France and Germany have jointly declared that they will cooperate on key tax agendas in Europe and internationally. A working group is to be set up and the group will consider how to harmonize regulations on incoming and outgoing cross-border investments, and later consider how to harmonize France and Germany’s corporate tax bases. Achieving a common corporate tax base is expected to support negotiations in the EU for a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB).
Germany and France are to adopt the new global standard on automatic information exchange developed by the OECD and G20, and push for its adoption both in Europe and internationally. Both parties agree that a consensus on the revised European Union Savings Tax Directive must be achieved by the end of March 2014.
The two countries have agreed to collaborate towards concluding EU-level work on combating abuse and fraud, in particular the adoption of the Money Laundering Directive, the Parent-Subsidiary Directive, and the Interest and Royalties Directive.
They also aim to reach a consensus on plans for an EU financial transactions tax (FTT) with eleven participating member states, if possible ahead of the European Parliament elections. They also hope to reach an agreement on the allocation of FTT revenue.
