The European Commission recently published plans for more measures in its campaign against tax evasion and avoidance in the EU citing revelations of tax evasion in the Panama Papers as the reason for its increased focus in this area.

In a communication announced in a press release, the Commission set out the following actions:

• Examine tax advisors’ activities and create effective disincentives for those that promote and enable aggressive tax planning. This measure was further explored in an impact assessment also published by the Commission last week.
• Ensure that tax authorities have access to national anti-money laundering information, particularly beneficial ownership and due diligence information. This legislative proposal will be reflected in an amendment to the Directive on Administrative Cooperation in the field of taxation.
• Amend the Anti Money Laundering Directive to extend information available to authorities on due diligence control on existing as well as new bank accounts.
• Increase cross-border transparency on beneficial ownership of companies and trusts.
• Promote tax good governance worldwide and tackling uncooperative tax jurisdictions.
• Stronger measures to protect whistle-blowers who expose wrong-doing in the public interest.

The Commission says that it will consider the most appropriate EU level action to take on each of the measures set out in the Communication over the coming months.