Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/911593
EU's 'nuclear' plan on tax veto crosses Malta red line Newspaper post Casa: I have FIAU graft probe on Konrad Mizzi SAFETY FIRST OR PRIVACY NIGHTMARE? PG4 PAGE 2 T Finance minister Edward Scicluna says Maltese parliament will have to object to European Commission plans to remove country's veto on tax rules KURT SANSONE EU governments could lose their veto power on tax matters under proposals being pre- pared by the European Commission, a move Malta will oppose says Edward Scicluna. The Finance Minister said any attempt to circumvent the veto power would not be ac- ceptable. So far tax matters have been the competence of national governments with any changes at EU level requiring unanimity. But the EU executive is considering trigger- ing a never-used clause in the EU treaty that would allow tax reforms to pass with a major- ity vote. Known in Brussels jargon as the 'nuclear op- tion', the move is intended to unblock legis- lative reform that has so far been opposed by a number of states, including Malta, Ireland and Luxembourg. But Scicluna was adamant that any such move would enter the realm of national sover- eignty and will be opposed. "Any political quick-fix crossing a long- standing red line would not be acceptable to many… but I do not want to speculate about what if," Scicluna told MaltaToday from Brus- sels. He will be attending a meeting of EU fi- nance ministers on Tuesday where the issue is expected to arise. EU tax commissioner Pierre Moscovici told a news conference last Thursday the Commis- sion did not exclude the option of triggering article 116 of the Lisbon treaty on the basis that different tax arrangements within the EU are distorting the market. "We certainly don't exclude using it. We will work on it. We will make proposals in that di- rection," Moscovici said. MEP says he has 'full' FIAU report saying Konrad Mizzi should be investigated for money laundering T T Let's celebrate! IDEAS GALORE! Get the picture-perfect Christmas tablescape July 2016 - Issue 79 www.vida.com.mt EXPLORING MALTA'S COASTLINES Malta's hottest bays TAKE ME TO THE BEACH Summer's fashion must-haves Our kitchen supremos have you covered this season! T T T T T T T T T €1.75 FREE WITH MALTATODAY FREE WITH MALTATODAY YOUR FIRST READ AND CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT maltatoday today today SUNDAY • 3 DECEMBER 2017 • ISSUE 943 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY MATTHEW VELLA THE Nationalist MEP David Casa has said he is in possession of a "damning report" by the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit which calls for criminal investigations on Minister Konrad Mizzi for alleged money laundering and the possible existence of money derived from crime. A spokesperson for Casa said the report has nothing do with previous leaks of FIAU reports or excerpts from an alleg- edly unfinished investigation. "This is a finished FIAU report that was never pub- lished. David Casa is in possession of the full, finished report." Casa said that the report contains damning conclusions in relation to Kon- rad Mizzi, but also other damning con- clusions on people, companies, financial intermediaries and a bank "known to be involved in the shady dealings of Joseph Muscat's inner circle." Konrad Mizzi 3 PACEVILLE IS TEST CASE FOR FACIAL RECOGNITION CCTV IDENTIFIED