Maximum profit, but minimum taxes: international corporations such as Apple, Google, Starbucks, McDonald‘s or BASF are using complex tax haven constructions and systematically shirk paying tax on their record profits. According to the OECD this means that as a consequence of this, the general public is losing out on up to 240 billion US dollars per year.

Numerous cases over recent years have shown that many international corporations are using complex tax avoidance schemes to systematically channel enormous profits past the tax authorities. Hence, many billion euros in tax revenue are lacking where they are urgently needed: for labour market measures, economic promotion, public infrastructure projects, environmental measures, education, high-quality childcare as well as for healthcare and for the elderly population in need of care.

According to AK President Rudi Kaske, this is an “escape movement, used by the superrich and multinational corporations to abdicate their social responsibility”. He demands consequent policies to end unfair tax avoidance and to abolish tax tricks once and for all. “It is vital that we request other states to show international solidarity”, said Kaske.

Hence, AK and trade unions have launched a petition within the scope of the “No to tax havens” campaign, which demands that corporations stop using tax tricks. Please write a message to the Prime and Finance Ministers of the 28 EU Member States and urge them to support tax justice and fairness and to oppose tax havens during the negotiations on corporate taxation!

Further information:

Statement by AK President Kaske on tax avoidance

Petition “Stop corporations using tax tricks!”