G20 focus on tax breaks – EUbusiness Week newsletter 681

Publisher’s Note

Under pressure to deliver on growth and jobs at the G20 summit in Brisbane this weekend, world leaders are likely to carry on rolling back protectionist measures adopted since the global financial crisis of 2008.

But closing tax loopholes is likely to become a major focus for the meeting. With new EC head Jean-Claude Juncker under pressure over tax breaks offered to global companies when he was Luxembourg’s PM, the G20 should take a serious look at making multinationals pay tax where they earn their profits.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

1. EU vows tax reform as Juncker heads to G20

The European Commission unveiled a new push to fight tax evasion on Thursday as questions lingered over Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker’s role in enabling companies to pay less tax during his 19 years as Luxembourg premier.
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G20 host Australia slams corporate tax ‘theft’

2. British businesses are ‘overwhelmingly’ pro-EU

The majority of British businesses would vote to stay in the EU in a referendum, a senior business leader said on Monday as he warned that increasing eurosceptic rhetoric risked “shutting ourselves off from the world”.
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3. New EU GMO food rules get European Parliament nod

A European Parliament committee took the first step Tuesday towards permitting Member States to decide for themselves whether to allow the hugely controversial cultivation of genetically modified crops.
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4. EU extends ban on deep-sea shark fishing

Member States have extended their ban on deep-sea shark fishing for the European fleet for at least another two years, with only Spain and Portugal voting against.
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5. Sweden seeks ban on synthetic marijuana after deaths

Sweden has asked the EU for the right to speed up a ban on substances contained in a synthetic marijuana sold as “Spice” after two apparent fatal overdoses.
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6. ECB picks Italian, Bulgarian, British artists for new HQ

The European Central Bank has commissioned new works from three leading contemporary artists to adorn its spectacular new headquarters in Frankfurt.
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EUROPEAN LAW

Welfare tourism: the EU’s top court has ruled that Member States do not have to pay welfare to EU citizens coming solely to claim benefits, offering some welcome relief to governments under fire from anti-EU parties on immigration.
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EU names Frenchman to probe Kosovo corruption charges
Latest news from the European Court of Justice
EU Law Firms
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Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

UK: Prime Minister David Cameron’s government won a bid to sign up to EU justice measures after a bruising and dramatic row in parliament on Monday.
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Britain’s Major warns ‘real possibility’ of EU exit
Russia balks at UN support for Bosnia amid Ukraine rift
Catalan leader seeks world support for independence drive
Council …

Commission Watch

Juncker: Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has denied a claim that he was the “best friend of big business,” amid uproar over the huge tax breaks top global companies enjoyed when he was Luxembourg premier.
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Jerusalem should be capital of two states: Mogherini
EU, Japan ask UN to vote on North Korea war crimes probe
Commission …

Parliament Watch

Moldova: Parliament on Thursday backed closer political and economic ties between the EU and the former Soviet republic of Moldova, echoing a deal with Ukraine that has raised EU-Russia tensions.
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Debating the European Court of Auditors annual report on EU spending in 2013, MEPs said the EU should check what EU funds spent in Member States achieve, and not just that they are spent according to the rules. On Wednesday, Parliament commemorated the events of 9 November 1989, when citizens peacefully tore down the Berlin Wall and paved the way for German reunification.
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EU diary

17 Nov: Conference on EU Energy Policy
17 Nov: European Parliament Committee Meetings
17-18 Nov: Foreign Affairs Council
18 Nov: Launch of EU Strategy for Adriatic & Ionian region
19-20 Nov: 20th Annual GeoCAP Conference
20-21 Nov: Platform Against Poverty & Social Exclusion
21 Nov: Foreign Affairs Council
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary

RESOURCES

EU Law Firms
Summaries of EU Legislation
EU Decision-Making
Treaties of the European Union
Key EU Legal Terms

Other news on EUbusiness this week

German ‘wise men’ say investment not unduly weak 12-Nov
EU not planning new sanctions against Russia: Merkel 11-Nov
Catalan leader seeks support for independence drive 10-Nov
Estonia aiming to be a global e-commerce superpower 9-Nov
Global law enforcement strikes deep into ‘Dark Web’ 7-Nov

EUbusiness Community

Press

TTIP: Big Opportunity for Small Business
IMD 2 must benefit policyholders and be workable for insurers
Parliament votes to give European countries legally solid right to ban GM cultivation
Launch of Single Supervisory Mechanism marks turning point
More press …

Jobs

Deputy Director, European Union law enforcement agency
Data protection specialists, European Data Protection Supervisor
Junior Communications Officer, European Cooperation in Science and Technology
More jobs …

Guides

EU budget “own resources” and proposed Commission changes
Ukraine – Russia gas deal
More guides …

Events

19 Nov, Brussels: European Banking Federation Annual Conference
4 Dec, London: Challenges of Our Era Summit
8 Dec, London: World Congress on Sustainable Technologies
11 Dec, Rome: Horizon 2020: Management, reporting and audit
More events …

Publications

A Casebook on European Consumer Law
More publications …

Links

Gambling in the EU Single Market

More links