Scott Levine, a partner in Baker McKenzie's Tax Practice, participated in a recent Tax Notes’ Taxing Issues webinar examining how tax policy can help address Europe's innovation and scale-up challenges. Joining representatives from the European Commission, industry and business organizations, Scott discussed measures to encourage investment, entrepreneurship and economic growth across the European Union.
During the discussion, Scott highlighted several proposals outlined in his recent paper, including a capital gains tax deferral for startup investments, transferable R&D tax credits and more consistent treatment of equity compensation across EU member states. He emphasized that while tax policy is not a standalone solution, it remains an important lever for promoting innovation and attracting capital.
The webinar was subsequently covered by Tax Notes, which reported that the European Commission is evaluating a proposal advanced by Scott to defer capital gains tax on startup investments as part of a forthcoming initiative focused on angel investors. Benjamin Angel, Director for Direct Taxation at the European Commission, indicated during the webinar that the proposal is under active consideration.
Read the Tax Notes article here: EU Commission Looking Into Tax Breaks for Angel Investors
Watch the webinar recording here.