PWYP Norway are inviting you to a seminar about the industry of tax avoidance.
- The Norwegian government is under pressure from voters to reduce tax avoidance by multinational companies. Tax avoidance harm developing countries that need natural resource revenues to finance investments in a sustainable society.
- Multinational companies use a secrecy market to keep capital away from the open market, and are allowed to organize themselves in a way that makes it possible to avoid tax.
Sign up for the seminar by sending an email to: seminar@pwyp.no. Free entrance!
PROGRAMME 1st part
08:30 – 09:00 | Registration and breakfast |
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09:00– 09:15 | “Welcome. The industry of tax avoidance." | Mona Thowsen, Secretary General, PWYP Norway. |
09:15 – 10:00 | ”Presentation of the BEPS Action Plan. Why is this project important for OECD?” | Grace Perez-Navarro, Deputy Director, Tax Policy Administration, OECD. 7 elements of the BEPS Action Plan have been presented. Finalization of the document will be in 2015. Which points are most important to hinder tax avoidance? |
10:00 – 10:30 | “Treasure hunt in multinational companies” | Hans Christian Holte, Tax Director at the Norwegian Tax Administration. The Norwegian Tax Administration investigated multinational companies in 2012 and 2013 and found 14 billion NOK that were not taxed. Holte are now sending 100 coworkers to investigate multinational companies. What do they expect to find? |
10:30 – 11:00 | “A Norwegian example: “The Transocean Verdict” | Beate Sjåfjell, Professor of Law, University of Oslo. Special interest: Regulation of Norwegian and transnational companies and Norwegian and European company law. Has analyzed the verdict in the biggest Norwegian tax fraud case. |
The first part will be in english.
PROGRAMME 2nd part
11:00 – 12:00: POLITICAL DEBATE: "The capture of politics by extractive industries"
Opening remarks to frame the Norwegian debate by Frian Aarsnes, chair, PWYP Norway
- Which mechanisms are already available to be used?
- What are the consequences?
- Advantages with extended country-by-country reporting
The panel debate will be moderated by Aslak Bonde.
You can ask questions to the speakers by using twitter @pwypnorway. #policynotsecrecy #skattehøsten.The moderator will select the best questions. The debate will be held in Norwegian.
Draft questions for panel debate to be discussed further:
- Do national governments and politicians’ capitulate in the face of big oil tax avoidance?
- Why are not the 3 remaining elements in an extended country-by-country reporting not already in place?
- What concrete next steps will Norwegian politicians take on tax avoidance?
Invited panelists are members of the standing committee on Finance and Economic Affairs:
- Marianne Marthinsen (Ap) Member of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs
- Siri Meling (H) Member of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs
- Tom E.B. Holthe (FrP) Member of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs
- Snorre Serigstad Valen (SV) Member of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs
PROGRAMME 3rd part
The Industry of Tax Avoidance: Consequences in Latin America
Lunch will be served. This part of the programme will be held in english and is organised together with NorLARNet.
12:15– 12:30 | “Challenges in Latin America” | Professor Benedicte Bull, Norwegian Latin American Research Network and Researcher Mariel Christina Aguilar Støen, Center for Development and the Environment |
12:30 – 13:15 | “Conversation with four TRACE- participants” | Moderated by Benedicte Bull and Mariel Christina Aguilar Støen. Four representatives from Latin Amerika (TBC). Local consequences of the Industry of Tax Avoidance in Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia and Guatemala.
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13:15 – 14:00 | “Mingle” | 20 TRACE-participants from Latin America will be available for conversation Representing civil society organizations, unions and media in Ecuador, Bolivia, Guatemala and Colombia. |
The TRACE (“Transparency and Accountability in Extractive Industries”) is a capacity-strengthening programme for civil society organisations, journalists and workers’ unions from resource rich countries in the South, run by PWYP Norway.
In 2014-2015 the TRACE programme have participants from Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia and Guatemala. They are in Oslo for a ten days training and will participate in the conference 21st of November, before they return to their home countries to continue their work on transparency and accountability in the Extractive Industries.
