South East MEP Sharon Bowles calls for Council to get tough on tax fraud

1.00.00pm GMT Wed 10th Feb 2010

Sharon voting in the Strasbourg Parliament

The European Parliament has today voted through proposals that EU Member States should work harder at eliminating tax fraud by sharing more information.

The vote paves the way for a new EU framework for greater cooperation between Member States on tax governance. The reforms also make the Emissions Trading Scheme, one of the pillars of EU climate change policy, VAT-proof.

Lib Dem MEP Sharon Bowles, who chairs the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, welcomed the proposals.

Sharon said:

"Tax fraud costs the EU €250 billion a year. That is twice the total EU budget, some 2.5% of GDP, and a huge chunk of the tax base.

"Today, Parliament has voted in favour of more intensive controls based on cooperation, information exchange and data access between Member States.

"At this time of fiscal stress, enabling Member States to collect their full dues of taxes is even more important. That said, the Council of Ministers must be more progressive in the future and should show political will in achieving the elimination of tax fraud.

"Those who knowingly scheme to evade and avoid taxes do harm to society and should not expect any leniency when they are caught. We must have better tools to catch them.

"Today the Parliament has sent a clear message to EU citizens: the best way to safeguard tax bases and, ultimately, Member States' tax sovereignty, is to radically improve cooperation between Member States on this issue."

ENDS