In the world today, there are so many issues. These issues can range from human rights to environmental issues and feature everything in between and then some. One of those “and then some” examples is that of tax avoidance. No matter where an individual calls home, there is a very good chance that taxes are an extremely important piece to their country’s finances. However, as can be expected, there are always those that do not want to pay their taxes, whether that be because they are “high” or for another reason. Although this may seem like a local issue at the surface, it is in fact a global issue. This is the case due to the popularity of “tax havens.” Tax havens, which are countries that feature little to no taxes on foreign investors, have always been an issue. However, an issue can only persist for so long until the right people get tired of the issue and want to put an end to it. The long withstanding issue of tax havens was no different. After dealing with the issue for decades, the European Union finally decided to put their foot down. They decided that those who call EU Member State’s home and were no longer going to get off so easy. However, as with every global issue, it was not only one country or area’s doing. This can be stated in a few different ways. The first way is very simple and is based on the idea that the EU is made up of several different countries. It can also be said that it took the cooperation and help of the United Kingdom, in the middle of BREXIT, to get things going in the right way. Lastly, it took the cooperation of the countries that were blacklisted to get their laws going in the right way to attempt to curb the usage of tax havens. Many of these countries did not want to comply with the EU’s wishes at first, but once things get very serious and efforts are set in motion, ideas and attitudes change. Building on the “group effort” idea features discussion on how the EU used the UK as a “bridge” between themselves and those blacklisted Caribbean countries. Thanks to years of assistance, along with long-standing constitutional and legal links, the UK’s relationships with the Caribbean countries is rather healthy. Without the help of the UK and that healthy relationship, the quick, smooth execution of the blacklists and other methods most likely would not have been as easy. When an issue spans halfway across the globe, it truly takes a great deal of help to get change started, much more help is needed to make that change happen. In this case, there was plenty of help, and cooperation, that made everything so much easier. Also, it must be noted that Caribbean states have relations with more than just the UK. For instance, the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique are both heavily related to France, as the article calls them “overseas departments” of the country. Saint Martin is also a French territory. That is not the end of EU and Caribbean relations, however, as several islands in the Caribbean have strong constitutional links with the EU through the Association of Overseas Countries and Territories. Fixing global issues can be started in one country, but it takes much more help to make change. Without all these relationships and cooperation, the issues of tax havens and tax avoidance could still be considered to be extravagant. Although it is still an issue, and it always will be, it is not as easy as it once was.
PDFPDFStay tuned for news on sustainable development, environment and climate change, international trade and human rights, Chinese issues and much more!
