Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 January 2018
110. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance his views on the latest proposals by the EU on taxation of the digital industries within the European Union and its impact on corporation tax receipts here in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3995/18]
View answerThe European Commission is expected to announce proposed Directives on digital taxation before the end of March this year. It is expected that the proposals will include short term and long term suggestions for how digital companies should be taxed within the EU.
When these proposals are published, they will then be debated in detail by Member States. It is likely that the proposals will be amended as the debate on them progresses. Ultimately unanimity between all Member States will be needed if any proposal is to be agreed and there is no guarantee that anything will ultimately be agreed. I have been clear in my view that if action is to be taken in this area, its needs to be agreed at global level, needs to focus on ensuring tax is paid where value is created and must not simply represent a redistribution of tax to large Member States with bigger populations and markets.
Ireland will constructively engage with the proposals, while assessing whether they are in our long term interests. Given that we have not seen the detail of any proposals, it is not possible at this time to analyse the potential impact of the eventual proposals on corporation tax receipts in Ireland.
