EU

With its vote on the reform of the EU’s polluter-pays scheme today, the European Parliament’s Environment Committee has failed to introduce effective rules for the support of poor countries in adapting to climate change.

Thousands of people are at risk this winter as the EU-Turkey deal keeps migrants, including refugees, stuck in dangerous and degrading conditions in Greece, a coalition of more than 20 humanitarian agencies and human rights organisations warned on Wednesday. EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday to discuss migration need to take urgent action to improve the situation on the ground and save lives.

The Netherlands, Ireland, Luxembourg and Cyprus are among the world’s 15 worst corporate tax havens, according to new Oxfam research published today. The report ‘Tax Battles’ reveals a global race to the bottom on corporate tax that is starving countries out of billions of dollars needed to tackle poverty and inequality.

New rules adopted today by the Commission to limit food and commodity price speculation will prove ineffective in ending a gambling which puts the lives of millions of people in the developing world at high risk. 

This paper provides an analysis of the protection concerns that people on the move, especially women and children, face in Macedonia and Serbia following the closure of the Balkan route. It also presents recommendations on how to protect and promote their safety, dignity and human rights.

The European Commission has today presented a good proposal for a new framework for the EU’s development policy. The EU institutions and member states must now make sure they translate these fine words into concrete action, says Oxfam.

This study focuses on the gender differences in  the situation of migrants and refugees in Greece,  following their arrival in the country as a consequence of conflict, and social and economic insecurity in the Middle East and other regions.

The criteria adopted by EU Finance Ministers for screening countries over tax abuse will be of little to no use in ending the era of tax havens. 

The true scandal is that most of the schemes used by BASF are legal, and a consequence of fierce tax competition between EU member states, says Oxfam in reaction to the Greens/EFA group report on aggressive tax planning practices of German chemical giant BASF.

EU governments are on the brink of agreeing a tax haven blacklist that could ensure corporate tax havens face international sanctions for the first time. This is a welcome move if the list includes objective and comprehensive criteria instead of focussing solely on opacity of tax systems, said Oxfam today.