Joint letter on tackling tax fraud and tax evasion from Commissioner Šemeta and irish Minister Noonan

25/04/2013

Commissioner Algirdas Šemeta  and Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan have sent a letter to all EU Finance Ministers, setting out 7 key areas for immediate action in improving the fight against tax fraud, evasion and avoidance.

Commissioner Šemeta on tax evasion: Ecofin speaking points

15/04/2013

The surge in Member States’ appetite for progress and action in the fight against evasion is extremely welcome. They echo what the Commission has long been calling for. And as a result, the tools are already on the table, waiting to be seized.

Statement by Commissioner Šemeta on fighting tax evasion

08/04/2013

"Recent developments, fuelled by the outcome of the Offshore Leaks, confirms the urgency for more and better action against tax evasion. The Commission has long advocated more transparency and stronger common tools to fight fraudsters, discourage evaders and ensure fair burden-sharing in taxes.

26/02/2013

La Commission européenne a lancé deux consultations publiques sur des mesures spécifiques qui pourraient améliorer la perception de l'impôt et garantir un meilleur respect des obligations fiscales dans l'ensemble de l'Union.

Financial Transaction Tax under Enhanced Cooperation: Commission sets out the details

14/02/2013

The details of the Financial Transaction Tax (FTT) to be implemented under enhanced cooperation have been set out in a proposal adopted by the Commission today. As requested by the 11 Member States (France, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Slovenia, Portugal, Greece, Slovakia, Italy, Spain, Estonia) that will proceed with this tax, the proposed Directive mirrors the scope and objectives of the original FTT proposal put forward by the Commission in September 2011 (IP/11/1085). The approach of taxing all transactions with an established link to the FTT-zone is maintained, as are the rates of 0.1% for shares and bonds and 0.01% for derivatives.

Commission welcomes EP positive vote on discharge for the 2011 EU budget

17/04/2013

The Commission welcomes the European Parliament's decision to grant discharge to the Commission in respect of the implementation of the 2011 EU budget.

Algirdas Šemeta, Commissioner responsible for Taxation, Customs, Statistics, Audit and Anti-Fraud, said:  "The decision by the European Parliament to grant discharge to the Commission is recognition of our consistent effort over the years to improve the management and control of EU funds. I agree with the Council and Parliament when they call for further simplification of the rules and processes in order to reduce the risk of errors. I agree with them when they call on Member States to take up their full responsibilities, given that they are first in line in managing and controlling about 80% of the whole budget.

Commission welcomes EP positive vote on discharge for the 2010 budget

10/05/2012

Brussels, 10 May 2012 – The Commission welcomes today's decision by the European Parliament to grant discharge to the Commission in respect of the implementation of the 2010 budget.

Algirdas Šemeta, Commissioner responsible for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud, said: "I greatly appreciate the support that the European Parliament has shown today for our work to ensure that EU funds are correctly controlled and managed. The very constructive dialogue between our two institutions in the run up to today's vote has confirmed a common ambition to ensure that EU taxpayers' money is spent properly, and spent well. Huge improvements have been made over the past 10 years but we can't stop here. The Commission has tabled even stronger measures for EU financial management under the next generation of spending programmes, which will help to reduce errors even further. I count on the co-legislators, Parliament and Council to back these measures, so that we can continue to assure citizens that we are doing everything in our power to protect their money."

Statement of Commissioner Šemeta on the European Parliament's vote on discharge

10/05/2011

Following the vote of the European Parliament granting discharge to the European Commission for the 2009 budget, Commissioner Algirdas Šemeta, in charge of Audit and Discharge, said:

"I warmly welcome the granting of discharge by the European Parliament to the Commission for the 2009 budget. This is proof that the excellent cooperation we have had with the European Parliament, in particular with the rapporteurs to ensure a common understanding on the issue and the way forward for better financial management of the EU budget, is paying off.

The discussions we had this morning clearly showed the Commission and the Parliament - together with the Council - need to reflect on how the responsibility of the various financial actors can be better defined. The responsibility of EU Member States there is crucial. To this end, the Commission has put forward proposals to revise the EU's Budget Financial Regulation.

In addition, the need to simplify our rules and financial processes is a top priority of our discussions on the Multi-Annual financial Framework post-2013. I am personally convinced that combining simpler rules for managing our EU-funded projects with strong control mechanisms is key for all actors involved, ranging from the beneficiaries to Member States and EU institutions and bodies".

Commissioner Semeta addresses EP Committee on Budgetary Control on the 2009 Budget Discharge

28/02/2011

28 February 2011 Algirdas Semeta, Commissioner responsible for Taxation, Customs, Audit and Anti-Fraud, took part the European Parliament Cocobu Committee's meeting on the discharge of the 2009 budget. In response to the Rapporteur's draft report on the budget discharge, the Commissioner outlined a series of measures being taken by the Commission to address shared concerns related to the management and control of the EU budget.

Commissioner Semeta underlined that: "...our analysis already shows that a limited number of Member States account for a relatively high proportion of the reservations made by the Directors General in their Activity Reports, as well as for a significant number of the interruptions, suspensions, financial corrections and recoveries made. We need to draw conclusions from this fact and concentrate our efforts on the weakest authorities first with enhanced assistance but also, where needed, with preventive (interruption/suspension of payments) and curative (financial correction and recovery at closure) measures. And the Commission will do so."

He welcomed the Council's recommendation to grant budget discharge for 2009, while highlighting the need for all responsible actors to do more in the management of EU programmes, particularly the Member States.

