unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: State of the Union
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Henna Virkkunen
Political group: PPE
Country: Italy
Language: FI

Länsijoukkojen vetäytyminen Afganistanista ja talibanin valtaannousu on ollut herätys Euroopan unionille. EU ei evakuointioperaatiossa kyennyt itsenäiseen päätöksentekoon, vaan oli pitkälti riippuvainen Yhdysvaltain tuesta. Tarve yhä tiiviimmälle puolustusyhteistyölle korostuu nyt, kun paljon puhutun unionin strategisen autonomian puute on saanut konkreettisen esimerkin. Mielestäni komission esitys EU:n puolustusyhteistyön tiivistämisestä, erityisesti tiedustelun ja kyberturvallisuuden osalta, on tarpeen. Meidän tulee löytää nopeampia ja tehokkaampia toimintamalleja. Erityisesti pakolaispolitiikassa olisi saatava aikaiseksi ripeitä päätöksiä ja luotava vihdoinkin yhteinen Euroopan unionin laajuinen toimiva pakolaisjärjestelmä. Nyt on mentävä unionin toiminnan peruslähteille ja haettava keinot siihen, miten jäsenmaat voivat luottaa toisiinsa ja kykenevät toimimaan enemmän yhdessä.  Jäin kaipaamaan puheesta avauksia Euroopan kilpailukyvyn vahvistamiseksi ja uusien työpaikkojen luomiseksi. Pienet ja keskisuuret yritykset ovat tässä avainasemassa. Toivon, että komissio ottaa mahdollisimman pian konkreettisia askelia kohti pk-yritysten tarpeet aidosti huomioivaa parempaa sääntelyä.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Ewa Kopacz
Country: Bulgaria
Language: PL

Kolejnym punktem porządku dziennego jest sprawozdanie sporządzone przez Svena Giegolda w imieniu Komisji Gospodarczej i Monetarnej w sprawie wdrożenia wymogów UE dotyczących wymiany informacji podatkowych (
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Lídia Pereira
Political group: PPE
Country: Finland
Language: PT

A troca de informações entre os Estados-Membros é um instrumento fundamental para que a União seja um espaço de justiça fiscal, em que cada um paga aquilo que deve e apenas aquilo que deve. Esta troca de informações tem de ser reforçada no aumento progressivo da informação, mas sobretudo na sua qualidade.  O que descobrimos com este relatório é que todos os Estados-Membros, todos, estão a falhar neste trabalho e esse é o principal alerta que devemos deixar. Precisamos de trocar mais informação e melhor informação, mas primeiro temos de ser competentes a cumprir aquilo que a lei já determina. Que fique bem claro: não queremos que este reforço da troca de informações seja apenas uma questão administrativa, não pode ser indiferente aos cidadãos europeus. Com mais e melhor informação queremos reduzir burocracias, poupar nos encargos administrativos e libertar recursos para as autoridades tributárias melhor cumprirem a sua missão, sempre com o máximo de respeito pelos direitos dos contribuintes, da proteção de dados à privacidade.  Mais informação significa mais responsabilidade, melhor informação tem de significar melhores práticas e cooperação reforçada terá de significar resultados. É isso que este Parlamento deve fazer e aquilo que os cidadãos europeus merecem.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Evelyn Regner
Political group: S-D
Country: Netherlands
Language: DE

Und wie? Aktuell ist die Steuerumgehung relativ einfach, weil wir in unserer Union keine einheitliche EU-weite direkte Besteuerung haben, und hier kommt die Zusammenarbeit der Verwaltungsbehörden ins Spiel. Die Richtlinie zur Zusammenarbeit der Verwaltungsbehörden im Bereich der direkten Besteuerung ist das zentrale Fundament, um Steuerflucht zu bekämpfen. In unserem Bericht haben wir die Wichtigkeit dieser Richtlinie bestätigt, aber auch festgestellt: 18 Mitgliedstaaten haben sie nur unzureichend umgesetzt – 18! Also genau zwei Drittel. Das ist eine Bloßstellung der Mitgliedstaaten. Was fehlt? Die Richtlinie ist ein Puzzle aus mehreren Teilen, aber es fehlen Puzzleteile, nämlich Daten. Und ohne Daten kann Steuerbetrug nicht verfolgt werden. Und daher muss die Kommission sicherstellen, dass der Austausch und die Qualität der Daten garantiert werden. Und das ginge relativ einfach. Denn wir im Europäischen Parlament haben festgestellt, dass die Mängel der Datenqualität auf veraltete Technologien oder zu wenig Personal in den nationalen Behörden zurückzuführen sind. Und das können wir nicht hinnehmen. Die Europäische Union muss als gutes Beispiel weltweit vorangehen. Ich bin fest davon überzeugt, dass wir das können. Dafür braucht es nur politischen Willen. Und im Übrigen, Steuerwettbewerb zwischen Staaten ist immer schädlich. Wir müssen zusammenarbeiten, damit wir der massiven Steuerflucht endlich Einhalt gebieten.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Monica Semedo
Political group: Renew
Country: Germany
Language: EN

