Recital 22

(22)This Directive aims to enhance corporate transparency and the transparency and public scrutiny of corporate income tax information by adapting the existing legal framework concerning the obligations imposed on companies and firms in respect of the publication of reports, for the protection of the interests of members and others, within the meaning of Article 50(2), point (g), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). As the Court of Justice held, in particular, in Case C-97/96 Verband deutscher Daihatsu-Händler ¹⁴ , Article 50(2), point (g), TFEU refers to the need to protect the interests of ‘others’ generally, without distinguishing or excluding any categories falling within the ambit of that term. Thus, the term ‘others’ is broader than investors and creditors, and extends to other interested third parties, including competitors and the general public. Moreover, the objective of attaining freedom of establishment, which is assigned in very broad terms to the institutions by Article 50(1) TFEU, cannot be circumscribed by the provisions of Article 50(2) TFEU. Given that this Directive only concerns obligations to publish reports on income tax information, and does not concern the harmonisation of taxes, Article 50(1) TFEU constitutes the appropriate legal basis.