Clean bill of health for EU accounts; auditors find fewer errors in payments

09/11/2010

For the third year running EU's annual accounts have received a clean bill of health from its external auditors. As for payments, the overall evaluation improves visibly, with a significant drop in errors found in aid to EU's regions.

European Commission strengthens the protection of the euro by means of criminal law

05/02/2013

The European Commission has today proposed to crack down on criminals who counterfeit euro notes and coins. Counterfeiting of the euro is estimated to have cost at least €500 million since the currency was introduced in 2002. The proposal aims to strengthen the protection of the euro and other currencies against counterfeiting through criminal law measures.

08/10/2012

Vakar Europos Parlamentas pritarė Europos kovos su sukčiavimu tarnybos (OLAF) reformai, kuri, pasak Algirdo Šemetos, EK nario, atsakingo už šią sritį, suteiks naudos kiekvienam Europos piliečiui, mat sustiprins tarnybą, saugančią ES mokesčių mokėtojų pinigus.

Tighter EU controls of methamphetamine and heroine precursors

27/09/2012

Stronger controls on drug precursors used in heroin and methamphetamine production have been proposed by the Commission today. Drug precursors are legal chemicals contained in a wide range of products, including pharmaceuticals, perfumes and plastics, but which can also be illegally diverted to produce narcotics. Algirdas Šemeta, Commissioner for Taxation, Customs, Anti-fraud and Audit, said: " Everything possible must be done to thwart the efforts of illegal drug producers. Today's proposal reinforces Customs' contribution to tackling illicit drug production, for the benefit of all EU society, citizens and businesses."

Lutte contre la fraude: diminution des cas de fraude présumée affectant les fonds européens

19/07/2012

Selon le rapport annuel de la Commission sur la «protection des intérêts financiers de l’Union européenne», la fraude affectant le budget de l'Union a chuté de 35 % en 2011. Pour ce qui est de la politique de cohésion, les cas de fraude présumée ont été 41 % moins nombreux qu'en 2010, tandis que les cas de fraude communiqués dans le domaine de l’agriculture ont baissé de 66 %.

Algirdas Šemeta, membre de la Commission chargé de la fiscalité, de l’union douanière, de l’audit et de la lutte antifraude, a déclaré à ce propos: «La diminution des cas de fraude affectant le budget de l’Union montre que nos efforts résolus contre ce problème commencent à porter leurs fruits. Toutefois, le combat est encore loin d’être gagné. La Commission maintiendra sa politique de tolérance zéro en matière de fraude, déterminée à ce que pas un seul centime de l'argent des contribuables n’atterrisse dans les poches des fraudeurs. La Commission continuera de prendre toutes les mesures envisageables pour protéger le budget de l'UE. Quant aux États membres, ils doivent eux aussi placer la barre plus haut.»

Rapport annuel de l'OLAF pour 2011 - Les enquêtes de l'OLAF ont abouti au recouvrement de € 691 millions en faveur du budget de l’UE et à 511 années d'emprisonnement

03/07/2012

Le rapport annuel de l'Office européen de lutte antifraude (OLAF), publié aujourd’hui, récapitule les réalisations de l'OLAF en 2011. L'OLAF a traité 463 affaires en 2011. Ses enquêtes ont conduit au recouvrement de 691 millions d'euros et à un total cumulé de 511 années d'emprisonnement prononcées par les tribunaux des États membres.

Commissioner Šemeta presented EU plan to fight tax evasion and avoidance

06/12/2012

"Around one trillion euros is lost to tax evasion and avoidance every year in the EU. Not only is this is a scandalous loss of much-needed revenue, it is also a threat to fair taxation. While Member States must toughen national measures against tax evasion, unilateral solutions alone won't work.

Commissioner Šemeta presented EU plan to fight tax evasion and avoidance

06/11/2012

"Around one trillion euros is lost to tax evasion and avoidance every year in the EU. Not only is this is a scandalous loss of much-needed revenue, it is also a threat to fair taxation. While Member States must toughen national measures against tax evasion, unilateral solutions alone won't work.

Nouveau certificat de bonne santé pour les comptes de l'Union européenne: des améliorations ont été constatées dans de nombreux secteurs de paiements

10/11/2011

Bruxelles, le 10 novembre 2011 – Pour la quatrième année consécutive, les comptes annuels de l'Union européenne (UE) ont été validés par les auditeurs externes. En ce qui concerne les dépenses de l'UE, le taux d'erreur global est une fois de plus inférieur à 4 %, ce qui signifie que la grande majorité (soit au moins 96 %) des paiements totaux effectués en 2010 ne présentaient aucune erreur quantifiable.

10th Anniversary of the Internal Audit Service of the European Commission

04/07/2011

Internal Audit Service (IAS) of the European Commission is celebrating 10 years anniversary today.

In the conference, dedicated to the 10 years of activities of this service, Commissioner for Audit Algirdas Šemeta said: "from the standing start in 2001 we now have an independent, internationally respected, multi-national service conforming to the highest standards.  This is a particularly impressive achievement in the light of the substantial changes of the last decade – in particular the Treaty changes extending the geographical and policy scope of the European Union." 

Commissioner Šemeta participates in the Annual Conference organised by the Internal Audit Service of the European Commission

25/10/2010

The topic of the 2010 IAS conference was 'External Audit, Internal Audit'. The conference gathered some 400 participants. Commissioner Šemeta gave the opening speech [40 KB] .