Kandidaat-eurocommissaris belasting en fraudebestrijding wil controle over EU uitgaven aanscherpen (en)

Tackling fraud and reducing spending errors, improving the code of conduct of the commissioners, harmonising the corporate tax base and VAT calculation rules, pushing forward "green" taxes and electronic customs - these are some of the proposals addressed during the hearing of the Lithuanian commissioner-designate Algirdas Šemeta. If confirmed, his duties will include taxation, customs, audit and combating fraud.

Members of the EP committees on budgetary control, economic and monetary affairs ,and the internal market questioned the commissioner-designate about the future status of the EU Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), control of EU spending in Member States, combating VAT fraud and dealing with tax havens. Mr Šemeta told MEPs that "efforts to tackle fraud, both in the field of EU expenditure as well as taxes or customs duties, will always be at the centre of my attention."

Ensuring quality of EU expenditure

Several MEPs asked the commissioner-designate how he planned to reduce the irregularities in EU spending within Member States.  Ville Itälä (EPP, FI) asked how the would reduce the error rate in structural fund spending. Mr Šemeta suggested that simplification might be part of the solution: "Many errors appear because the rules are too complicated". He also planned to introduce limits for an acceptable error level - a "tolerable risk of error".

Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy ( ALDE , NL) and others urged the commissioner-designate to step up the pressure on Member States better to comply with the rules and improve reporting back to the commission, such as through annual statements of assurance. According to Mr Šemeta, one has to be realistic and work together with the Member States. He stressed the need to improve the quality of the reports coming from national authorities.

Jorgo Chatzimarkakis (ALDE, DE) wanted stronger control and transparency for NGOs receiving EU funding. Mr Šemeta promised to make efforts in this direction, for example, by improving online information about recipients of EU funds.

The commissioner-designate promised to cooperate with the Court of Auditors and the EP Committee on Budgetary Control, and to take account of EP recommendations in the budgetary discharge procedure.

Future of the EU Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)

Ingeborg Grässle (EPP, DE) and Jens Geier (S&D, DE) pressed the commissioner-designate for his opinion on detaching OLAF from the commission and making it an agency. Edit Herczog (S&D, HU) asked if the he agreed that the EU loses control every time an external agency is created. Mr Šemeta said he wanted to find the best way to externalise the anti-fraud office but that the key point was OLAF's independence and efficiency. He said EU citizens don't "care very much about the institutional setting of the OLAF, but they care about its activities". External agencies could be very efficient, he added.

Commissioners' code of conduct and conflict of interests

Monica Luisa Macovei (EPP, RO) wanted to know how the candidate will remedy the gaps in the current code of conduct for commissioners, such as the lack of definition of a "conflict of interests."  Mr Šemeta promised to work closely with the other institutions in designing an updated code of conduct and to make sure that his fellow commissioners comply with the rules for transparency.  He told Søren Bo Søndergaard (GUE/NGL, DK), he would meet the Budgetary Control Committee annually to talk about possible conflicts of interest in and around the European Commission.

Taxation, "tax havens" and banking secrecy

Mr Šemeta wanted to remove "unsensible barriers and obstacles to free movement of goods and services" as well as avoid double taxation. At the same time he promised to focus on proposals for a common consolidated corporate tax base (CCCTB), a simplification of the tax system and harmonisation of tax calculation rules. He would aim for a CCCTB as soon as possible.

Some MEPs asked about tax evasion and avoidance via "tax havens", both outside the EU (Monica Luisa Macovei, EPP, RO) and within the EU (Philippe Lamberts, Greens/EFA, BE). Mr Šemeta intended to initiate agreements with countries including Lichtenstein, Andorra and Switzerland to prevent tax revenue being lost, but he said that "fair tax competition" within the EU could help the Union's development.  Harmful practices, such as profit shifting, should be fought against.

Magdalena Álvarez (S&D, ES) asked about options for waiving banking secrecy. Mr Šemeta stressed the importance of automatic exchange of certain banking and said he would try to convince the two opposing Member States to change their positions.

Leonardo Domenici (S&D, IT) asked if a European tax on financial transactions was a realistic option. Mr Šemeta said a thorough impact analysis would be needed before any proposal from the Commission in this area.

Energy and "green" taxes

Eija-Riitta Korhola (EPP, FI) asked Mr Šemeta if  he would propose a carbon tax to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. "The energy taxation directive is one of my first priorities", he replied, promising to encourage innovation to strengthen energy efficiency and environmental protection.

Customs and excise duties

The candidate also said he would modernise customs, encouraging the development of e-customs, to "make effective use of the potential offered by information technologies" and also "save time and money for enterprises and citizens". He also promised to foster the development of a centralised clearing system, so that importers could benefit from "one window", submitting customs documents in their home Member State only.

Catherine Stihler (S&D, UK) and Regina Bastos (EPP, PT) asked about plans to combat counterfeiting, especially that of medicinal products. Mr Šemeta replied that the Commission would develop risk analysis systems and ensure good sharing of information among Member States.

Astrid Lulling (EPP, LU) asked whether excise duties on alcoholic beverages would be raised. Mr Šemeta suggested introducing maximum excise rates rather than lifting the minimum ones.  Moreover, it is important to take into account different alcohol excise rates across the EU borders,:"if we apply higher excise duties, it would be more difficult to combat smuggling". He recalled that taxation issues are subject to unanimous decisions by all Member States, so it is often difficult to find a single solution.

12/01/2010

In the chair : Luigi DE MAGISTRIS (ALDE, IT)

In the chair : Sharon BOWLES (ALDE, UK)

In the chair : Malcolm HARBOUR (ECR, UK)