Global Tax 50 2014: Jean-Claude Juncker

International Tax Review is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 4 Bouverie Street, London, EC4Y 8AX

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Global Tax 50 2014: Jean-Claude Juncker

President, European Commission

Jean-Claude Juncker

Jean-Claude Juncker is a new entry this year

Wherever Jean-Claude Juncker has gone in the past 12 months, controversy has followed more closely than his shadow.

He must have grown some pretty thick skin during 2014, as commentators from all over the world weighed in with criticism of the European Commission president.

"Jean-Claude Juncker needs to go" was the heading attached to a November 9 editorial from Bloomberg View.

The former Luxembourg finance minister (for 20 years between 1989 and 2009) and prime minister (for 18 years between 1995 and 2013) was a controversial choice for the Commission presidency even before the comfort letter tax rulings and state aid investigations hit the news, with the UK in particular voicing strong concerns about the cognac-drinking Luxembourger.

"Everything has consequences in life. Obviously, I think proceeding in the way that countries are planning to proceed in choosing this individual, I believe that this is the wrong approach. And I think that would be bad for…all of Europe," said UK Prime Minister David Cameron ahead of Juncker's appointment to the EU's top job.

Criticism from the UK has increased since the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) released swathes of documents detailing tax arrangements Luxembourg agreed with hundreds of corporate taxpayers while Juncker was the Grand Duchy's premier.

"[He] has just taken over the European Commission, [but] he's presided over the biggest exploitation of European nations in his own little country for decades," said Margaret Hodge, chairwoman of the UK parliament's Public Accounts Committee and Global Tax 50 2013 top 10 member.

The Bloomberg View editorial pulls no punches either, describing Juncker as a "quintessential backroom dealer" who built and ran an international tax haven at the expense of other European countries, concluding that his position "as the head of the body investigating the tax practices he oversaw as Prime Minister is a clear conflict of interest".

Doubtless he would have preferred a more low-key opening to his tenure as Commission President, but judging by the response of his spokesman in November, his skin is indeed thicker than a Tolstoy novel.

"If he were a teenager I'd say he was cool," said the president's representative, who insisted he was not feeling any pressure despite cancelling public appearances.

The controversy surrounding Juncker's appointment, the initial state aid investigations and the ICIJ-driven LuxLeaks revelations have ensured that the general public's interest in tax has continued to grow. As the Commission's top man, Juncker's influence was always assured, but the way this has manifested itself to date means his influence has been much more negative than he would have liked.

If things carry on the way they are doing, and Juncker does not resign, the Commission's reputation runs the risk of being downgraded to Junck status.

The Global Tax 50 2014

View the full list and introduction

Gold tier (ranked in order of influence)

1. Jean-Claude Juncker  2. Pascal Saint-Amans  3. Donato Raponi  4. ICIJ  5. Jacob Lew  6. George Osborne  7. Jun Wang  8. Inverting pharmaceuticals  9. Rished Bade  10. Will Morris


Silver tier (in alphabetic order)

Joaquín AlmuniaAppleJustice Patrick BoyleCTPAJoe HockeyIMFArun JaitleyMarius KohlTizhong LiaoKosie LouwPierre MoscoviciMichael NoonanWolfgang SchäubleAlgirdas ŠemetaRobert Stack


Bronze tier (in alphabetic order)

Shinzo AbeAlberto ArenasPiet BattiauMonica BhatiaBitcoinBonoWarren BuffettECJ TranslatorsEurodadHungarian protestorsIndian Special Investigation Team (SIT)Chris JordanArmando Lara YaffarMcKessonPatrick OdierOECD printing facilitiesPier Carlo PadoanMariano RajoyNajib RazakAlex SalmondSkandiaTax Justice NetworkEdward TroupMargrethe VestagerHeinz Zourek

more across site & shared bottom lb ros

More from across our site

Effective audit management requires more than documentation; it’s the way taxpayers engage that can shape audit direction, manage procedural ambiguity, and preserve options for appeal or litigation
American advisers are falling short of client expectations when it comes to providing value-added services, but remaining tight-lipped won’t make the problem go away
Awards
The Social Impact Awards unveil new categories to reflect a changing legal and social landscape
Australia's approach to tax policy has undergone significant shifts in recent years, reflecting global trends and unique domestic considerations. These developments merit close attention from tax professionals
The UK has temporarily dodged the 50% rate due to a trade deal signed with the US in May; in other news, Ryan acquired a Northern Irish tax firm
Following a $28 million funding round, Aibidia wants to ‘double down’ on the US market via partnerships with the ‘big four’, the Finnish TP tech provider’s CEO tells ITR
The Luxembourg-based TP leader tells ITR about relishing the intellectual challenge of his practice, his admiration for Stephen Hawking, and what makes tax cool
The case to determine whether the tariff regime is constitutional will eventually find its way to the US Supreme Court, ITR has also heard
In other news, the Council of the EU pledged support to a CBAM simplification and exemption initiative, and Portugal issued new VAT filing guidance
While Brazil’s sweeping tax updates are a triumph for modernisation, Giuliano Gioia of Sovos warns that MNEs with a Brazilian footprint should be prepared for a short and sharp adjustment
Gift this article