TEI comments on progress toward implementing a common consolidated corporate tax base in the E.U.

• Position: Tax Executives Institute

On May 17, 2007, Tax Executives Institute submitted the following comments to the European Commission on progress toward the creation and implementation of a common consolidated corporate tax base (CCCTB) in the European Union. The comments were prepared under the aegis of TEI's European Direct Tax Committee, whose chair is William Morris of General Electric Company. Contributing substantially to the development of TEI's comments was Karin Uzan-Mercie of Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. and Ian D. Kellitt of Alstom Holdings.

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The Directorate-General Taxation and Customs Union of the European Commission has established a working group to study the benefits and costs of implementing a common consolidated corporate tax base (CCCTB) in the European Union (EU). The working group has issued a number of papers analysing and defining the potential scope and technical structure of a CCCTB and a formal legislative proposal is expected to be released within 18 months. On behalf of Tax Executives Institute, I am pleased to submit the following comments on the CCCTB.

TEI Background

TEI was founded in 1944 to serve the professional needs of business tax professionals. Today, the organisation has 53 chapters in Europe, North America, and Asia. As the preeminent international association of business tax professionals, TEI has a significant interest in promoting sound tax policy, as well as in the fair and efficient administration of the tax laws, at all levels of government. Our 7,000 members represent 3,000 of the largest companies throughout the world. In 1999, TEI chartered a chapter in Europe whose members come from a wide cross-section of European and multinational companies. TEI members are accountants, lawyers, and other corporate and business employees responsible for the tax affairs of their employers in an executive, administrative, or managerial capacity. The Institute espouses organisational values and goals that include integrity, effectiveness and efficiency, and dedication to improving the tax system for the benefit of taxpayers and tax administrators alike.

TEI members work for multinational companies that engage in international trade and include both European companies and non-European-based enterprises with significant European investments and operations. Since members of TEI are responsible for managing the tax affairs of their companies and must contend daily with the provisions of the various tax laws relating to the operation of business enterprises, they have a significant stake in ensuring that a common consolidated corporate tax base is workable. The comments set forth in this letter reflect the views of the Institute as a whole, but more particularly those of our members whose companies are present in the EU.

General Comments

One element of the EU's Lisbon Strategy (1) is to remove the tax obstacles to the competitiveness of the internal European market. Since 2001, the European Commission has worked toward providing companies that operate in more than one EU Member...