Spanish MEP probes progress of Gib tax investigation

A Spanish MEP has demanded that the European Commission reveal the outcome of an EU investigation into Gibraltar’s corporate tax regime, describing the delay in publishing the decision as “an affront to transparency and legal certainty”.

In October 2013, following a formal complaint by Spain, the Commission launched an investigation to ascertain whether the new corporate taxation system in Gibraltar favoured certain kinds of companies.

On March 4, 2015, the Commission adopted a decision on Gibraltar’s tax agreements practice and the MEP subsequently tabled a question seeking to know when the outcome of the investigation would be published.

But in another question tabled before the Commission Spanish MEP Enrique Calvet Chambon said “more than eight monthslater the final decision still has not been made public and its findings are still unknown”.

“Furthermore, it distorts and damages free competition on the EU market. No honest and diligent administration can justify this delay by claiming that eight months is not enough time to remove confidential elements from the decision so as to allow its publication.”

The MEP therefore asked the Commission to provide Spain with information on the conclusion of this procedure. He further asked, “What are the real reasons why the Commission is taking much longer than usual to publish its decision on this matter?” and “Does the Commission not feel it should publish this decision at once?”