However, in order for an implementation report to be accurate, we need facts and figures. Accordingly, my colleagues and I requested relevant information from the European Commission, and I am sad to inform you that several Member States objected to our request. Again, the Council seemingly does not want to cooperate with the European Parliament. Previously, I highlighted that the Council prematurely made decisions before we as Parliament had adopted our position, and now they are denying access to pertinent documents needed for us to exercise our function of political control. My message to the Council is clear: stop trying to bypass procedures enshrined in our Treaties. Stop trying to hinder our work. We need greater transparency in the Council.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Gunnar Beck
Political group: ID
Country: Germany
Language: DE

Erstens: Wir haben nicht nur ein Steuerumgehungs-, sondern ein Steuervermeidungsproblem.  Wir haben ein Steuergerechtigkeits- und ein Steuerverschwendungsproblem und daher viel zu hohe Steuern. Hunderte Milliarden Steuern werden verschwendet für Weltrettungsprojekte wie unqualifizierte Masseneinwanderung am Arbeitsmarkt vorbei direkt ins soziale Netz und eine Klimapolitik, die scheitern muss, weil der EU-Beitrag zu den weltweiten CO2—Emissionen von unter 8 Prozent gleichsam bedeutungslos ist. Zweitens: Steuerbefreit und ausgenommen von der Geldwäsche-Regulierung bleiben  Und drittens: Begraben Sie bitte schleunigst Ihre Pläne für ein allumfassendes EU—Vermögensregister. Denn Steuerpolitik ist eben nicht Befugnis der EU, sondern der Mitgliedstaaten. Wenn Sie also Steuerhinterziehung bekämpfen wollen, machen Sie das doch bitte rechtskonform und nicht rechtswidrig. Im Rechtsstaat, so denke ich, heiligt der Zweck eben nicht jedes Mittel.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Eugen Jurzyca
Political group: ECR
Country: Belgium
Language: EN

Tax harmonisation in the Union might result in the limitation of tax competition. I believe healthy tax competition has benefits compared to full tax harmonisation, as it enables Member States to compare and apply best practices of the other Member States.  Cuts on inefficient spending can allow governments to buy more for the same money or to use the savings to reduce the tax burden to attract international investment and stimulate economic growth and innovation. We should not limit this option yet.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: José Gusmão
Political group: The Left
Country: Finland
Language: PT

O facto de termos procurado recolher informação sobre a troca de informação e de os mesmos Estados que se comprometeram a prosseguir e a cumprir com essas exigências de troca de informação se recusarem a trocar informação sobre o assunto é bastante preocupante, tal como a interpretação altamente restritiva que a Comissão Europeia fez dos seus próprios constrangimentos, o que permitiu que essa informação não chegasse ao Parlamento.  Se é assim, e se é essa a interpretação da Comissão Europeia, espero que, numa futura revisão da DAC, a Comissão Europeia se dê a si própria esses poderes e dê ao Parlamento o acesso à informação que permita vigiar a implementação da DAC. Aliás, uma área em que, como já foi dito, a Comissão Europeia tem estado muito pouco atenta. Espero também que a Comissão Europeia acolha os pedidos que são feitos neste relatório para alargar a informação que é trocada entre autoridades tributárias, nomeadamente ao nível do imobiliário e dos dividendos, ao nível do grau de discriminação da informação e ao nível da informação de instituições financeiras sobre beneficiários últimos.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Mislav Kolakušić
Political group: NI
Country: Greece
Language: HR

