European Commission Launches Tax Observatory

Published: 03 June 2021

Paolo Gentiloni

European Commissioner for Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, launched the European Tax Observatory. (Photo: European Union)

By Zdravko Ljubas

The European Commision on Tuesday launched a tax agency in charge of objectively informing policymakers and suggesting initiatives that could help better tackle possible tax abuse and promote fairer taxation in the EU and beyond.

The European Tax Observatory, created under the initiative of the European Parliament, will through cutting-edge and unbiased research, analysis, and data exchange inform policymakers and offer strategies to further combat tax evasion, avoidance, and aggressive tax planning, according to the statement.

“Today more than ever, we need to clamp down on tax abuse,” European Commissioner for Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, said.

“It's vital that we protect the public revenues necessary to support the recovery and the massive investments needed for the green and digital transitions,” he stressed.

In July 2020, the European Commission adopted a Tax Package, reinforcing its fight against tax abuse. The establishment of the Tax Observatory was part of that Package.

The Tax Observatory will be based at the Paris School of Economics.