(23 May 2013) Tax justice should be on the agenda of the joint meeting between the leadership of the European Union and Russia. That is the message EPSU sent to the Presidents of the Russia, the Duma, the European Parliament and Council, and the European Commission.
Both in the EU and in Russia, every year gigantesque amounts of funding are lost as companies and the wealthy engage in tax avoidance, tax evasion and fraudulent activities, often by using tax havens. Well resourced tax administrations will be crucial in fighting this. The austerity policies that cut jobs in tax administrations should be stopped and reversed.
Coordination of lists of companies that do not pay, or pay too little taxes is an important step in this direction as also the European Parliament recognized when it adopted its report on addressing tax fraud and demanded EU wide action. It also supported a demand of EPSU that companies engaged in such activities should be banned from accessing state or EU aid and public procurement.
Jointly coordinating plans to address tax havens as also undertaken in the BRICS plans should be adopted by the EU and Russia.
EPSU also asks the Russian government and the European Council to use the recent proposals for a FTT as basis for joint proposals during the G-20.
EPSU represents workers and their trade unions in all European countries and including in Russia. The summit takes place in Yekaterinburg, Russia 3-4 June 2013.
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