Defending public services together! PSI "We need to ensure multinationals pay their fair share of tax and that governments use this revenue to drive public sector growth through investment in universal, quality public services" Opinion for the public hearing of the Finance Committee of the … [Read more...]
Secrecy
Links Jun 21
Call for papers on “Human Rights and Tax in an Unequal World” Global Alliance for Tax Justice LATINDADD's Reports on Extractive Industry and Tax Avoidance in Latin America via Eurodad June 2016 could be a crucial moment for whistleblowers’ protection Eurodad Still Racing Toward The Bottom? … [Read more...]
Swiss whistleblower Rudolf Elmer: ‘they want to crucify me, as an example to other bankers’
Rudolf Elmer, the Swiss whistleblower who has been pursued by Swiss courts for a decade and served over half a year in prison while accused of (according to Switzerland's peculiar courts) violating the Swiss banking secrecy law, now faces two more court trials: one, on June 23rd, as part of the … [Read more...]
Links Jun 17
African Governments Should Harness Taxation Opportunities To Improve Investment In Children TJN - Africa The Panama Papers – what they mean and why they are important for Africa Financial Transparency Coalition India: Here's What PM Modi Can And Cannot Do About Offshore Black Money Huffington … [Read more...]
Links Jun 16
Why unfair tax treaties hold back developing countries The Guardian Mossack Fonseca worker arrested in Switzerland The Guardian "Employee is held on suspicion of ‘extracting confidential information’ from law firm at centre of Panama Papers". See also: Geneva Opens Criminal Probe After Mossack … [Read more...]
Switzerland is handing back looted money. How big a deal is this?
In the context of a fun Twitter fight and finger-pointing between the Swiss Bankers' Association and the German Finance Ministry, there's a newish story on Quartz entitled Swiss bankers swear they are trying to help Africa get its dirty money back. It begins like this: "It irritates Valentin … [Read more...]
Links Jun 14
Experts rule out ‘end’ of fiscal secrecy Buenos Aires Herald Indonesia: Measuring Tax Amnesty Kompas See also recent blog Indonesia’s corrupt tax amnesty – how many will follow? The Panama Papers - Zimbabwe Must Not Waste This Opportunity allAfrica / New Zimbabwe Why Microsoft, With $100 … [Read more...]
Links Jun 13
The myth of the offshore ANCIR "African tax havens are frequently used as cogs in the wheels of corporate, criminal and political activities that desire legal and financial veils" Australian Taxation Officer recruits executives for new 'tax avoidance taskforce' hunting tax cheats, … [Read more...]
TJN sparring partner caught up in Panama Papers scandal
Back in 2005 a lobby group in Washington, D.C. issued a press release entitled Tax Justice Network Sides with Europe's Tax Collectors, Ignores Critical Role of Low-Tax Jurisdiction in Protecting Human Rights and Promoting Pro-Growth Policy. The bizarre press release accused us of putting at risk … [Read more...]
Links Jun 10
EU launches official one-year inquiry into Panama Papers scandal euronews Swiss Private Bankers demand tax breaks on criminal fines imposed for tax evasion offences swissinfo Illicit Financial Flows out of Africa (IFFoA) Database TrustAfrica See also: Corruption Stalls Zimbabwe’s Economic … [Read more...]
Now Luxembourg, Switzerland are working to bolster Tax Haven USA
Update: making clear that the Swiss text we cited is a provisional test. As we've often said before, it is counterproductive (and an analytical error) to see the fight against tax havens in purely geographical terms. When the U.S. Justice Department started taking action against Swiss bankers, … [Read more...]
Liberia’s mysterious company registry system
Our friends and colleagues at Finance Uncovered have written a fascinating story entitled Liberia: America’s outpost of financial secrecy, which has been published today in South Africa’s Daily Maverick in cooperation with AmaBhungane. We'd urge you to read the whole fascinating story of … [Read more...]
Links May 23
Tax Justice Netherlands letter to The Dutch EU presidency: 5 Days Left to End Tax Avoidance On Wednesday 25 May, EU Ministers of Finance (ECOFIN) will meet to reach agreement on the EU Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive EU aims to rule on Amazon's Luxembourg tax deal by July Reuters See also: EU … [Read more...]
New report exposes flaws in global and EU anti-money laundering rules and explains how they can be fixed
Update: Part 2 is here. As the political dust settles on the Panama papers and the anti-corruption summit, the focus is now moving to concrete solutions. In June 2016 the European Union is expected to review its anti-money laundering directive, including controversial rules on the beneficial … [Read more...]
Links May 19
How morally fit is the West to lead a global campaign on corruption? The New Times Rwanda See also our earlier blog Anti-corruption summit: UK climbdown, but momentum grows, and Tax Justice Focus – The Corruption Issue How Panama Papers May Become a Boon for Cash-Strapped Argentina … [Read more...]
