Six small billion euros. This is the amount of tax collected last year from our dear European billionaires. A tidy sum, considered derisory by the European Taxation Observatory which has its own little idea to revive the economy and tackle inequalities.
In its latest report released on Monday, the said Observatory recommends taxing the assets of these super-rich at 2%. Don’t even try to pose the problem on your Fx-92 College calculator, you risk making it explode. Still, on this basis, tax revenues could reach 40 billion euros in Europe, and more than 200 billion worldwide.
As tax specialists point out, the ultra-rich pay proportionally less taxes than the rest of the population. Quite simply because a large part of their income comes from capital and is therefore less taxed, or almost not at all. A scandal which is beginning to upset those mainly concerned.
If no government has the courage to work in this area, millionaires from all over the world – are we still looking for French people? – are coming out of the woods today, clamoring to pay more taxes. To make their ideas heard, they even group together within associations, sign petitions, organize actions and organize conferences…
But not sure that these luxury demonstrations are enough to reverse the trend… Most states remain convinced that it is better to keep well-off billionaires at home, with their companies and the jobs they create. Even if it means sitting on precious revenue and ignoring these tax inequalities.