Release do Gabinete de Imprensa dos Deputados do PCP no PE

No to "European taxes" - A fair EU budget should be based on country contributions according to their relative wealth

The proposals for the creation of a new means of financial support – in the framework of own resources – to finance the European Union Budget and costs associated with the so-called "Recovery Fund", aim to pave the way for the institutionalization of a EU ‘fiscal policy’, intruding upon the fiscal policy of each State – a competence that lies at the heart of a country's sovereignty –, and to subvert the just principle that the EU budget should be based on the national contributions of Member States, according to their gross national income (GNI).

The pretexts invoked for these proposals confirm that, in addition to the conditions associated with the use of funds from those two financial instruments, the EU Budget will be financed at the expense of greater contributions from countries such as Portugal, while other countries, that most stand to gain from the EU, will lower their contributions compared to what they ought to pay; and that the "Recovery Fund" commits future EU Budget for Member States beyond 2027.

The nature of the proposals varies in form, ranging from a new tax on plastics applied directly to member states, to using part of the tax revenues generated by mechanisms or taxes determined by EU rules. These proposals impose new contributions from States that are not based on their relative wealth; or that, side-lining the treaties, encroach upon the fiscal policy of States, determining that part of their tax revenues be directed towards the EU Budget, once again, regardless of their relative wealth – aggravating existing imbalances.

In this context, in the name of a so-called “Green taxation”, they seek to establish rules for sharing the EU budget that do not take into account the relative wealth of each state.

The MEPs of PCP consider that instituting forms of taxing capital – such as a tax on financial transactions or the creation of a tax on large transnational companies in the digital sector – would contribute towards greater tax justice, if integrated within tax relief benefiting workers and micro, small and medium companies, ensuring important resources for States to fulfil their social and economic roles.

A process coordinated among States, as broad as possible, respecting their sovereignty, in order to ensure an adequate fight against tax fraud, evasion and avoidance, and that should ensure the application of the principle that profits should be taxed where they are generated, constituting a national revenue of States.

The necessary reinforcement of the EU budget should promote effective and genuine "economic and social cohesion" and will be more effective and just if derived primarily from increases in the components resulting from national contributions, according to each country's Gross National Income. Fair principles must be applied ensuring a redistributive function of the EU budget that can stop divergence, namely countries that most benefit from integration – the single market, the common policies and the single currency – should contribute proportionally more to the EU budget; and those countries with the greatest needs should receive proportionally more resources for cohesion.

That is why we voted in favour of eliminating the contribution rebates for some countries – those that most benefit from the single market, the common policies and the single currency – so that these countries, which already do not pay what they should , no longer benefit from freebies and discounts.

The MEPs of PCP reaffirm their opposition to any transfer, direct or indirect – through the creation of "European taxes" – of tax powers from States to the European Union. The same EU that coexists peacefully with tax havens and encourages regressive tax policies that alleviate capital and burden work. This would entail the loss of another domain of sovereignty, leaving Portugal and other countries like it, even more vulnerable and dependent.

Based on these assumptions, the MEPs of PCP questioned the Council and Commission.

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