Mr Pierre Moscovici
Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs
European Commission
Rue de la Loi 200
1049 Brussels
Belgium
October 31, 2018
J.nr. 2018 - 7067
Ministry of Taxation
Nicolai Eigtveds Gade 28
DK 1402
–
København K
Tel. +45 33 92 33 92
Mail [email protected]
www.skm.dk
Dear Commissioner Moscovici,
In recent years we have taken important steps together to strengthen the fight against tax
avoidance and evasion, notably with the adoption of numerous amendments of the Di-
rective on Administrative Assistance, the adoption of the Anti-Tax Avoidance Directives
I and II, and most recently with the adoption of the regulation on administrative coopera-
tion in order to improve the prevention of VAT fraud. The Commission has played an
important leadership role in this process, which Denmark has strongly supported.
This effort is very important to sustaining the public finances of member states and main-
taining public support of our taxation systems.
In recent weeks, press reports have uncovered how several member states have been vic-
tims of highly organized tax fraud of international nature. This has cost member states
vast sums and caused outrage among our citizens. It appears that stronger cooperation
between member states could possibly have contributed to stopping the fraud earlier. I
very much share the frustration you have expressed publicly in this regard.
Since this issue clearly has a European dimension, I would very strongly welcome if the
European Commission would look into whether the existing, strengthened administrative
cooperation and exchange of information is sufficient or whether it is necessary to im-
prove member states’ implementation
or strengthen the cooperation further.
I look forward to continued close cooperation with the European Commission on this
and other matters.
Yours sincerely
Karsten Lauritzen