Administrative cooperation in taxation (DAC 8)

Background

Today, if an EU taxpayer holds money in crypto-currencies, the platform (or other electronic provider supplying the portfolio services) is not obliged to declare any such amounts or gains acquired to the tax authorities. In an effort to go further in the fight against tax fraud, tax evasion and tax avoidance, the Commission proposes an updated Directive on Administrative Cooperation in the field of taxation (DAC). DAC 8 aims to expand reporting and the exchange of information between tax authorities to include income or revenue generated through crypto-assets by users residing in the European Union. Tax authorities do not currently have the necessary information to monitor proceeds obtained using crypto-assets, which are easily traded across borders.

 

Key points

In the opinion, the EESC:

  • deems that reporting obligations should not be limited solely to exchanges and transfers in crypto-assets, but should also be extended, at least during the initial phase, to overall holdings of crypto-currency;
  • stresses the need for effective and proportional penalties, leaving the decision on the specific amounts of sanctions to be issued up to the Member States;
  • hopes that the penalties and compliance measures will be able to strike a proper balance between effective rules and adequate deterrence on one hand, and proportionality on the other.

The full text of the opinion can be found here.

 

Additional information

Section: Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion (ECO)

Opinion number: ECO/604

Opinion type: Mandatory referral

Rapporteur: Petru Sorin Dandea

Co-rapporteur: Benjamin Rizzo

Reference: COM(2022) 707 final – 2022/0413 (CNS)

Date of adoption by section: 02/03/2023

Result of the vote: 62 in favour / 0 against / 1 abstention 

Date of adoption in plenary: 

Result of the vote: 

 

Contact

Thomas Kersten
Press Officer
Tel.: +32 (0) 473 49 49 93
E-mail: thomas.kersten@eesc.europa.eu
Juri Soosaar
Policy Officer
Tel.: +32 2 546 9628
E-mail: juri.soosaar@eesc.europa.eu