(September 22, 2015)
The European Parliament’s Special Committee on Tax Rulings and Other Measures Similar in Nature or Effect (TAXE) has published a letter that the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Mr. Fabian Picardo, sent to the Members of the TAXE Committee on September 21, 2015. In the letter the Chief Minister of Gibraltar states that he thinks it is likely that Minister De Guindos from Spain and Spanish Partido Popular MEPs on the Committee will call for Gibraltar to be included in the European Commission’s list of tax havens.
The letter continues by stating that Gibraltar absolutely refutes the charge that it is a tax haven. Mr. Picardo states that he took the initiative to meet Chairman Lamassoure and the coordinators of the political groups on the Committee to set out how Gibraltar’s tax system works. In this respect Mr. Picardo attached a transcript of his introductory remarks to the May 27th meeting and a copy of a Memorandum sent by the Gibraltar Government to the Committee on August 11, 2015.
In his letter Mr. Picardo states that Gibraltar has Tax Information Exchange Agreements in place with over 27 countries. He furthermore states that the OECD rated Gibraltar a “Largely Compliant” for compliance with the OECD standards on transparency and exchange of information. Mr. Picardo states that Gibraltar, as an integral part of the EU, applies the same standard as all EU Member States on matters of transparency and cooperation.
Mr. Picardo concludes his letter by stating: “I trust that I may count on you to refute any untrue, misplaced and damaging suggestions that Gibraltar be labeled a tax haven.”
Click here to be forwarded to Mr. Picardo’s letter from September 21, 2015 that was addressed to the members of the TAXE Committee, as available on the website of TAXE.
Click here to be forwarded to the transcript of the introductory remarks of Mr. Picardo to the May 27th meeting, as available on the website of TAXE.
Click here to be forwarded to the Memorandum of Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar to the European Parliament’s TAXE Special Committee which was sent to TAXE on August 11, 2015, as available on the website of TAXE.
Furthermore on the website of TAXE also a copy of the letter from TAXE chair Mr. Lamassoure to Fabian R. Picardo from May 28, 2015 is available. Click here to be forwarded to Mr. Lamassoure’s letter from May 28, 2015 as available on the website of TAXE.
Copyright – Internationaltaxplaza.info
Stay informed: Subscribe to International Tax Plaza’s Newsletter
and
Follow International Tax Plaza on Twitter (@IntTaxPlaza)
