Apple boss Tim Cook says the company had no special tax deal with the Irish Government, clarifying the confusion created by the US Congress committee report last week, but as far as the European Commission is concerned this is not the end of the matter.

Tasoieach Enda Kenny has brushed off attacks on Ireland’s tax regime for helping multinationals avoid billions in tax – insisting he was backing plans for global tax transparency and an end to tax havens.

The opportunity for people to evade paying billions of euro in tax will be considerably reduced after a breakthrough by Finance Minister Michael Noonan that will see agreements brokered with five non-EU tax havens.

Multinationals availing of permissive tax regimes could have their tax assessments ignored and be forced to pay the full amount, under plans released by the European Commission.

The battle to recoup about €1 trillion lost annually through tax fraud could threaten the country’s veto on tax issues in the EU.

Plans for a Europe-wide tax on banks has won overwhelmingly support from MEPs - and triggered a new attack on British Chancellor George Osborne for not taking part.

Google has avoided about $2bn (€1.55bn) in worldwide income taxes in 2011 by shifting $9.8bn (€7.6bn) in revenues into a Bermuda shell company — almost double the total from three years before — filings show.

European governments should co-ordinate their efforts to root out tax avoidance, which costs them around €1 trillion every year, the EU’s executive body said yesterday.

VAT on children’s clothes, the issue that infamously brought down a Fine Gael government, could soon be back on the agenda as the European Commission announces a review of all VAT rates.

The European Commission was urged today to “name and shame” member states misusing EU funds after auditors revealed “material error” in last year’s €122bn spending programme.

THE US and Europe will pursue levies on the financial system “in their own way” rather than through a common global tax plan, according to an aide to President Barack Obama.

The European Union has said it hopes to impose new taxes on financial institutions.

A TAX on all financial transactions through banks and financial institutions, being pushed by France and Germany, will put Ireland in a difficult position politically and could have serious repercussions for the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC).

The European Commission has published proposals for a common consolidated corporate tax base in the eurozone.

The push for a common corporate tax base ignores the real problem of tax competitiveness in the EU, writes Europe Correspondent Ann Cahill

EUROPE-wide rules on taxing companies is necessary to improve the EU’s economy, Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said just days after the Government submitted a study saying it would not benefit Ireland.

BANKS are under-taxed in the EU, but new proposals to levy their activities could raise as much as €25 billion a year, the European Commission says.

The European Commission was slammed by the unions tonight for backing away from a new tax on every transaction between banks and finance houses in Europe.

TACKLING cigarette smuggling was one topic high on the agenda of the international conference recently held at the Shanghai World Expo 2010 in China.

IRELAND’S tax rate is not under threat, according to the Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, Enterprise, Trade and Innovation Minister Batt O’Keeffe and the Chartered Accounts of Ireland.

The European Commission is believed to be preparing new rules on taxation of business profits for across Europe, it was reported today.

One of the world’s biggest tobacco companies today pledged €134m towards European efforts to smash the illegal trade in cigarettes.

NORTHERN Ireland could soon have the power to set its own corporation tax rate which could result in firms leaving the Republic to locate in the North.

MEPs today called for an EU “Robin Hood tax” on rich banks to help fund development policies for the poor.

PROPOSALS on corporate taxation, which are vehemently being rejected by Ireland, will be on the EU table as soon as possible, the commissioner-designate for taxation told MEPs.

Ireland has secured the Research and Innovation portfolio in the European Commission.