Economic and Financial Affairs Council, Brussels, 12 February 2016

Agenda highlights

+ Combating corporate tax avoidance
The European Commission will present a package of new proposals to the Council aimed at strengthening the EU rules against corporate tax avoidance. The package includes measures against aggressive tax planning, as well as boosting transparency between member states and ensuring fairer competition for all businesses in the single market. Ministers will have a first exchange of views in preparation for further handling of individual proposals in the Council.

+ Banking union
The Council will discuss the state of play in implementing the banking union legislation into the national law of EU member states, in particular the transposition of the bank recovery and resolution directive as well as a directive on deposit guarantee schemes, which are important parts of the single rulebook of the banking union. The Council will also discuss the state of play in putting in place the bridge financing for the Single Resolution Board.

+ Fight against terrorist financing
The Council is expected to adopt conclusions on the European Commission's action plan to strengthen measures against terrorist financing.

+ EU budget
The Council is also expected to adopt conclusions on EU budget guidelines for 2017. It will also adopt the Council recommendation on the discharge to the European Commission concerning the implementation of the 2014 EU budget.

+ G20
Ministers will also prepare the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors, which will take place on 25-27 February 2016, in Shanghai (China).

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Commission presents Action Plan to strengthen the fight against terrorist financing http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-commission-presents-action-plan-to-strengthen-the-fight-against-terrorist-financing/

ESO: Background information: Fair Taxation: Commission presents new measures against corporate tax avoidance http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-fair-taxation-commission-presents-new-measures-against-corporate-tax-avoidance/

ESO: Key Source: European Banking Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-banking-union-2/

ESO: Background information: Council conclusions on the budget guidelines for 2017 http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-council-conclusions-on-the-budget-guidelines-for-2017/

EurActiv, 12.02.16: Guindos: Growth is more important than few decimal points of deficit http://www.euractiv.com/section/euro-finance/news/guindos-growth-is-more-important-than-few-decimal-points-of-deficit/

European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: SPEECH/16/296, 12.02.16: Remarks by Vice-President Dombrovskis at the ECOFIN press conference http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-16-296_en.htm

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