The Council on Economic Policies was at the EU Tax Symposium, an event co-organised by the European Parliament and the European Commission. This meeting has become an unmissable moment for decision makers and experts in taxation policy. In 2026 the fourth edition returned to a 1.5-day format under the headline “The future of taxation: inequality and growth in the global economy”.
Participants included ministers, senior policymakers, academics and Nobel Prize winners. Keynotes and panels explored the link between tax, prosperity and fairness. How can taxation boost competitiveness and unlock economic potential? What does fairness look like in a changing world?
One session focused on the topic of tax expenditures: Fair, efficient, and competitive taxation: managing expenditures and closing gaps:
Session 1 – Controlling the growth of tax expenditures while preserving competitiveness and fairness
Tax expenditures can form an important instrument to support policy objectives like innovation and investment, but if poorly controlled, they can increase tax complexity, reduce transparency, and erode revenues, harming fiscal sustainability and fairness. To strike the right balance, policymakers should review them regularly to keep incentives targeted, cost‑effective, and aligned with policy priorities, also at EU level.
- Ľudovít Ódor MEP, Member of the Subcommittee on Tax Matters
- Sofia Berg, Fellow, Council on Economic Policies
- Pieter Hasekamp, President, Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis
- Annette Alstadsæter Director, Centre for Tax Research, Norwegian University of Life Sciences
Moderator: Céline Gauer, Director-General of the Reform and Investment Task Force, European Commission