The roundtable meeting comes ahead of Commission measures to tackle this topic, due to be presented later in March. Following the Commission's thorough public consultation which ended earlier this year, the gathering will provide another opportunity to engage with representatives of online companies and to explain the rationale and main drivers behind the Commission's agenda on digital taxation. Ahead of the meeting, Commissioner Moscovici said: "We cannot wait for global agreement on such an urgent topic. The Commission will soon present its proposals for how to tax digital companies in a fair and future-proof way. I want online and digital companies to be part of the conversation so that we can work towards the best possible outcome for the European economy. We also have to ensure that both digital and traditional have room to grow in the EU. We must act fast and decisively if we are to protect Member States' tax revenues."
The Commission has made the completion of the EU Digital Single Market a top priority in order to encourage further economic growth, innovation and job creation. Separately, one of the core objectives underpinning its tax agenda is to provide a business-friendly tax system for companies operating in the EU, while ensuring a level-playing field for all companies. In September 2017, the Commission published its Communication on the way forward for this issue at the EU level. This was followed by a call from EU leaders asking the Commission to present initiatives to ensure that online companies are taxed fairly.