There has been another massive leak of information that shows how the world’s elite and big business are using tax havens to avoid paying their taxes and hiding their assets from national regulators.
The Paradise Papers show how there needs to be real change in how the world’s financial system operates. It allows the rich and powerful to avoid their taxes while the rest of us are forced to pick up the tab and pay more than we should.
The EU set about changing its rules on money laundering after the last big leak of data known as the Panama Papers. The European Parliament wanted to have tough rules in Europe on financial transparency allowing everyone to see who owns what and who owes what. But some member states, especially Germany are trying to block that change.
Next week, the EU will sit down to thrash out a compromise and there’s a real chance that the German government and other member states will stall this key change. So we need to act fast to make sure the opponents of strong actions against financial secrecy don’t win.
Can you sign this petition to Merkel and EU leaders to demand they back full financial transparency in Europe and help end unfair tax-dodging?
More information
Global Witness. 17 November 2017.
The Guardian. 17 November 2017.