ECOFIN meeting of the EU Finance Ministers – main results and outcomes
On Tuesday 18 February, EU Finance Ministers met in Brussels for an ECOFIN Council meeting. On this occasion, the Commission presented the Competitiveness Compass initiative that aims to steer its work in the field of competitiveness. Ministers continued their exchange views on competitiveness, simplification and improving the business environment in Europe. They shared the commitment to take actionable steps towards simplification with the aim of providing insights to the Commission when designing further action. The Council also confirmed the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes without changes. The list consists of the same 11 jurisdictions as before. In addition to the list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions, the Council approved the usual state of play document (Annex II) which reflects the ongoing EU cooperation with its international partners and the commitments of these countries to reform their legislation to adhere to agreed tax good governance standards. Moreover, the Council formally adopted today new rules aimed at replacing the current paper certificates used to declare exemptions from the EU’s value added tax (VAT) with a new electronic form. Paper certificates, used when goods are exempt from VAT, will be replaced by an electronic form to simplify and streamline the process for companies and administrations when these goods are imported for embassies, international organisations, or armed forces. The new measures will come into force on 1 July 2031 with a further transition period of one year during which Member States will be able to use both electronic and paper. The next ECOFIN meeting will take place on Tuesday 11 March.
Single Market Forum in Kraków: Stakeholders discuss barriers and future of the EU Single Market
On 17 February 2025, the Single Market Forum (SIMFO) took place in Kraków, offering a platform for in-depth discussions on the challenges facing the EU Single Market. The Single Market Forum was organized by the Polish Ministry of Economic Development and Technology and supported by the European Commission, the City of Kraków, and the European Labour Mobility Institute. A key focus was the freedom to provide cross-border services, one of the priorities of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. During parallel workshop sessions, High-level representatives from EU institutions, national authorities, and business organisations debated topics such as the impact of EU enlargement on the Single Market, barriers to the free movement of goods, governance of the Single Market, and the benefits that the Single Market brings to EU regions. The European Commission presented a preliminary summary of public consultations regarding the upcoming Single Market Strategy. Discussions at SIMFO facilitated a deeper exchange of views on the future of the Single Market, its importance for the EU, and enabled the presentation of various perspectives, needs, and expectations for the new Strategy. Key insights from the debates will serve as a valuable contribution to the Commission’s work on the Single Market Strategy. The European Commission is expected to present the Single Market Strategy by June 2025.
European Commission seeks feedback on the future EU Start-up and Scale-up Strategy
The European Commission opened today a call for evidence on its future EU Start-up and Scale-up Strategy, planned for Q2/Q3 2025. The strategy, which will take the form of a Communication, will propose a set of policy, financial and legislative measures to improve and simplify framework conditions for start-ups and scale-ups. The call for evidence identifies several hurdles for EU start-ups in scaling up in the EU Single Market, naming in particular regulatory and bureaucratic burdens, administrative requirements linked to the recognition of qualifications and skills of workers, and a complex landscape of different norms, regulations and direct taxation rules. Stakeholders are particularly invited to reply to give their view on the hurdles for start-ups and scale-ups identified in the call for evidence and what actions could be taken at EU or Member States level to address them. Interested stakeholders have until 17 March 2025 to submit their feedback.
EU Tax Symposium – Final programme is out
On 18 March 2025, the European Parliament and the European Commission will co-host the third edition of the EU Tax Symposium in the Hemicycle of the European Parliament in Brussels, with the participation of National Parliaments. This year, the event will take place under the theme: Strengthening competitiveness and fairness to build prosperity. The event will bring together Finance Ministers, Members of the European Parliament and National Parliaments, policymakers, academics and civil society to discuss the future of tax systems in the EU. This year’s topics include: Challenges for a fair contribution of ultra-high-net-worth individuals; EU sustainable competitiveness: What taxation can or cannot do; European and international corporate tax reform: What are the next steps; Artificial intelligence for tax systems: Challenges, opportunities and risks. A key note speech on tax priorities for the new Commission will be held by Wopke Hoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero, Clean Growth and Taxation. The full programme of topics and speakers can be viewed here. The event will take place in-person with a virtual attendance option. More information can be found online.
OECD to host annual Tax and Development Days on 12-13 March 2025
The OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration is set to host its annual Tax and Development Days on 12 and 13 March 2025. This fully virtual event aims to bring together tax experts from international organisations, governments, businesses, and civil society to discuss initiatives to strengthen tax capacity, enhance tax policy, and improve compliance in developing countries, while also exploring future challenges. The two-day conference will feature a series of sessions covering key topics such as beneficial ownership transparency, the implementation of the Two-Pillar Solution, VAT collection in digital economies, and future frontiers in tax transparency. All sessions are open to the public and will be conducted with simultaneous interpretation in English, French, and Spanish. Recordings will be made available post-event in all three languages. Interested participants can register through the OECD event page.
Delegation of FISC Subcommittee to travel to Helsinki and Tallinn
From 25 until 27 February 2025 a delegation of the FISC Subcommittee on Tax Matters will travel to Helsinki and Tallinn. The delegation will be composed of: Regina Doherty (EPP, IE), Pierre Pimpie (PfE, FR) and Jussi Saramo (The Left, FI). The three MEPs will meet with representatives of key institutions, such as Finland and Estonia’s Finance Ministers, Members of the National Parliaments, representatives of tax authorities, and stakeholders from the private sector, trade unions, and civil society. The focus of the discussions will be on topical international tax issues and challenges, such as the implementation of the OECD's two-pillar tax reform, the simplification of the tax system and improving competitiveness, tax incentives, the situation of cross-border workers, energy taxation, and the implementation of taxation EU Directives. This is the first such visit that the FISC Subcommittee undertakes in this parliamentary mandate.
