European Union's Jean-Claude Juncker on defensive as new 'LuxLeaks' drag in Disney

BRUSSELS: EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker was back under the spotlight Wednesday after new revelations showed Disney, Microsoft and Koch Industries got bumper tax deals from Luxembourg when he was prime minister.

They were among dozens of companies dragged into the Luxembourg tax avoidance " LuxLeaks" scandal with the release of new documents by investigative journalists on Tuesday.

The revelations -- including that entertainment giant Disney, the home of Mickey Mouse, paid just over a quarter of one percent in tax -- increase pressure on Juncker over Luxembourg's tax policies during his 19 years in office.

They came before Juncker's swearing-in Wednesday as president of the commission, in a ceremony in Luxembourg.

In his defence, European Commission spokesman Ricardo Cardoso said Juncker is "dedicated and committed to the strategy of looking into unfair tax competition" throughout the European Union.

In an interview published earlier Wednesday, Juncker said he had been "weakened" by the scandal.

"Subjectively speaking, I have no more to answer for than others," Juncker told the French daily Liberation.

"But objectively speaking, I was weakened because 'LuxLeaks' suggests I was party to manoeuvres that do not meet the basic standards of ethics and morality."

But Cardoso rejected suggestions that Juncker, who easily survived a vote of confidence in the European Parliament in November, might stand down.

"Naturally Mr. Juncker will carry on with his duties," Cardoso added. "He remains the president and remains 100 percent committed to both his job and his political guidelines."

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European Union's Jean-Claude Juncker on defensive as new 'LuxLeaks' drag in Disney

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