Financial Transparency Coalition

The World Bank Group’s new policy on offshore financial centers will aim to improve the effectiveness of its private sector arm by helping countries tackle tax evasion but effective rules must be made for partner companies. As part of the World Bank Group, The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has a mission to promote development. The IFC uses public aid money, to fund private companies’ operations in poor countries, which should generate growth and increased government revenues. But reports by IBIS and Eurodad found these companies using tax havens, taking revenue from those countries that they are meant to benefit.

EURODAD recently held a roundtable in the European Parliament on 21st November to launch its new report “Exposing the lost billions. How financial transparency by multinationals on a country-by-country basis can aid development." This report explains why under current accounting regulations it is so easy for multinational companies to dodge taxes and proposes full country-by-country reporting as a key solution.

The European Commission released a proposal for country-by-country reporting on 25 October, this will help to address corruption surrounding extractive industries and logging. However this will not address the larger problem of tax dodging which is prevalent in these industries and widespread in all other sectors. European parliamentarians and member states could improve the proposal so that tax issues in all sectors are covered.

The EU could adopt a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base by early next year. Regrettably, participation will be optional for both member states and companies and no minimum tax rate will be applied, leaving the door open to increased tax competition.