Proposition 54K2400

Projet de loi portant des mesures de lutte contre la fraude fiscale.

General information ¶

Submitted by

MR Swedish coalition

Submission date

April 10, 2017

Official page

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Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

tax authorities tax evasion tax law

Voting ¶

Voted to adopt

Groen CD&V Vooruit Ecolo LE PS | SP DéFI ∉ Open Vld N-VA MR PP VB

Abstained from voting

PVDA | PTB

Party dissidents ¶

• Stéphanie Thoron (MR) abstained from voting.

Contact form ¶

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Discussion ¶

June 22, 2017 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

Mr Laaouej and Mr Van de Velde, rapporteurs, refer to the written report.

Mr. Speaker, dear colleagues, we will abstain from this project, not so much because of its content, but rather based on what is not in it. This is a project titled “Measures to Combat Tax Fraud” and, when you look at what is in this text, you see virtually nothing. Some holes are blocked, some gaps are filled, while the challenges in the fight against tax fraud are huge.

In topical questions, a colleague asked the Minister of Finance about a gap he opened in the fight against multinational tax fraud, and the minister did not really answer. On the one hand we see a government and a finance minister who open the door to fraud, abuse, tax evasion, to the fact that the richest and multinational companies will pay less and less taxes. And, on the other hand, when it comes to taking concrete measures against tax fraud, there is nothing, a practically empty text, which fills some gaps found there, but which does not attack tax fraud on the front.

We are still waiting for the measures that were in the plan that the minister filed when he succeeded State Secretary Elke Sleurs: the granting of the status of judicial police officer to ISI agents, the Antigone Arrest. A series of measures that, apparently, do not pass in the majority.

This is a very poor project in the fight against tax fraud, which justifies an abstention.

Mr. Speaker, I think everyone agrees that the fight against tax fraud is an important issue.

Under the fight against tax fraud, I obviously understand the fight against the big tax fraud. It is not intended to sanction people who have committed an administrative mistake somewhere.

Regarding the fight against large-scale tax fraud, the Minister of Finance made several announcements in press releases in 2015 and his party also tweeted that BBI would be expanded to 100 employees.

That has not happened. It was later revealed that this was actually a publicity campaign, but that the number of BBI staff members has actually been reduced. My group would therefore like to submit an amendment to remind the minister of his 2015 statements and asking to ensure that those 100 additional staff members are effectively recruited.

Mr Vuye, will your amendment be handed over to us?

and yes.

I thank you.

As for the BBI, there are actually 100 additional people involved. Meanwhile, however, there is also a natural outflow, causing the net effect to be less than that 100, but there have been effectively 100 new people added.

As regards Mr. Van Hees’ remarks, I believe that eventually I will have a different opinion than he about the measures taken, their effects and tax fraud in general. I think it remains so. This has already been the case and it continues.

Mr. Minister, I must regrettably remind you that what you say does not coincide with your press releases from 2015 in which you actually talk about additional staff members and an extension of the framework. This means that it will also take into account the natural fluctuations. What you say now is really not in line with your 2015 press releases.

Mr. Minister tells us that he does not have the same conception as me of the fight against tax fraud. I totally agree with him on this subject. But he doesn’t even have the same conception as himself of tax fraud. Indeed, many of the measures he announced in his plan do not find themselves in this text, and do not seem to be on the right track. The minister does not agree with himself.