Brexit must become an exit from British tax dumping. The rejection of the Brexit agreement by the British House of Commons has made the modalities of the Brexit even more incalculable. However, for the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament it is clear that any future agreement between Britain and the EU must put an end to tax havens in the UK’s overseas territories. The practice of zero tax on company profits in essentially all British overseas territories must no longer be exploited for international tax dodging. In a future outside the EU, the United Kingdom must continue to have an effective state aid framework since this instrument can also be used to fight aggressive tax dodging. Special tax deals for non-UK residents with income abroad (“non-dom”) are unfair tax competition and must be abolished. The EU must challenge the UK’s tax haven activities and make a reform of the tax system a condition of any future trade agreement with the UK.

We kindly invite you to our conference “Brexit and the future of tax havens” on Tuesday, 22 January 2019, at 15:30. You are encouraged to follow the two panels in person in the European Parliament or at home via web stream. The first panel will address the UK’s role in financial secrecy services and the tools that the EU should mobilise to prevent the UK from evolving towards a tax haven on the EU’s doorstep. The second panel will assess the tax reforms that have been adopted in recent years at EU level and make recommendations to address the remaining loopholes in the fight against tax havens.

Watch the webstream here:

https://www.greens-efa.eu/en/article/event/brexit-and-the-future-of-tax-havens/

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Brexit and the future of tax havens

22.01.2019 | 15:30 – 18:30

European Parliament, Room ASP5E1, Rue Wiertz 60, Brussels

15:30 – 15:40 : INTRODUCTION

Eva Joly, Greens/EFA MEP, Vice-President of the Special Committee on Financial Crimes, Tax Evasion and Tax Avoidance (TAX3)

15:40 – 16:40 : PANEL I: The impact of Brexit on tax evasion & money laundering

This panel will address the UK’s role in financial secrecy services and the tools that the EU should mobilise to prevent the UK from evolving towards a tax haven on the EU’s doorstep.

Molly Scott Cato, Greens/EFA MEP

John Christensen, Director of the Tax Justice Network

Juliette Garside, Journalist at The Guardian

Oliver Pearce, OXFAM

Q&A session

16:45 – 17:45 : PANEL II: Successes & loopholes in the fight against tax havens

This panel will assess the tax reforms that have been adopted in recent years at EU level and make recommendations to address the remaining loopholes in order to combat tax havens.

Sven Giegold, Greens/EFA MEP

Simon Bowers, Author at ICIJ (International Consortium of Investigative Journalists)

Carl Dolan, Transparency International

Q&A session

17:45 – 18:00 : CONCLUDING REMARKS

18:00 – 18:30 : OPENING OF THE EXHIBITION ‘TAX HAVENS’

Paolo Woods and Gabriele Galimberti will present their photographic exhibition on tax havens (Balcony Area, floor ASP 1G).