Four EU Countries Seek Higher Taxes On Google and Amazon (reuters.com)

An anonymous reader quotes Reuters: France, Germany, Italy and Spain want digital multinationals like Amazon and Google to be taxed in Europe based on their revenues, rather than only profits as now, their finance ministers said in a joint letter. France is leading a push to clamp down on the taxation of such companies, but has found support from other countries also frustrated at the low tax they receive under current international rules. Currently such companies are often taxed on profits booked by subsidiaries in low-tax countries like Ireland even though the revenue originated from other EU countries. "We should no longer accept that these companies do business in Europe while paying minimal amounts of tax to our treasuries," the four ministers wrote in a letter seen by Reuters.

Comments

EU Countries Seek Higher Taxes On

[turkeydance]

everything

Re: EU Countries Seek Higher Taxes On

[thegarbz]

everything

Yep. It's one of the reasons why our infrastructure isn't falling apart, why we rank very high in satisfaction, health, happiness, why internet is blazingly fast and dirt cheap, why public transport can be described as excellent...

Governments aren't for profit entities funnelling cash to a couple of shareholders.

Re: EU Countries Seek Higher Taxes On

[Anonymous Coward]

Governments aren't for profit entities funnelling cash to a couple of shareholders, openly and with any sort of transparency or accountability.

FTFY. I broadly agree with you, but pretending like our current governments aren't corrupt is pretty naive. Name your country and we can provide appropriate citations.

Re:I am from Italy

[Anonymous Coward]

Since you're from Italy you should know that's it been years since buying through the internet is no way to get a rebate on the tax rate.
When you buy through the internet let's say an article from the UK, or France, or Belgium you're taxed at the rate of the country you're residing in (not the country from which you're buying). If you haven't realised that I'm not sure what to say.

There was a time around 2000-2001 when the tax rate applied to internet purchases was that of country you were buying from, but that loophole was closed pretty quickly in the EU.