Rob Horgan
SPAIN is among Europe’s worst offenders for helping firms launder money and avoid paying tax.
According to European Network report, 50 Shades of Tax Dodging, Spain is the fourth worst offender behind Luxembourg, Germany and Italy.
The report accuses Spain of conducting the most aggressive tax treaty negotiations with developing countries outside the EU.
It claims Spanish firms avoid paying tax due to state collusion with multi-nationals outside the European trade agreement.
Meanwhile Luxembourg and Germany are accused of knowingly introducing new policies which allow companies to hide the real owners – therefore helping them avoid tax.
At the other end of the scale, Denmark and Slovenia are leading the way for financial transparency by launching fully public registers with information on owners.
The report comes one year after the Luxleaks scandal which revealed how hundreds of international companies were forming illegal tax deals with Luxembourg.
What a sick joke the EU is. When I was living in the Netherlands at the end of the 70s’ there were lots of Luxemburgers working there, many of whom were drunks. There was no work for them back home and it was a small poor farming land. Then along came Junker with his tax schemes that transformed it into a tax haven. This was seen as a good idea by Ireland and Holland which followed suit.
Spain, well Spain’s professional class has always been corrupt at it’s core, as has Italy and Portugal, no surprise there.
The EU was set up to facilitate big business and tax fraud is integral to it’s function, if anyone is surprised they nedd to grow up.
No great surprise to read this report and not a good advert for moving to Spain and becoming part of the system.
Yes, the whole EU project is bent as hell, all lining their own pockets, backhanders must be rife.
As for Schengen open borders allowing terrorists freedom of movement no doubt carrying weapons in unchecked vehicles, well hopefully some good will come out of the terrible massacres in France, and countries will close borders and dismantle the failed cash cow called the EU.
Hopefully will strengthen the OUT referendum campaign for the UK, maybe others will then follow if not asap in the light of recent events.
Mike,
Europe needs to work together but in a framework that works for the majority. No special tax free deals or outrageous expenses or super duper pensions for those that work for the organisation. All subsidies ruthlessy examined for credibility and crushing fines for the slightest hint of corruption. No CAP that only favours the big farmers and the monstrous agri-businesses with it’s disgusting industrial farming techniques.
Why not re-adopt the system that my father used as a very young man – going to work in the Italian Alps when he was 16 – he got to work in Italy and an Italian got to work in the UK, so simple and absolutely fair for both countries – business must become a function of society.