EU taxation policy

Latest news from the European Union about EU taxation policy.

The European Commission in its Communication of 23 May 2001 on "Tax policy in the European Union - Priorities for the years ahead" reiterated its belief that there is no need for an across the board harmonisation of EU Member States' tax systems. Provided that they respect Community rules, Member States are free to choose the tax systems that they consider most appropriate and according to their preferences.

France signals nine eurozone states ready to trigger FTT — 08 February 2012, 14:43 CET

French Finance Minister Francois Baroin signalled Tuesday that nine eurozone governments are ready to press ahead with the introduction of a Paris-inspired financial transactions tax.

UN trade chief defends transactions tax — 07 February 2012, 19:02 CET

UN trade and development chief Supachai Panitchpakdi on Tuesday defended the introduction of a European financial transaction tax.

Dutch central bank against financial transaction tax — 06 February 2012, 19:16 CET

The Dutch central bank said Monday it opposed plans for a financial transaction tax in the EU as it will cost banks, pension funds and insurers in the Netherlands billions of euros and discourage growth.

Sarkozy announces 0.1 per cent transaction tax from August — 30 January 2012, 13:47 CET

French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Sunday announced plans to introduce a 0.1 per cent tax on financial transactions to come into effect from August this year in France.

Cameron's tax arithmetic is wrong, says Brussels — 26 January 2012, 16:31 CET

The European Commission on Thursday shot down figures cited by Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron to argue against a planned financial transaction tax.

EU takes Britain to court over 'impossible' tax refunds — 26 January 2012, 16:23 CET

The European Commission said Thursday it is taking Britain to court over changes to rules governing the return of overpaid taxes.

EU financial transaction tax 'madness': Cameron — 26 January 2012, 13:59 CET

The European Union's plan for a financial transaction tax is "simply madness", Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron said on Thursday.

EU leaders to urge 'shift' in taxation to boost jobs: draft — 25 January 2012, 21:07 CET

European leaders will use a summit next week to urge a "shift" in taxation to make it cheaper for employers to hire workers, a draft agreement showed Wednesday.

Denmark wants global financial transaction tax: PM — 24 January 2012, 17:13 CET

Denmark backs a global financial transaction tax, and fears that limiting one to Europe could hamper economic and job growth, Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt said Tuesday.

Berlin urges swift action on EU transaction tax — 20 January 2012, 15:47 CET

Germany on Friday pushed for quick decisions to be made on a mooted tax on financial transactions amid British fears that such a levy could drive away business from Europe.

Germany, France say EU must speed up tax coordination — 18 January 2012, 12:53 CET

Germany and France are pushing the European Union to speed up tax coordination efforts, despite British and Irish opposition, and will soon make proposals to harmonise their corporate tax rates.

Swedish financial transaction tax was a failure: ex-minister — 15 January 2012, 18:18 CET

As Europe debates whether to apply a tax on financial transactions, a former Swedish finance minister says Sweden's experience in the 1980s was so negative it repealed the tax as plunging trading volumes led to disappointing tax revenues.

Danish EU presidency opposes financial tax bill — 10 January 2012, 14:14 CET

The Danish EU presidency rejected Tuesday a bid to tax financial transactions across the bloc, and also cautioned against the eurozone imposing the tax on its own, as suggested by Paris and Berlin.

Merkel partner bridles at eurozone financial transaction tax — 10 January 2012, 11:21 CET

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's ailing junior coalition partners baulked Tuesday at her openness to a tax on financial transactions applied only to the eurozone and not the EU as a whole.

Euro 'not in crisis': Italian PM — 08 January 2012, 23:07 CET

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti on Sunday rejected talk of a euro crisis and said Rome was open to the idea of a tax on financial transactions championed by France -- but only if the measure was part of an EU-wide effort.

Cameron says EU-wide financial tax would harm Europe — 09 January 2012, 01:08 CET

British Prime Minister David Cameron said Sunday he would block any attempt to introduce an EU-wide financial transaction tax because he fears it will harm jobs and prosperity in Europe.

French finance group opposes trading tax — 08 January 2012, 21:32 CET

A French financial association on Sunday spoke out against a French-only trading tax that may be implemented this year.

France won't wait for EU on financial transaction tax — 07 January 2012, 10:24 CET

France will go it alone if it can not convince its European partners to quickly impose a new tax on financial transactions, President Nicolas Sarkozy warned Friday.

Hungary hikes VAT to highest EU rate at 27% — 01 January 2012, 13:48 CET

Hungary hiked Sunday its main value-added tax (VAT) rate to 27 per cent from 25 per cent, making it the highest in the European Union, in a government move to fill budget holes.

Hungarian court okays tax levy to pay EU fines — 30 December 2011, 19:11 CET

The Hungarian government can levy targeted taxes to cover fines resulting from rulings of the European Court of Justice or the constitutional court, the parliament decided Friday.

Hungary PM says no to EU deal if tax harmonisation included — 15 December 2011, 22:26 CET

Hungary will not join any agreement involving tax harmonisation or ending sovereign tax policy, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Thursday, as EU states mulled tougher fiscal rules to save the euro.

Hungary tells EU it will not abolish 'illegal' telecoms tax — 02 December 2011, 22:37 CET

Hungary has formally informed the Commission that it will not scrap a special telecoms tax that Brussels said violated EU regulations, says the foreign ministry.

Financial levy is payback time: EU tax chief — 21 November 2011, 14:05 CET

Controversial plans for a European Union financial transactions levy are justified in view of help from governments for banks, the bloc's tax chief Algirdas Semeta said on Monday.

UBS sees billions in assets outflow amid tax deals — 20 November 2011, 11:29 CET

The boss of Swiss banking giant UBS said Sunday that clients could withdraw up to 30 billion francs in assets due to deals between Bern and EU states to regularise untaxed funds hidden in Swiss banks.

Greece can write off EUR 52bn in unpaid taxes: EU — 17 November 2011, 22:13 CET

Greece stands to lose 52 billion euros in unpaid taxes and is set to raise a mere 1.3 billion euros out of a 5.0-billion euros target for privatisation proceeds this year, the EU said on Thursday.