Financial Transparency Coalition

LONDON - Christian Aid gives two cheers today for European moves to tackle corruption by forcing some large companies to come clean about their payments to governments around the world. However, the charity says the UK Government’s failure to push for stronger EU rules means the upcoming G8 will be an acid test of the commitment to tax transparency. ‘Europe has made some extremely important progress towards tackling corruption linked to the world’s mining, gas, oil and logging companies,’ said Joseph Stead, Christian Aid’s Senior Economic Justice Adviser.

LONDON - Responding to the Chancellor’s Budget today, Christian Aid Director Loretta Minghella said: ‘Today, a 40 year-old promise to the world’s poorest was finally delivered. We congratulate the Government for ensuring that - even in challenging economic times – this country has done the right thing by the hundreds of millions of women and men around the world living in poverty.

Task Force member Tax Justice Network and the Centre of Investigative Journalism at City University, London are offering journalists primarily from the developing world training in illicit finance, financial secrecy and asset recovery. Travel and accommodation costs in some cases will be significantly subsidised. Classes will take place from March 19th to March 23rd in London. Instruction will take place in English.

Is it inevitable that multinational companies pay pitifully small sums in tax relative to huge profits? Not necessarily because amid growing political and public outrage at how multinationals organise their tax affairs, a new report today suggests there could be an alternative.