Activity One - Discussion

We have all heard of companies having their head quarters in tax havens or having them built in countries that do not charge high corporation tax but why is this an issue? 

• • 1. Watch the YouTube clip below and write down how tax havens could potentially be a threat to the political and economic sovereignty of states?

    2. Spend five minutes searching the web for articles on companies that avoid paying tax or repatriating their profits. Write the name of the company and  the country that is complaining.

    3. What is the pattern of countries that are demanding TNCs repatriate their profit to the country of origin.

Activity Two - Detailed Examples

Now you have an idea why this is an important issue for countries and how it can impact their political and economic sovereignty we are going to focus on two key examples; Apple and Amazon. After all the majority of you have ordered something from Amazon before and there are a lot of macs being used in the school. We also use the USA as one of our focus countries, but let's listen to President Trump to see what he thinks are the benefits of  repatriating profits. 

• • 1. Make notes on what Trump has to say.

    2. Explain how Apple avoids paying tax.

    3. Why does Apple plan to repatriate its profits? What do they hope to gain?

    4. How did Amazon manage to use Luxembourg selective tax to their benefit?

    5. Why are Amazon having to pay the EU in back taxes?

Activity Three - Impact 

We are now going to focus on the impact that capital flight and tax avoidance have on Low Income Countries.

• • 1. Read the two articles in the 'Useful Resources' box and make notes on how Low Income Countries are impacted by TNCs who avoid paying their tax and mis-represent the value of the goods they make.

Useful Resources

Wider Angle - Capital Flight

Metro - Starbucks, Amazon and Google tax avoidance: What is the impact on developing countries?

Activity Four - Regaining Control

We have already heard how the USA are trying to regain power over the tax that their TNCs are paying but what is the UK doing? Using the link below in the 'Useful Resources' box view the infographic and explain what the British are doing to regain the power of unpaid taxes.

Useful Resource

Gov.uk - What's the government doing to reduce tax avoidance and evasion?

Katten - UK Government Efforts to Clamp down on tax avoidance 

OXFAM - Ending Tax Avoidance