Poštovana predsjedavajuća, poštovane kolege, dragi građani, porezi služe da bi se ostvario napredak društva i smanjile socijalne razlike.  Ovo što, o čemu mi danas raspravljamo, bojim se da će kao puno puta u prošlosti pasti na leđa malog čovjeka, građanina koji je u potrazi, trbuhom za kruhom otišao raditi nekoliko mjeseci u neku drugu državu da bi konobario ili bio spremačica. Njih će se goniti, njih će se ovršavati a s druge strane divovi poput Facebooka i Amazona konstantno uspješno izbjegavaju platiti porez koji bi morali platiti, to je jednostavno nevjerojatno. Facebook se uvijek izvlači, gospodin Zuckerberg je bio u ovom domu, tražili smo od njega da udovoljava propisima Europske unije. Što se dogodilo? On je rekao da će se povući s tržišta Europske unije.  Udarimo tamo gdje treba a ne po malim građanima.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Luděk Niedermayer
Political group: PPE
Country: Slovenia
Language: EN

Madam President, I guess our colleague has made a very good report about quite a bad situation. Why do I think the situation is bad? I can use just one example: to effectively use the data, we should have high—quality data. The quality of data depends also on the implementation of the Anti—Money Laundering (AML) Directives, and we know how poorly Europe does in the area of the AML Directives. In the current situation, when the Member States have refused the Commission initiative that would tackle the problem of tax evasion and tax avoidance via a definitive VAT regime, Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB) or other measures, administrative cooperation is one of the most efficient ways to tackle cross—border, intra—EU tax fraud. Unfortunately, this report says that the opportunity given by this directive is by far not used enough. We need improvement in the quality of data, as well as improvement in how we use the data. We have now a lot of proposals by the Commission on the table in the area of taxation, and I guess these are good proposals, but they will not be sufficient unless we will see changes to the Member States’ tax administrations’ approach in dealing with tax evasion, and recognise the importance of cross—border cooperation. We are not there. So unless there is a substantial change, the proposals will not deliver the expected improvement. These days, the governments need every cent to help the budget, which is hurt by the pandemic. That is now one of the available options to improve the situation, and it’s sad to see that we are not using that effectively.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Jonás Fernández
Political group: S-D
Country: Ireland
Language: ES

Señora presidenta, señor comisario, señorías, quería iniciar esta breve intervención felicitando, por supuesto, a Sven Giegold por este informe, al conjunto de ponentes y, especialmente, también a mi colega Evelyn Regner. Ciertamente estamos ante una situación típica en las instituciones comunitarias, en las cuales, en aquellas áreas donde no tenemos competencias directas, empujamos, pedimos y, además, regulamos en el ámbito de la cooperación fiscal entre los Estados miembros, y los Estados no responden.  Yo creo que este informe señala los problemas actuales. Pone el dedo donde debe situarlo: encima de aquellos Gobiernos de los Estados que ni siquiera comparten información. Me gustaría también terminar pidiendo a los diputados del Grupo del Partido Popular y del Grupo Renew que mantengamos el acuerdo alcanzado en relación con este informe en comisión —en la Comisión de Asuntos Económicos y Monetarios— y que, de alguna manera, evitemos considerandos iniciales, que van en contra, por otra parte, del trabajo de las propias instituciones en esa negociación tan importante que estamos teniendo en la OCDE para marcar unos mínimos impositivos globales.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Martin Hlaváček
Political group: Renew
Country: Bulgaria
Language: EN

Madam President, I would like to thank the rapporteur and the shadow rapporteurs for all the work they have invested in this important report. It’s my deep conviction that the idea of this report was quite excellent: to assess and analyse how we have progressed a decade after DAC1. What did we learn? That we still have some difficulty in collecting information for tariff and comprehensive analysis. I believe this is a key finding, to some extent, of course, because some of the elements are evolving through time and have entered into force relatively recently so could not be taken into consideration. I think that this is also a question about the timing of this report. I do not think this is a discouragement at all. Quite the contrary. We should continue our work and go forward making gradual progress.  On a more positive note, a lot has changed since 2011 in terms of scope and in terms of the quality of the exchange of information achieved. However, technological development is going even faster and it is more than necessary to progress farther. I think the DAC revision 8 on crypto assets is more than needed and the same goes for the information for EU and non-EU located businesses.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Hélène Laporte
Political group: ID
Language: FR

