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It has been a while, but now it is here. My next column. 

On May 8, 2015 on the website of the European Parliament a list of countries that will be visited by a Delegation of Members of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Tax Rulings and Other Measures Similar in Nature or Effect was published. For those who have followed the debates of the Special Committee it does not come as a surprise that the list is very predictable.

 

During last week’s debate with Commissioner Vestager it became known that (if I remember correctly) the European Commission was reviewing 65 rulings that were granted by the authorities of 15 different EU countries. Furthermore Ms. Vestager informed the Special Commitee that several countries had not yet provided her with information regarding their ruling practices.

 

What a BANG! So the European Commission is also having a look at Rulings that were granted by other countries than The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Ireland. Hold on! And did I understand correctly - is the European Commission even investigating a ruling that was granted by the United Kingdom? Really? Would it be possible that the child that was crying the loudest, might actually be doing the same as the countries it has bean accusing?

 

In my view the fact that these revelations seem to have surprised at least a few MEPs shows how naive they are.

 

Then back to the list that was published on May 8, 2015 on the website of the European Parliament. According to the list a Delegation of the Special Committee is going to visit the following countries:

·        Belgium (May 12, 2015);

·        Luxembourg (May 18, 2015);

·        Switzerland (May 22, 2015);

·        Ireland (May 28, 2015);

·        The Netherlands (May 29, 2015); and

·        The United Kingdom (June 18, 2015)

 

The list of countries that can expect a visit of a Delegation of the Special Committee as it is known now, seems to indicate that the Special Committee lacks originality. Judging on the list as published it looks like the Committee seems not to be too eager to find and explore new paths by itself, but that it rather sticks to the paths that are already known and explored by others.

 

So let’s wait and see whether in the future more countries are added to the list of countries that can expect a visit from a Delegation of the Special Committee on Tax Rulings. The information as provided by Ms. Vestager seems to provide the Special Committee on Tax Rulings with a perfect alibi to broaden its view.

 

 

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