Nov 22 - Government Shoots Down Rajoy Tax Haven Comments
Following another tense week of Incursions in the bay and hefty frontier queues, Spanish Prime Minister took to Spain’s National Radio to declare that the relations between Spain and the UK are great. He added that the EU Commission’s report, released late last week insisted that there is a great deal of smuggling in Gibraltar.
Rajoy also noted that according to the Commission, the extensive checks by Guardia Civil at the Frontier are correct. He went on to add that Gibraltar is a tax haven and an further complaint to the Commission has been made by Spain with regards to tax dodging and environmental matters. Finally, he insisted that smuggling between Gibraltar and Spain is going to be controlled.
In response to Rajoy’s comments, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo has stated the Commission has already confirmed that there are no issues affecting Gibraltar’s compliance with EU financial services’ rules. Commissioner Barnier previously claimed that ‘there are no infringement proceedings pending against the United Kingdom concerning the non-transposition of Directives on financial services in Gibraltar’.
Commenting on environmental issues that Mr. Rajoy touched upon, a No.6 spokesperson today said, ‘Gibraltar has also been exonerated by the EU Commission previously on spurious Spanish complaints. The most relevant is the decision on the Eastside Reclamation (answer to petition 1311/2010 of 30 May 2012) where, contrary to Spain’s contention, the European Commission said, “planning permission was considered over a considerable period of time and a full environmental impact assessment carried out”. As a result of mitigation measures adopted by the Gibraltar Government the Project “would have no significant trans-boundary effects on the environment of another Member State” thereby acknowledging both that there was no breach of EU environmental law and that the Project was being carried out in British waters.
‘The EU concluded by stating that “on the information provided, the Commission is unable to identify a breach of EU environmental law.” The Eastside Reclamation project is no longer active as the Government has repurchased the land from the developer.
‘The Government of Gibraltar would like to ensure that this information is available to the Spanish media and public opinion.’
