From Eurodad: The State of Finance for Developing Countries, 2014 This report provides the most comprehensive review of the quantity of different financing sources available to developing countries, and how they have changed over the past decade. … [Read more...]
Inequality & Democracy
On the Capture of Luxembourg by Big Accountancy Firms
UPDATE: TJN is among a host of signatories to a letter (published here) calling on the Luxembourg authorities to refrain from prosecuting whistleblower Antoine Deltour. In the letter we note that even the Luxembourg government has publicly recognised that the information revealed by M Deltour has … [Read more...]
Links Dec 17
The unlearned lesson of LuxLeaks EU Observer #Luxleaks: The Reality of Tax ‘Competition’ Center for Global Development See also recent blog On so-called “tax competition” States keen to protect identity of Europe's shadow rich EU Observer See also earlier blog EU compromise on shell company … [Read more...]
GFI: Illicit Financial Flows Drained $991bn from Developing Economies in 2012
From Global Financial Integrity: Crime, Corruption, Tax Evasion Drained a Record US$991.2 Billion in Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Economies in 2012 Illicit Flows from Developing & Emerging Countries Growing at 9.4% per Year US$6.6 Trillion Stolen from Developing World from … [Read more...]
Links Dec 15
Developing Countries Meet To Discuss BEPS Push Tax-News See also recent blog: On taxing multinationals: latest scorecard for the OECD BEPS project Some of the Rich Collect Art. Others Collect Passports. The New York Times More on economic residency... "Experts estimate that these “economic … [Read more...]
Juncker fails to endorse demands for public registries of ownership
From the blog of the Bureau of Investigative Journalism: Jean-Claude Juncker appears to have distanced himself from making registers setting out the true owners of companies and other legal entities accessible to journalists and NGOs. The EU Commission president’s carefully worded position is … [Read more...]
Links Dec 12
Corporate transparency: The openness revolution The Economist Kenya: Media, Civil Society Urged to Fight Unfair Tax allAfrica / The Sta Can Africa move away from aid to trade? Zambia Daily Mail Finance: Out of Control? Juncker fails to endorse public registers across EU revealing firms … [Read more...]
Links Dec 11
Trial Delayed as Ex-Banker Charged in Swiss Secrecy Case Collapses The Wall Street Journal Moneybeat See also Ex-HSBC Employee Falciani Said Indicted on Data Theft Bloomberg, and earlier blog Tax haven whistleblowers: where are the human rights organisations? UK territories unite against public … [Read more...]
Tax haven whistleblowers: where are the human rights organisations?
Update: here's another whistleblower victim of tax haven practices for human rights organisations to help defend. Antoine Deltour, of Luxleaks fame. We are big fans of human rights organisations, generally speaking, but we're going to say some uncomfortable things about some of them … [Read more...]
Links Dec 10
Former Swiss Banker Collapses During WikiLeaks Data Trial Bloomberg "Elmer, 59, is accused of violating the country’s financial secrecy laws in a campaign to raise awareness of the use of Swiss bank accounts for illegal activity including tax evasion", and recent blog Show trial of Swiss … [Read more...]
Luxembourg Leaks 2: Koch Industries, Disney, Skype edition
So the next round of Luxleaks is with us. Corporate tax avoidance, as the chair of the UK's Public Accounts Committee put it, "on an industrial scale." We post an array of stories below, and will write more about this in due course. As it happens, Luxembourg is likely getting it in the neck … [Read more...]
Links Dec 9
Preventing tax evasion and fraud: the scope for automatic exchange of information is extended: Council of the European Union Directive on Administrative Cooperation has been approved by the EU Council. For background see here. Australia: Tax advocates rally behind disclosure rules The Age See … [Read more...]
Financing development: NGO input for the UN meeting in 2015
Via Eurodad, a position paper on Financing for Development, co-signed by TJN and over 130 other civil society organisations. The paper is entitled UN Financing for Development negotiations: What outcomes should be agreed in Addis Ababa in 2015? and it seeks to provide input from civil society … [Read more...]
Links Dec 8
Corporate tax cuts don’t work Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs ICIJ calls for immediate release of arrested Azeri reporter Khadija Ismayilova #FreeKhadija See also: Prominent Azerbaijani Journalist Sent To Two-Month Pretrial Detention Radio Free Europe, and recent … [Read more...]
Links Dec 5
EU parliament studies tax avoidance in member states Luxemburger Wort See also: Pro-Juncker coalition blocks committee of inquiry on Luxleaks EurActiv, and Juncker’s Sound of Silence Project Syndicate Malta should brace itself for tax haven clampdown Malta Today India must show valid proof … [Read more...]
