Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola, today praised Finance Minister Edward Scicluna “for having managed to get the EU Finance Ministers to agree on taking measures to fight tax avoidance, despite giving the impression in Malta that he was not so enthusiastic about them. This agreement should spell the beginning of the end of potential tax dodgers of the ilk of Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri and Ninu Zammit".

Green MEP Sven Giegold said: "The agreement reached by the EU finance ministers on amendments to the anti-tax avoidance directive is a major step forward in the fight against tax avoidance. Europe is thus playing internationally a pioneering role in the fight against tax avoidance by large companies. The debate has also revealed, which EU member states have their foot on the brake. It is unacceptable that the Netherlands have been able to delay the entry into force of the rules against the tax breaks, which translate into aggressive tax avoidance, for one whole year. However, neither could the Netherlands win their claim for a five-year postponement and nor the UK's demand for further exemptions for banks and insurance companies has been successful."