„European Elections 2019 – All or Nothing“

Monday, May 8th, less than three weeks before the polls, FMRS Munich was dedicated to the European Elections. Coorganised by the Wirtschaftsbeirat Bayern (Economic Council of Bayern) and the Bund der Steuerzahler (taxpayers alliance of Germany), the Free Market Road Show gathered a huge audience in the overcrowded Grand Meeting Hall of Hotel Bayrischer Hof.

President of Bund der Steuerzahler in Bayern, Rolf Baron von Hohenhau, presented the introductory note. Von Hohenau is also the president of the European Taxpayers Association.

MEP Prof. Dr. Angelika Niebler, who is also president of the Wirtschaftsbeirat and member of the  taxpayers association, stressed that the upcoming European elections will be crucial for Europe´s future: „The Brexit-referendum and its aftershocks are still shaking the European Union, for the first time right wing populists endanger the European peace building project“, Niebler says. It were important to successfully deal with the challenges – especially in economy – to think globally and act european. Europe and Bavaria are home of many socalled „Hidden Champions“, small and middle . sized companies, family businesses, that are leading in their fields. These are the ones tob e strenghened by scaling down bureaucracy and by implementing national tax policies that considers global developements. At the same time the importance of establishing globally fair conditions for competition is increasing.  EU´s reply to Trump, to the USA, must be, to negotiate additional contarcts for trade with third parties. Niebler presented a bouquet of measures that are mandatory to secure Europe´s competitivness. The upcoming elections would be challange and chance at the same time.

Barbara Kolm, director of the FMRS lead organisation, the Austrian Economics Center, also stressed the importance of the European Elections. Kolm put emphasis on international fiscal policy. Tax competition is of upmost importance for bearable taxation.

European Taxpayers Association Secretary General, Diplom-Kaufmann Michael Jäger, presented a critique of the plans on socalled digital tax.  There are good arguments for the Taxpayers Association to make aware oft he risks of any additional corporate taxation. Jäger´s plea for the peace building project Europe was ardent, the elections would be about a fundamental decision: national ego-centralism or partnership and cooperation. There would be a good chance for Manfred Weber to become president of the commission.