EU: Onus on individual countries to ensure tax compliance

The European Commission has said it is up to individual countries to make sure companies are not getting away without paying their corporation tax.

Brussels said it is beginning an investigation into whether companies have been given illegal aid by countries who negotiate a lower tax rate.

It has played down the significance of asking Ireland for details of its tax system - saying it is contacting several countries across Europe for similar details.

Commission Spokeswoman Emer Traynor said that the G20 deal to clamp down on tax avoidance will be followed through.

"The onus is also on member states themselves to do all they can to ensure that their own tax regimes are fully compliant with our standards of good governance within the EU," he said.

"And then we will be continuing to work with the international partners to ensure that the level of ambition that was agreed at the G20 is now implemented."