Madame la Présidente, Monsieur le Commissaire, Mesdames et Messieurs les députés, les scandales à répétition relatifs à l’évasion et à la fraude fiscale au sein de l’Union européenne plaident pour une meilleure application des directives DAC et une réflexion d’ensemble sur le sujet. L’évasion fiscale se déroule depuis plusieurs années maintenant dans un contexte transnational, la fraude organisée ignorant les frontières terrestres. Le talon d’Achille du dispositif tient dans les échanges peu satisfaisants entre les États membres et plusieurs pays tiers, dont la Suisse, ce qui affaiblit considérablement son efficacité, car les organisations frauduleuses connaissent les failles du système et logent leurs sociétés écrans dans les pays tiers. La seconde faiblesse concerne l’identification des bénéficiaires effectifs des sociétés, malgré l’ouverture des données des registres mise en place depuis quelques années. L’exemple du Luxembourg et le scandale Open Lux ont montré les limites du système en révélant qu’un nombre important d’entreprises ne remplissaient pas leurs obligations de déclaration. Étant un membre fondateur de l’Union, le Luxembourg devrait être exemplaire dans son comportement face à l’évitement fiscal. Ce pays de 600 000 habitants ne compte pas moins de 150 000 sociétés. Rappelons que les pratiques fiscales agressives, notamment celles des multinationales, créent une perte annuelle de 160 à 190 milliards d’euros pour l’Union européenne. Nous ne sommes pas loin de la fourchette du budget total de l’Union. En France, deux tiers des sociétés du CAC 40 sont aussi présentes au Luxembourg par le biais d’au moins 166 filiales. Une partie d’entre elles correspondent à des implantations réelles d’activités sur le sol luxembourgeois, mais pour une grande majorité, ces filiales sont le fruit d’une optimisation fiscale agressive. La Commission doit s’attaquer aux sociétés-boîtes aux lettres et mettre en place une publicité sans restriction des registres sur les bénéficiaires réels de sociétés accompagnée d’un contrôle des déclarations réalisées.  D’autre part, à l’heure où les déficits publics se creusent, la protection de nos finances publiques doit être une priorité. Les fonds recouvrés remplissent une double fonction: accroître les recettes fiscales, mais également affirmer l’autorité de l’État dans l’efficacité de la perception des impôts. De plus, s’agissant d’échanges de données sensibles, il faut veiller au strict respect de la confidentialité, car les risques de fuite ne sont pas écartés. Même si le texte semble, à ce sujet, équilibré entre la garantie de la protection des données et la recherche d’informations nécessaires afin de détecter les montages frauduleux, la Commission doit veiller à un degré de protection maximal.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Michiel Hoogeveen
Political group: ECR
Country: Sweden
Language: NL

Voorzitter, vandaag spreken we over de verbetering van het uitwisselen van belastinginformatie in de gemeenschappelijke markt. Uiteraard moedigen wij aan om samen te werken om belastingfraude en belastingontduiking te bestrijden zolang er geen onnodige bureaucratie voor het bedrijfsleven ontstaat.  Dit debat is echter weer een typisch voorbeeld waarbij Europafederalistische types met hun amendementen hun boekje te buiten gaan. Zo betreuren zij belastingregimes in bepaalde lidstaten, vragen zij zelfs om een inbreukprocedure en willen zij het principe schrappen waarbij het Parlement erkent dat belastingen een nationale bevoegdheid zijn.  Ik zal deze collega's helpen. Volgens de Verdragen is belastingheffing een bevoegdheid van de lidstaten, dus wat u oppert in uw amendementen kan helemaal niet. Dus schoenmaker, blijf bij uw leest en concentreert u zich op de zaken die wel mogelijk zijn. Directe belastingen zijn kerncompetenties van en tussen lidstaten. Laten wij dat zo houden.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Manon Aubry
Political group: The Left
Country: France
Language: FR

