Yellen: Compete on Economic Strengths, Not Low Tax Rates 

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday that deterring the use of tax havens will let countries compete on economic fundamentals — instead of by offering ever-lower tax rates that deprive governments of money for infrastructure and education.

Yellen spoke after finance ministers from the Group of 20 major economies endorsed a global minimum corporate tax of at least 15%, a measure aimed at putting a floor under tax rates and discouraging companies from using low-rate countries as tax havens. "This deal will end the race to the bottom," she said at a news conference after the end of the meeting in Venice. "Instead of asking the question: 'Who can offer the lowest tax rate?' it will allow all of our countries to compete on the basis of economic fundamentals – on the skill of our workforces, our capacity to innovate, and the strength of our legal and economic institutions," she said.