Tax Justice Network Podcast: the #PanamaPapers – what now?

In the April 2016 Taxcast: we discuss the biggest offshore leak in history, the #PanamaPapers: could it provide an opportunity for nations to expand their secrecy market share? Once again, all eyes are on Trusts… Also, as the #LuxLeaks whistleblower Antoine Deltour’s trial begins in Luxembourg, we ask why protections for whistleblowers are being eroded and what it says about the state of our democracy.

Presented and produced for the Tax Justice Network by Naomi Fowler. Featuring: John Christensen of the Tax Justice Network, Member of the European Parliament Fabio De Masi, Antonio Gambini of CNCD 11.11.11, co-founder of Luxembourg’s home grown tax justice collective Collectif Tax Justice Lëtzebuerg Luc Dockendorf and a brief appearance by EU Commission President and former PM of Luxembourg Jean-Claude Juncker.

‘it does appear that the British Prime Minister is pushing to protect and enlarge the British Trust industry, at the expense of traditional banking secrecy arrangements and for that reason we must ensure that there is absolutely no way that Trusts can be used as a way of wriggling out of international information exchange processes.’

John Christensen, Tax Justice Network

‘such very useful leaks [like Panama Papers and Lux Leaks] and the disclosure of so much interesting data will be much more difficult in the future.’

Antonio Gambini, CNCD 11.11.11

‘in many ways Luxembourg is a diverse, affluent, peaceful, happy society but then of course there is always those nagging questions where is the wealth really coming from and is it a sustainable business model and the wealth that we get, is it a zero sum or negative sum gain for people around the world?’

Luc Dockendorf, Collectif Tax Justice Lëtzebuerg

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