Inheritance tax

Key points:

The EESC is of the opinion that the Commission can be more effective by:

• proposing and implementing practical mechanisms which, within a reasonable period of time, would ensure the efficient interfacing of national tax systems with respect to inheritance taxes; using legislative mechanisms so as to effectively eliminate inheritance tax double/multiple taxation of EU citizens;
• going beyond cross-border taxation issues to look into the potentially distortionary effects arising from differences in the computation of the inheritance tax base by different national tax jurisdictions; actively promoting more effective, efficient and citizen-friendly taxation systems, involving the least possible burden on taxpayers;
• studying the possibility of simplifying inheritance taxation in cross border situations through a system which imposes taxation once at a sole point of taxation determined by the location of the asset.