A European agenda to tax the super-rich: A solution to inequality in the European Union
Publication date
2025-10-09Keywords
InequalityTax the super-rich
Wealth tax
wealth redistribution
European Union
Tax avoidance
Fiscal justice
Democracy
Governance
AccountabilityProgressive taxation
Metadata
Show full item recordPublisher(s)
Oxfam EUDocument type
Briefing paperDescription
Europe faces a deep inequality crisis: the richest 1% in the EU own nearly a quarter of all wealth while half the population shares just 3%. Decades of tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations resulted in the super-rich paying proportionally less taxes than ordinary citizens, eroding fairness, democracy, and social cohesion. The EU lacks harmonized policies to curb extreme wealth concentration and tax avoidance of the wealthiest. Oxfam calls for bold reforms, such as an EU-wide or national tax on the super-rich and transparency mechanisms like an EU assets registry, to fund social needs, climate action, and development. Taxing the super-rich is widely supported, is feasible and is urgent.