(L-R): Ueli Maurer, Swiss Finance Minister; Adrian Hasler, Liechtenstein Finance Minister; Olaf Scholz, Germany Finance Minister; Pierre Gramegna, Luxembourg Finance Minister; Hartwig Löger, Austria Finance Minister;
Credit: Thomas Imo
At the invitation of German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, Luxembourg's Minister of Finance, Pierre Gramegna, attended the meeting of Finance Ministers of German-speaking countries in Hamburg on 23 and 24 August 2018.
Those attending also included the Minister of Finance of the Swiss Confederation, Ueli Maurer, the Austrian Minister of Finance, Hartwig Löger, and the Head of Government and Minister of Finance of Liechtenstein, Adrian Hasler.
During their meeting, the five ministers discussed the European economic situation, progress made in the integration of the euro area and the latest developments in the context of the Brexit negotiations. Another item on the agenda was the current state of trade and financial relations with the United States.
Finally, the ministers took advantage of the meeting to discuss the evolution of European and international taxation. In this context, they focused on the tax challenges posed by the digital economy and the need to find comprehensive solutions, particularly at the OECD level, which has demonstrated its relevance and effectiveness in the field of international taxation. They also discussed the recent US reform and its potential impacts for the European Union.
The Finance Ministers of the German-speaking countries meet once a year to discuss topical issues in an informal setting. In 2019, it will be Luxembourg's turn to host the meeting.
