Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola, said: “Congratulations to Minister Edward Scicluna for having managed to get the EU Finance Ministers to agree on taking measures to fight tax avoidance, despite giving the impression in Malta that he was not so enthusiastic about them. This agreement should spell the beginning of the end of potential tax dodgers of the ilk of Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri and Ninu Zammit”.
Green MEP Sven Giegold said: “The agreement reached by the EU finance ministers on amendments to the anti-tax avoidance directive is a major step forward in the fight against tax avoidance. Europe is thus playing internationally a pioneering role in the fight against tax avoidance by large companies. The debate has also revealed, which EU member states have their foot on the brake. It is unacceptable that the Netherlands have been able to delay the entry into force of the rules against the tax breaks, which translate into agressive tax avoidance, for one whole year. However, neither could the Netherlands win their claim for a five-year postponement and nor the UK’s demand for further exemptions for banks and insurance companies has been successful.”
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Evitar tat-taxxi: xogħol siewi ta’ Edward Scicluna fi Brussell
Iċ-Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, il-Prof. Arnold Cassola, qal: “Prosit tassew lill-Ministru Edward Scicluna li rnexxielu jwassal għal ftehim bejn il-Ministri tal-Finanzi tal-Unjoni Ewropea biex jittieħdu miżuri kontra l-evitar tat-taxxi, minkejja li kien jagħti l-impressjoni f’Malta li ma tantx kien entużjast dwarhom. Dan il-ftehim għandu jfisser il-bidu tat-tmiem għal nies illi potenzjalment jevitaw it-taxxi, tat-tip ta’ Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri u Ninu Zammit”.
Il-MPE tal-Grupp tal-Ħodor, Sven Giegold, qal: “Il-ftehim milħuq mill-Ministri tal-finanzi tal-Unjoni Ewropea dwar emendi għad-direttiva kontra l-evitar tat-taxxi hija pass important ‘il quddiem fil-ġlieda kontra l-evitar tat-taxxi. Internazzjonalment, l-Ewropa ħadet rwol gwida fil-ġlieda kontra l-evitar tat-taxxi minn kumpaniji multinazzjonali. Id-dibattitu dwar din it-tema kixef ukoll liema pajjiżi kienu qed jimblukkaw il-ftehim. Huwa inaċċettabbli li l-Olanda rnexxielha timblokka d-dħul fis-seħħ tar-regoli kontra inċentivi fiskali li jsarrfu f’evitar tat-taxxa dovuta għal sena sħiħa. Madanakollu, la l-Olanda ma rnexxielha tirbaħ il-posponiment ta’ dawn il-miżuri għal ħames snin u lanqas r-Renju Unit ma rnexxielu jieħu aktar eżenzjonijiet għall-banek u għall-kumpaniji tal-assikurazzjoni”.
