Taxation
Tax policy in the European Union consists of two components: direct taxation, which remains the sole responsibility of Member States, and indirect taxation, which affects free movement of goods and the freedom to provide services. With regard to direct taxation, Member States have taken measures to prevent tax avoidance and double taxation. Tax policy ensures that competition between Member States on the internal market is not distorted by differences in indirect taxation rates and systems. Measures have also been adopted to prevent the adverse effects of tax competition if companies transfer money between European Union Member States. CEA monitors developments and actively participates in the debates on improvement of European and international tax policy.