Madame la Présidente, dans la course contre l’évasion fiscale, les fraudeurs ont toujours une longueur d’avance, surtout quand les États refusent de mettre le turbo et de collaborer. Dès qu’une nouvelle règle est mise en place, ces délinquants en col blanc inventent toujours un montage pour la contourner. Dernier exemple en date, le scandale LuxLetters, qui démontre comment de grands cabinets de conseil se sont entendus avec le Luxembourg pour cacher à leurs voisins leurs cadeaux aux multinationales. Pour prévenir de tels scandales, la transparence est un élément clé, et pas seulement entre États, comme le montrent les limites de ces directives DAC. Car les évadés fiscaux sont comme les vampires: ils détestent la lumière. Mais sous la pression des lobbies patronaux et avec la complicité du gouvernement français, le texte sur la transparence fiscale a été largement affaibli. Alors, vous qui êtes d’habitude si prompts à demander des comptes aux États quand il s’agit de couper dans les budgets de nos services publics ou de les privatiser, vous feriez mieux d’utiliser la même fermeté avec ceux qui nous volent au quotidien. Attaquez-vous enfin aux évadés fiscaux. Leur impunité n’a que trop duré.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Isabel Benjumea Benjumea
Political group: PPE
Country: Spain
Language: ES

Señora presidenta, señor comisario, que la Comisión Europea tenga entre sus prioridades la lucha contra la evasión y el fraude fiscal, sin duda, es un acierto. Primero, porque quien la hace siempre debe pagarla, venga de donde venga; y que las instituciones públicas colaboren para perseguir el delito y para lograr que desaparezca la sensación de impunidad es una muy buena noticia.  En segundo lugar, porque el regulador no debe existir para generar problemas, sino para controlar los posibles desequilibrios en el mercado, como la existencia de este tipo de prácticas fiscales dañinas que impiden competir a todos en igualdad de oportunidades.  Y, en tercer lugar, porque no podemos permitirnos continuar perdiendo más de 150 000 millones de euros anuales de las arcas públicas por estas prácticas tan dañinas.  No podemos mirar hacia otro lado. Ahora bien, no solo se construye la Unión Europea endeudándonos unidos para gastar más. El espíritu de la Unión se construye trabajando para ser cada día más competitivos, más eficientes, más especializados y más libres, y el programa Fiscalis 2020, que se menciona en el informe, es una buena muestra de ello.  La política económica, en general, y la fiscal, en particular, de la Unión Europea no pueden limitarse a poner encima de la mesa nuevas figuras tributarias que se puedan crear o a estar constantemente hablando de la armonización de impuestos. Debemos centrar todos nuestros esfuerzos en combatir el fraude fiscal y en generar el ambiente para la verdadera competitividad de las empresas.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Paul Tang
Political group: S-D
Country: Spain
Language: EN

Madam President, what is it that they are hiding? That’s what I think when I hear the rapporteur and the shadows say that they didn’t get from the Council the relevant documents and data; and that is needed to fulfil our democratic duty to assess the implementation of the EU rules on administrative cooperation and on taxation.  The stance of the Council is unacceptable. It underlines a fundamental democratic deficit in a fundamental part of government taxation. Behind closed doors decisions are being taken that affect all of us and no parliament, national or European, is able to exercise democratic scrutiny.  Transparency and accountability are part of the democratic process, and it’s only admirable that the rapporteur Sven Giegold and his team of shadows still have drafted an insightful report. Its conclusions – lack of exchange of information, auditing tools and control mechanisms – are shared by the European Court of Auditors and I trust that the Council will take good note of this report and that the Commissioner will push for the implementation of its recommendations.
Debate: Implementation of EU requirements for exchange of tax information
Date: WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2021
Speaker: Billy Kelleher
Political group: Renew
Country: Denmark
Language: EN

Madam President, I welcome the overall content of the report, and trust the report in highlighting the deficiencies that are still clearly there in terms of oversight and information sharing between tax administrations across the European Union. We do need to have that flow of information, either be it publicly or confidentially between the various administrations, to root out tax evasion, tax avoidance and money laundering.  But unfortunately, again, these reports are being used to go to the very heart of what the European Union is about in terms of Member State competences, and the issue of taxation is one that I feel very strongly about. There seems to be a continuous effort in this Parliament – and by the Commission as well at this stage – to undermine that sovereign concept of Member States having unanimity and competency in the areas of taxation. I am for cooperation and for ensuring that we have a free flow of information, but at the same time, we have to insist that the Treaties and the functioning of the European Union are upheld and vindicated on a regular basis, and that is the obligation of the Commission as well.  But overall, I welcomed the overall trust in this report. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, efforts are being made to put amendments to it to undermine the concept of unanimity and sovereignty in the areas of taxation.