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Yesterday, the first rapport of the FISC committee was voted upon in the European Parliament. Here I will quickly outline why the EU blacklist of tax havens needs to be reformed. 
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It seemed such a good idea: name, shame, and above all change. Change because being on the list would have real consequences. But Member States, responsible for this list, forgot something when they implemented it: actual tax havens. 
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Recently, @TaxJusticeNet showed that countries on this list account for just 2% of global tax avoidance. Our citizens lose in the hundreds of billions each year in corporate income tax. That is money for healthcare, education, or better infrastructure. 
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The worst tax haven, the Cayman Islands, has been removed from the list. Give the list teeth with strict criteria, and make it bite with defensive measures: no country without corporate taxes or with a very low effective tax rate should be allowed to go free. 
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There is a gap. Between what citizens want and what politicians deliver. To bridge this gap we need transparency. Scrutiny and accountability are an essential part of democracy. Therefore, the resolution also calls for democratic standards to be obeyed. 
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Our efforts to fight non-EU tax havens are nothing but hypocrisy if we don’t look ourselves in the mirror. The EU is responsible for a third of global tax avoidance. That is why, with this report, the parliament commits itself to examine each and every EU tax haven. 
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With this resolution, we have given a strong message to tax havens both in and outside the EU: tax havens, the parliament is coming for you! 
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