Nigel Farage: Tax Avoidance? 'I Hope Taxpayers All Over Europe Listen to This ...'

“I hope that the taxpayers all over Europe listen to this: if we look at the EU officials who work for the European Commission and work for the European Parliament, the highest category are people that earn a net take home pay of just over 100 thousand pounds a year. And yet under EU rules they pay tax of 12%. It is tax fraud on an absolutely massive scale.” Nigel Farage MEP, leader of UK Independence Party (UKIP). Joint debate: European Council meeting (22 May 2013) – tax avoidance and tax havens, European Parliament, Strasbourg, 21 May 2013. Source: UKIPmeps YouTube channel.

Translated by: Jadranko Brkic

(see video at the bottom of transcript)

Transcript:

And now Mr. Farage.

Nigel Farage:

Thank you. Well there is a great degree of unity here this morning, with a common enemy - rich people, successful companies evading tax, which of course is a problem.  Avoiding tax, which is not illegal, but it gives this whole chamber this morning a high moral tone.  And as Mr Barroso says it is all about the perception of fairness. Because there is the added bonus of course that it drives a wedge between the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, and the Caymans.

But before we declare our virtues, perhaps we ought to look just a little bit closer to home. I nadam se da će poreski obveznici širom Evrope, čuti za ovo: ako se osvrnemo na zvaničnike EU koji rade za Evropsku komisiju I Evropski parlament, u najvišoj kategoriji su ljudi koji zarađuju neto plate od nešto više od 100 hiljada funti godišnje. Međutim, oni po pravilima EU plaćaju porez od 12%. To je utaja poreza masivnih razmjera.

And Mr Barroso I would say to you, how can that be deemed to be fair? How can people out there struggling - the 16 million people unemployed in the eurozone - how can they look at these institutions, not only paying people vast sums of money but allowing them tax and also of course pension benefits on a scale not seen anywhere else in the world? So I suggest we have a bit less of this high moral tone.

And what have these officials given us? Well, they were the architects of the euro, which is a complete disaster. Their obsession with global warming, which chimes very strongly here, means we are despoiling our landscapes and seascapes with these disgusting wind turbines and driving up energy prices.

But never let it be said that I cannot acknowledge success when I see it. And I am sure the citizens of Europe will all clap and cheer loudly that the grave, mortal danger of olive oil in dipping bowls has been removed by the officials. Well done everybody.

Bluecard question: Liisa Jaakonsaari MEP (Finland), Socialist group (S&D):

Mr President, thank you. I hope that the citizens of Europe have heard Mr. Farage's cynical views and his praise for the UK's tax havens. Mr Farage, don't you think it is a good idea that the European Council is talking about tax havens and tax evasion. Is there nothing good, are you so cynical that you think it's such a bad idea?

Nigel Farage:

I agree with you that tax evasion is a problem and is costing government money, but we should remember that tax avoidance is legal. And the biggest reason that tax havens are allowed to prosper is we've got this very statist mindset that we must try and get as much tax out of successful individuals as we possibly can. If you do that and if you have a very complicated tax system, people will do all they can within the law to avoid paying tax. And the answer for western governments is to learn some of the lessons from the 1980's in Britain and America; bring taxes down, simplify taxes, and then for those who wish to obey the law there's no need to use tax havens.