Press Release: Combating tax fraud: Adoption of directive on strengthened mutual assistance and the exchange of information

The Council today (15.2.2011) adopted a directive aimed at strengthening administrative cooperation in the field of direct taxation so as to enable the member states to better combat tax evasion and tax fraud. In the light of greater taxpayer mobility and a growing volume of cross-border transactions, the directive sets out to fulfil the member states' growing need for mutual assistance – especially via the exchange of information – so as to enable them to better assess taxes due.