The European Commission has launched an online public consultation inviting individuals, companies and tax advisers for information on double taxation problems that they may have encountered when operating across borders within the EU. The Commission hopes to identify the nature of the problems that EU taxpayers are facing and the extent to which many individuals and companies are encountering the problem of being taxed on the same income or profits in two or more different member states.

According to the EU Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti Fraud, Algirdas Šemeta, the aim of the consultation is to assess the real scale and financial impact of double taxation of citizens and businesses with a view to finding the most appropriate and effective solutions.

The consultation concerns all direct taxes – income taxes, corporate taxes, capital gains taxes, withholding taxes, inheritance taxes and gift taxes. The Commission is not only inviting comment on the problems but also suggestions on how to effectively remedy the issues identified.

The full text of the Commission's press release can be accessed at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/469&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en. Those who wish to contribute to the consultation process should do so on or before 30 June 2010 at http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/common/consultations/tax/index_en.htm or by sending a response by letter, fax or email to:

TAXUD-E1-Consultation@ec.europa.eu
Postal address: European Commission
Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union
Rue de Spa 3, Office 8/007
B-1049 Brussels
Fax: +32-2-29 56377