Published in: Kluwer International Tax Blog
The Change of Scenery
On 1 December 2019, the von der Leyen Commission took over for the coming 5 years, and it is called to deliver on a most challenging mandate. The European identity is questioned more than ever before, with Brexit being just one of the several signs. The established structures of the EU and global economy are also questioned.Unprecedented technological developments threaten with unemployment millions of people and demand rapid evolution of new skills, while promising widespread prosperity and unknown potential for humankind. Digitalization keeps alleviating cultural differences; at the same time though, nationalist movements are getting stronger and stronger. Climate change is present, undeniable reality, already in the process to overhaul the face of our planet.
It is clear that the scenery is changing for the global society and for the EU. And change is the opportunity to account for the achievements so far and plan the next steps, building on the lessons from past mistakes.
In this context and focusing on the tax aspect, the purpose of this article is to provide a brief account of the work done in the area of EU taxation the past 5 years. Furthermore, and most importantly, the purpose is to outline the key pillars to lead the EU developments in taxation in the next 5 years.