On 28 November 2022, European and international Finance Ministers, high-level policy makers, academics and civil society will come together in Brussels to discuss the future of our tax systems.
The Tax Symposium will stimulate a broad debate, covering all types of taxes, collected at all levels of governance. It will also offer the opportunity to delve into specific aspects of the tax mix and consider their long-term perspectives. Organised by the European Commission, the Symposium will also be live-streamed online for those who cannot attend in person.
Programme
- Paolo GENTILONI (European Commissioner for Economy)
- Zbyněk STANJURA (Minister of Finance, Czech Republic)
Our economies and societies are undergoing long-term structural challenges. These include demographic change, technological change, globalisation, environmental degradation and climate change, and increasing inequalities. Without a policy response, these megatrends are expected to negatively impact the sustainability of our tax mix in the future. It is therefore crucial to reflect today on how to best adapt our tax mix to render it future-proof, while safeguarding sufficient tax revenue to deliver fiscal sustainability and assuring an efficient and fair tax system.
This session will discuss how to get to a tax mix that will help our societies get ready to face current and upcoming structural challenges, through evidence-based policymaking.
Keynote speech by Vitor GASPAR (Head of Fiscal Affairs, IMF)
Panel discussion:
- Nadia CALVIÑO (First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Digitalisation, Spain)
- Paul TANG (Member of European Parliament)
- Rita DE LA FERIA (Professor of Tax Law, University of Leeds)
- Valdis DOMBROVSKIS (Executive Vice-President, European Commission)
- André SAPIR (Professor of Economics, Université Libre de Bruxelles – ULB)
Climate change, as well as Russia’s war in Ukraine, are driving Europe’s urgent need for clean and sustainable energy and is spurring action to deliver on the EU Green Deal. Taxation has a major part to play in this transition. Behavioural taxation is a well-established policy tool that can help steer societal, business and personal choices towards the achievement of common objectives. Green taxes, such as those on energy, can therefore help to accomplish environmental goals.
As the EU moves forward on its overhaul of the Union’s energy taxation rules, this panel will discuss how taxation can support the fight against climate change and environmental degradation, by correcting price signals and influencing behaviours.
Keynote speech by Kadri SIMSON (European Commissioner for Energy)
Panel discussion:
- Aurore LALUCQ (Member of European Parliament)
- Sven GIEGOLD (State Secretary for Economy and Climate Action, Germany)
- Marnix VAN RIJ (State Secretary for Taxation, Netherlands)
- Femke GROOTHUIS (Co-Founder & President, The Ex’tax Project Foundation)
A duel of views:
- Thomas RIXEN (Professor of International and Comparative Political Economy, Freie Universität Berlin)
- Daniel BUNN (President & CEO, Tax Foundation)
The core of the current international corporate tax system was designed more than a century ago. Globalisation, digitalisation, and the intensified use of intangible assets have substantially changed how companies do business. These changes should also be reflected in how they are taxed. The recent two-pillar agreement of the OECD marks a historic step forward in addressing some of these challenges. However, other challenges remain, in particular the increasing complexity of tax rules.
This panel will discuss the future of corporate taxation, in a bid to consider how to design a more effective tax system.
Keynote speech by Mathias CORMANN (Secretary-General, OECD)
Panel discussion:
- Daniele FRANCO (former Minister of Finance, Italy)
- Gabriela BUCHER (Executive Director, Oxfam International)
- Stefan PAN (Vice-President, BusinessEurope)
- Gerassimos THOMAS (Director-General for Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission)
Source: europa.eu
