Press review: Tax haven Malta

Fabio De Masi about the tax haven Malta

13.09.2016
Sicherer Steuerhafen in Malta

Malta Today, 24.11.2016

"[...] The PANA committee’s vice-chair, Fabio de Masi, a German MEP from the European Left, said the European Council’s attitude towards the Panama Papers was scandalous

“The ministers’ show of zero cooperation with the Parliament reflects the dire state of democracy in the EU where government officials decide behind closed doors and a critical debate is shut out. We will keep pushing for a full investigation of the Panama Papers scandal, including member states’ own dirty laundry.

“If the Council continues to infringe on the Parliament’s treaty-based rights to inquiry, we need to look into legal steps as we did for access to documents under the LuxLeaks committee. It is equally lamentable that the EP itself has not authorised a much needed inquiry mission to Malta yet. There would be enough to talk about besides the country’s role as upcoming Council presidency. For instance why the Maltese government is still actively involved in slowing down progress on new rules for corporate transparency or against money-laundering in Council working groups.” [...]"

The article was published in Malta Today.

Malta Today, 13.09.2016

"[...] The vice-chair of the European Parliament's Panama Papers committee, Fabio de Masi, was categorical in his description of Malta as a tax haven.

“I do think that Malta plays a significant role in aggressive tax planning as Malta's imputation tax ‘fits nicely' with artificial interest or royalty payments. While Malta is undoubtedly a beautiful spot under the sun, the sheer amount of financial flows passing through Malta does not correspond to its genuine economic substance,” De Masi, a German MEP for the Left Party, said Eurodad - the European Network on Debt and Development - was also critical of Malta's tax system. [....]

“Malta is not only a tax haven,” German MEP Fabio de Masi says. “But experience tells us that the imputation scheme with a generous tax refund is the perfect tool to also launder criminal money. [...]"

The article was published in Malta Today on 13.09.2016, page 4