Dear journalists, dear friends, Today, the leadership of Christian-Democrats (EPP), Social-Democrats (S&D) and Liberals (ALDE) in the European Parliament turned a corner for negotiations with EU Commission and Council for a stronger Transparency Register for lobbyists last minute to avoid driving them over the cliff. Parliament’s lead-negotiators Sylvie Guillaume (S&D, FR, EP vice-president) and […]
Corporate Tax Reform/Bilaterals: Switzerland Hearing in the European Parliament
Next Monday, 1st October, the Special Committee on Financial Crimes, Tax Evasion and Tax Avoidance (TAX3) is organising a hearing on Switzerland at the European Parliament. It comes at the right time for the ongoing bilateral negotiations between Switzerland and the EU. The hearing will take place on the suggestion of the Greens/EFA Group in […]
Malta Delegation: The Rule of Law Monitoring Group continues with investigations
Dear correspondents and journalists, Next week, from Wednesday 19th September until Thursday 20th September, I will visit Malta as part of a delegation of the Rule of Law Monitoring Group (ROLMG) of the European Parliament. We will meet the Attorney General Dr Peter Grech, representatives of NGOs active in the field of rule of law […]
MEP expenses: Plenary must bring transparency that Parliament’s Vice-Presidents block in the back room
Last night, the majority of the European Parliament’s Vice-Presidents (Parliament’s Bureau) blocked the attempt to correct its own decision against more transparency for MEPs’ expenses. On 2 July, Parliament’s Bureau had rejected with narrow majority proposals to require Members to keep receipts and to employ a professional paying agent to checks for their General Expenditure […]
Digital tax: Scholz has lost his sensor for justice
According to a confidential paper from the German Ministry of Finance’s management, the ministry rejects the introduction of a digital tax for companies like Google and Apple. According to the BILD newspaper, the “demonisation of large digital companies” is deemed “not effective” in the paper. MEP Sven Giegold, financial and economic policy spokesperson of […]
Pan-European Pension Product: EU-Parliament strengthens sustainability and consumer protection
This Monday evening, the European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON) adopted a draft regulation to introduce a pan-European pension product (short: PEPP) with a majority of Christian Democrats (EPP), Social Democrats (S&D), Liberals (ALDE) and Greens, among others. This pension product with uniform quality standards throughout Europe will be offered by private actors […]