The decision yesterday by 10 finance ministers to yet again postpone their decision on the European Robin Hood Tax will disappoint many, especially when billions are at stake. After four years of negotiations, politicians failed to reach agreement at their last deadline of 6th December 2016. Since then, more than €4bn has been lost. In order to illustrate this, we have created this counter that adds the money lost second after second since last December.
That’s almost €5bn that could have paid to:
• Educate 10% of the children from the world’s poorest countries who are not currently in school.
• Close 2/3rds of the funding gap for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria.
• Power nearly half million houses in Africa through renewables.
Last December, the Tax Commissioner Pierre Moscovici admitted that delays were more a question of the need for “political will” than technical decision-making for negotiators to secure the deal. In this crucial 60th year for the European Union, its politicians have to decide whether they’re on the side of the banks or the people.
