EU's Juncker wants more tax harmonization to curb avoidance, defends record as Luxembourg head

The chief of the European Union's executive has called for more tax harmonization to counter the sort of sweet deal practices that countries like his own Luxembourg have used to attract multinationals and the super-rich.

European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday staved off allegations that he was part of the problem since he had been prime minister of Luxembourg for most of the past two decades and must have been instrumental in greasing the wheels of the tax system.

Juncker said that if EU nations are sometimes "almost diametrically opposed" between high-taxation and low-taxation systems, it "can lead to results that are not in line with ethical and moral standards."

The controversy surrounding Luxembourg has swirled since last week when new allegations surfaced in the media.