Updated with substantial and important analysis at the bottom, which raises a new and crucial question about whether the world's media has swallowed a load of spin: Last month two TJN-related authors, David Quentin and Nicholas Shaxson, had a piece on the Naked Capitalism site entitled The … [Read more...]
Corporate Tax
Links Nov 12
Hidden Profits: The EU's role in supporting an unjust global tax system 2014 Eurodad Position Paper: UN FFD: What Outcomes Should be agreed in Addis Ababa in 2015 Eurodad EU's Juncker takes political responsibility for Luxembourg tax deals Reuters "I am not the architect of what you could … [Read more...]
Hidden Profits: The EU’s role in supporting an unjust global tax system 2014
From Eurodad, an important new report, whose press release goes: Hidden Profits: The EU's role in supporting an unjust global tax system 2014 This report – the second in a series of three annual reports – brings together civil society organisations (CSOs) in 15 countries across the EU. Experts in … [Read more...]
Success in Barclays tax haven campaign
From ActionAid, some excellent news: "53,000 people taking action, hundreds of us writing to our MPs, thousands of passionate messages and one Father Christmas later, I’m really pleased to be able to tell you that Barclays have committed to stop promoting tax dodging through tax havens to … [Read more...]
Links Nov 11
C20 calls on G20 to act on inequality, tax avoidance and climate change ABC News Does Australia have the stomach to go after corporate tax avoidance? Crikey See also: Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey's constituents not buying the Treasurer's tough on tax avoidance talk The Sydney Morning … [Read more...]
Links Nov 10
Global Tax-Evasion Crackdown Sidestepping Poorest Countries Inter Press Service Australia Says G-20 Committed to Fighting Tax Avoidance The Wall Street Journal (paywall) See also G20 takes aim at anonymous companies FInancial Times (paywall), and earlier blog Open letter to G20 leaders – … [Read more...]
Unions Push for Tax Responsibility in Pension Funds
From the International Trade Union Confederation: Nov 9, 2014 - Trade unions have unveiled a new initiative to tackle global tax evasion by integrating tax risks into responsible investment policies in pension funds worth over $20trillion where unions and their trustees are involved in fund … [Read more...]
Open letter to G20 leaders – something must be done at Brisbane about illicit financial flows
OPEN LETTER TO G20 LEADERS When a global financial system allows billions of dollars of corrupt or stolen money to flow unchecked around the globe, something is wrong. When financial secrecy helps strip Africa of US$50 billion each year, something is wrong. When the poor of this world see the … [Read more...]
Why the Netherlands is the world’s largest source of FDI
Dutch FDI assets in 2012 were even larger than the United States', on some metrics. This guest blog from Francis Weyzig explains what is going on. Why the Netherlands is the world’s largest source of FDI Luxembourg is in the spotlight these days because so many multinationals shift their … [Read more...]
Luxembourg’s Sweetheart Deals: Could the OECD Stop Them?
Guest blog by Prof. Sol Picciotto, a TJN Senior Adviser. Luxembourg’s Sweetheart Deals: Could the OECD Stop Them? In an earlier comment on the Luxembourg tax leaks, we pointed out that there is no world tax authority which can judge whether the sweetheart deals it has been offering … [Read more...]
Links Nov 7
‘Lux Leaks’ Revelations Bring Swift Response Around World ICIJ Tax: State aid probes set to intensify in wake of leaks swissinfo Ireland Gets Lucky With Luxembourg's Tax Scandal Bloomberg View Jean-Claude Juncker, Top E.U. Official, Faces Rising Furor Over Luxembourg Tax Revelations The … [Read more...]
Links Nov 6
Today's links focus first on media coverage of the Luxembourg tax leaks (as featured in blog posts earlier today), followed by news on other jurisdictions. Luxembourg tax leaks put pressure on G20 leaders to act on loopholes The Guardian EU to press Luxembourg over tax breaks amid fresh … [Read more...]
PWC and Luxembourg: no, this wasn’t ‘legal’ behaviour
From Prem Sikka, a quote from an article from June that provides essential context for those who would dismiss the explosive leaks and analysis from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) on Luxembourg. The Big Four accountancy firm PWC has been exposed as having … [Read more...]
Huge trove of information blasts hole in Luxembourg’s theatre of probity
From the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), a story we've been waiting for: "Capping a six-month investigation, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and its media partners are publishing a secret cache of leaked tax documents and dozens of … [Read more...]
Links Nov 5
TJN-A and EATGN applaud Kenya government on decision to phase out tax incentives TJN-Africa See also our earlier blog Are Kenyan tax holidays over? Indian Government Loses Major Tax Case to Vodafone CorpWatch How black money finds its way out of India, and how it comes back as white The … [Read more...]