysis by all the institutions concerned, in particular Member States, to find out whether illegal operations have indeed taken place. Revelations of this kind are not new, and have in fact regularly appeared in the media in the past few years. – Madam President, dear Commissioner, honourable Members, thank you for the opportunity to discuss here in the plenary the so-called Pandora Papers. – Il-punt li jmiss fuq l-aġenda huwa d-dibattitu dwar id-dikjarazzjonijiet tal-Kummissjoni u tal-Kunsill dwar Pandora Papers: implikazzjonijiet fuq l-isforzi biex jiġu miġġielda l-ħasil tal-flus, l-evażjoni tat-taxxa u l-evitar tat-taxxa ( 2021/2922(RSP)).Īnže Logar, President-in-Office of the Council. Afacerea Pandora: implicații asupra eforturilor de a combate spălarea banilor, evaziunea fiscală și evitarea obligațiilor fiscale (dezbatere)