N-VA aims to take a tough stance on unethical tax deals

A special committee has been set up in the European Parliament to thoroughly investigate the LuxLeaks file, just as Danish European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager is doing. “This special committee will have a broader mandate than the investigative committee proposed by the Greens and Communists” says Sander Loones, N-VA Member of the European Parliament. “Moreover, it will formulate legislative proposals to avoid abuse in the future.”

Loones believes that “unethical tax deals must be dealt with harshly”. “The special committee must get to work as soon as possible. Competent Commissioner Vestager must also thoroughly carry out and quickly round off her investigation, thereby proving her independence vis-a-vis the current European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, who is from Luxembourg.”

No political games
Loones feels that “this topic is far too important to play political games with”. “Some MPs’ compulsion to put themselves forward absolutely cannot stand in the way of a thorough investigation. This is precisely why it is a good idea that a special committee is formed, and not an investigative committee. The European Parliament’s Legal Service has clearly demonstrated that such an investigative committee would cause legal problems, potentially allowing LuxLeaks to slip through the cracks. Nobody wants to take that risk, right?”