EU Tax Planning : Fight against ‘aggressive tax planning’ key issue for EU, says Rehn - by Suzanne Lynch

The fight against aggressive tax planning by multinationals will be one of the “key issues” for the European Parliament over the next five years, EU economics and monetary affairs commissioner Olli Rehn has said.

“If there was one unifying message in the European elections, at least based on my campaign trail, . . . [it] is that we have to continue to act intensively against tax fraud, against tax evasion and against aggressive tax planning by multinational corporations.”

While declining to comment on the details of Wednesday’s announcement by the European Commission that it is investigating the Republic, Luxembourg and the Netherlands about tax arrangements entered into with specific companies, Mr Rehn welcomed the move. “I think it is very important that the commission has acted here,” he said.

“In the European Parliament in the next five years this will be one of the key issues and will be one of the key challenges for the commission.”

Speaking at an event hosted by European Movement Ireland and BDO in Brussels yesterday, Mr Rehn, who was elected as an MEP for Finland in last month’s European elections, said the European public had sent a clear message on the issue during the elections.

Read More: Fight against ‘aggressive tax planning’ key issue for EU, says Rehn - Economic News | Ireland & World Economy Headlines |The Irish Times - Fri, Jun 13, 2014