SAS and Finnair tax heaven leasing schemes revealed

-

Norwegian government to link tax havens and corruption

Minister of International Development Erik Solheim has launched the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ new anti-corruption project with Minister of Finance Kristin Halvorsen. This is the first time a western country calls for a war on tax havens. Attac Norway congratulates.

With Eva Joly working for the Norwegian government, tax justice is taken seriously in the fight against corruption. This became clear as the Ministry on International Development launched their anti-corruption project early in December.

“Corruption is theft. People in poor parts of the world are being robbed of millions every day. This has enormous consequences, not only for individuals, but also for the economic and social development opportunities of poor countries,” said Mr Solheim, as he presented the anti-corruption project.

The project is strengthened by the support from the Ministry of Finance which clearly links tax havens to corruption.

“We are fighting the use of so-called tax havens to evade tax through international cooperation on tax matters. Other forums and types of cooperation are needed in the fight against money laundering, corruption, embezzlement and fraud. These types of misuse of funds have clear common factors. They involve the hiding of money and ownership. With a common ‘enemy’ of this type, is important that we support each other’s efforts to combat the so-called tax havens,” said Minister of Finance Kristin Halvorsen.

Attac Norway who has campaigned for adopting tax justice to the development agenda and argued against tax havens and capital flight since March this year is happy for the initiative.

“If we are serious about fighting international corruption, this is the right place to start. Tax evasions through tax havens are one of our most serious problems of corruption. We welcome this initiative from the government.” says Marte Nilsen, President of Attac Norway.

More about the initiative at the Ministy’s web sight: http://odin.dep.no/ud/english/news/news/032171-070958/dok-bn.html

Mandate for the project: http://odin.dep.no/filarkiv/301178/Anti-korrupsjonmandat_eng.pdf

-

NTJN in Globaliseringskonferans

Download John Christensen's (Tax Justice Network) presentation in Globaliseringskonferans (ie. Norwegian Social Forum) from here.

More material coming soon.

-

Over 3 millioner borte vekk

Read John Chistensen's interview in a Norwegian magazine on how tax havens have become a massive burden for world's poorest people.

-

Nordic cooperation against tax avoidance

See Nordic Council press release

-

Statoil facing tax claims in Venezuela

Norwegian oil giant Statoil has to pay extra taxes to the state of Venezuela. The tax administration of Venezuela demands 10 million Norwegian krones of extra taxes from Statoil's activities in Venezuela in year 2002. As many as 20 companies and 14 consortiums in oil industry are facing similiar claims because of alleged tax avoidance. Read more from VG Nett.

-

The Missing Link

Marte Nilsen from NTJN discusses tax havens' impact on developing nations in her "The Missing Link" article at Naeringsliv24. Read the whole article from here.

-

Pulp reality, tax fiction

In his article Jorma Penttinen assesses the true costs and benefits of a huge pulp factory being built in Uruguay by Finnish firm Botnia in the leading article of Global Tax Justice Network's Tax Justice Focus (vol.2, number 1). Read the whole article from the TJN website at http://www.taxjustice.net/cms/front_content.php?idcat=6.

-