The PES considers this to be an excellent step in the right direction. We expect the reporting obligations and sanctions to be extended to all financial institutions, trusts and foundations and their ultimate beneficial owners.
PES president Sergei Stanishev said:
“Taxes are an essential tool to sustain our welfare states. They finance schools and hospitals. We cannot accept that the middlemen in tax dodging operations should be invisible to justice. We therefore welcome this agreement and commend the efforts of Commissioner Pierre Moscovici.”
The PES is in favour of a strong blacklist of tax havens, in favour of offering protection to whistle-blowers and in favour of fair taxation for digital giants, as we laid out in our 2017 resolution from the PES Council in Lisbon. Read the full text of our resolution.