European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has denied he encouraged tax avoidance when he was prime minister of Luxembourg.<br /><br />The former premier broke his silence on the so-called Lux Leaks affair after more than a week.<br /><br />But he admitted that he was “politically responsible” for the Grand Duchy’s fiscal arrangements.<br /><br />“ I am politically responsible for what happened in each and every corner and quarter of that country.”<br /><br />“When concrete measures are taken by the administration, if this is leading to a state of non-taxation, then I would regret that.”<br /><br />The 59-year-old served as the country’s premier and finance minister over a 19-year period.<br /><br />During that time, a number of major firms brokered deals that legally allowed them to avoid tax elsewhere.<br /><br />The so-called LuxLeaks report published last week named more than three hundred companies with such arrangements.<br /><br />It comes at an embarrassing time for Juncker; he’s about to set off for the G20 where world leaders will discuss how to fight tax avoidance and evasion.
