New thoughts on tax avoidance and low tax

[Lord Percy]

It occurred to me today that certain tax evading companies across the world are nothing but a burden and a drain on their host countries.

I can understand favourable tax measures for companies and industries that are in high requirement. But entities like Starbucks offer nothing that the UK population needs. They make coffee, FFS. They simply take a profit, send it back to their shareholders, and that's it. It's a cafe company, no major western nation is in dire need of more cafes.

I don't understand why such unimportant enterprises are given such an easy deal, allowed to engage in aggressive tax avoidance and siphoning as much as possible out of their host economy.

What I'm wondering is, in the hypothetical scenario where a nation banned non-vital foreign companies like Starbucks and instead promoted homegrown chains, meaning a whole lot more of the profits circulated back into the national economy (regardless of whether it ends up with shareholders, as tax or whatever else), would things be better, worse or the same? Is it viable, and how could it be achieved?

[Sister Sledge]

I'm not sure about what you're asking but what does annoy me is the charity shops we see in the UK.
They're given favourite treatment and ordinary second hand shops cannot compete like that. Also, to add insult to injury the likes of Sue Ryder shops sell a whole heap of brand new goods mixed in with donated goods. Sure there's charitable aid but just look at the true figures for where the money goes. Look how they employ directors on waged accounts, managers too.
(rant mode activated) So certain figures in UK life claim to help by putting their names to a good cause? Add to that greed. Drag them onto the company board (because charities are companies) and you'll spot some horribly greedy people with their fingers in so many pies that they could never offer any help to a company whatsoever..
If someone truly believed in a good cause then they'd do it for free or for very little money.
I refuse to shop in those chains of charity shops. I do shop in community charity shops where locals donate goods and volunteers sell on with the money going directly back into that community.

Sorry for the hijack. My comment has nowt to do with the original but today is Monday and I'm angry.
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CCM 404 DS

[Polarbear]

Governments could close tax loopholes if they wanted to.

The question is why don't they?

Maybe they get backhanders or the promise of a seat on the board after they are kicked out of parliament by the great unwashed.

Or maybe they get free coffee.
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[Skudd]

I understand wanting to pay the least amount of tax possible, but there are so many ways to reduce your tax it is open to abuse. Perhaps if it was simple, everyone no matter how much the same paid 20% tax, if you only earned £100 you would pay £20 if you earned £1000 you would pay £200, same way with companies. If you have a workforce in this country you pay tax on this country. So simple.
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Many of the tax loopholes which rob the UK are created and made possible by the EU, such as the Double Irish and Dutch Sandwich. We'll soon be out of the EU and can do more to stop these.

The Double Irish loophole is already closed to new firms, but still open to existing firms until the end of next year. It was great for saving the Irish economy at the expense, mainly of the UK economy.

Facebook.ie, Google Ireland... year right.. Dell Ireland.
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[sickpup]

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[M.C]

Rogerborg got really upset when I posted this before: The Spider's Web: Britain's Second Empire (Documentary). I don't agree with all their points, I thought the whole offshore thing came about because Britain didn't want to be financially responsible for colonies anymore, but like with all these things look at the evidence and form your own conclusions.

[sickpup]

[Grubscrew]

As I see it the laws are in place, the big corporations follow the rules...by a fine thread, but they follow them and pay as little tax as is possible by employing expensive tax lawyers to use every rule in the book but knowing how to exploit the laws for the corporations gain.
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[M.C]

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[Im-a-Ridah]

[Jewlio Rides Again LLB]

[Polarbear]

[Jewlio Rides Again LLB]

Germany, France and Holland all have different VAT rates.
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Mpd72: I can categorically say i’m Brighter than that, no matter how I come across on here.
HAHAHA HAHAHA Blew Chilly MyCrowSystems

[Monkeywrenche...]

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[bhinso]

[Robby]

[M.C]

[bhinso]

[sickpup]

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[Jewlio Rides Again LLB]

I never said that the EU had no control over it. I asked you


What's the minimum VAT allowed then? And why aren't all EU countries setting the VAT at the same level?

Perhaps if you had spent time at school actually learning to read, you would have figured that out.

So, care to try again? Why aren't all EU countries setting the VAT at the same level?
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Mpd72: I can categorically say i’m Brighter than that, no matter how I come across on here.
HAHAHA HAHAHA Blew Chilly MyCrowSystems