Category: Regulatory

The CRS cliff edge: turning a challenge into an opportunity

Ever since the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Council approved the OECD’s Common Reporting Standard (CRS) in 2014, the international economic community has been gradually moving closer to a smoother and more transparent global exchange of financial account data. It is widely acknowledged that the CRS is long… – Continue reading

Tougher tax evasion penalties closer

Existing penalties aren’t enough to stop businesses using software to hide sales and reduce their tax, a federal government minister says. Kelly O’Dwyer says tougher penalties, including fines up to $1 million, will deter those who take part in the black economy. Legislation to create offences and introduce penalties for… – Continue reading

Facebook Facing Shareholder Scrutiny for Its Offshore Tax Avoidance

In recent months, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been hauled before lawmakers in the United States and the European Union to respond to criticism of the company’s privacy policies and sharing of user data. Now the company’s dodgy tax practices are facing increased scrutiny from an even more important source:… – Continue reading

Norway’s Parliament Rejects ‘Google Tax’ Proposal

Norway’s parliament, the Storting, has rejected a legislative proposal for the introduction of a tax on digital business models, labeled the “Google tax,” recommending instead that the Government explore the issue of digital taxation in partnership with the OECD. In rejecting the proposal, introduced by parliamentary commissioner Une Bastholm of… – Continue reading

Australian Government planning on digitally taxing Google and Facebook

The Australian federal government has proposed a tax on digital advertising that could raise up to $200 million each year but could have serious consequences for corporate Australia. Scott Morrison, Australia treasurer, mentioned in his budget speech that the $7 billion in sales from Australians to United States owned media… – Continue reading

‘Blacklist Over – But We Must Be Wary Of More Eu Pressure’

SENATOR Dion Foulkes yesterday forecast the country would soon face more pressures from the European Union and should be ready to act quickly to avoid further reputational damage. On Friday, Finance Minister K Peter Turnquest announced the Bahamas had been removed from the European Union’s “blacklist” of non-cooperative jurisdictions for… – Continue reading

Use Eu’s Demands To ‘Set Our Own Table’

The Bahamas must now focus on leveraging the European Union’s (EU) demands to “set our own table” and boost GDP growth and employment, a well-known attorney is urging. Michael Paton, also a former Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB) chairman, said this nation has the opportunity to design an “economic substance”… – Continue reading

Gov’t will ‘fight to ensure tax law is enacted as is’ — official

Cabinet will recommend delay in Parliament extraordinary session to allow more time for dialogue AMMAN — The government will use all its might to defend the income tax draft law as it is presented to the Lower House for approval, a government official said on Monday. “We will use all… – Continue reading

Chinese City to Utilise Blockchain to Fight Tax Evasion

Shenzhen’s tax authority has partnered with Chinese internet giant, Tencent, to combat tax evasions in the city. According to an announcement on Thursday, Tencent and the Shenzhen National Taxation Bureau have been jointly working towards setting up an innovation lab called ‘intelligent tax’, with an aim to introduce technological innovations… – Continue reading

China’s Hong Kong signs tax pact with Finland

HONG KONG, May 24 (Xinhua) — The government of China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Thursday signed a comprehensive avoidance of double taxation agreement (CDTA) with Finland, further expanding the HKSAR’s tax treaty network. The HKSAR government’s Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury James Lau and Consul-General… – Continue reading

Ownership Registry Is ‘Not Set In Stone’

Attorney General Carl Bethel QC. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff Legislation to create a central Beneficial Ownership Registry is “not set in stone”, the Attorney General has revealed, with the Government seeking “urgent” consultation on the issue. Carl Bethel QC, addressing a Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB)-sponsored seminar, said the… – Continue reading

West Africa Leaks: How Billions are Leaving Africa for Offshores

Multinationals, politicians, corporate moguls, and European consuls all used offshore companies and bank accounts to hide money and avoid taxes in West Africa, according to an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists released Tuesday. Senegal is one of the poorest countries in the world, but this didn’t stop… – Continue reading

What you need to know about buying Bitcoin from an offshore exchange

When it comes to cryptocurrencies, an area that is often overlooked is that of exchange control, and whether the acquisition or trading in cryptos may (even inadvertently) lead to a transgression under the exchange control regulations. According to Leon Rood, director at Werksmans Attorneys, while the South African Reserve Bank… – Continue reading

Tax Competitiveness in India: Changing Rules, Trends in Taxation

Ease of doing business and tax reforms are at the center of India’s growth agenda as the country pitches itself as the leading investment destination among global emerging markets. Yet, India’s tax competitiveness record remains mixed. At a time when the U.S., U.K., and Japan have slashed their corporate tax… – Continue reading

$1.745m Software Deal To Facilitate Tax Exchange

The Ministry of Finance has embraced a software solution from Vizor AEOI Software to help meet its automatic tax information exchange (AEOI) commitments. The Bahamas will use Vizor’s solution to meet its obligations under the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD)’s Common Reporting Standard (CRS), and its Foreign Account… – Continue reading

Bahamas Slips In Half OECD ‘Peer Review’ Criteria

The Bahamas slipped slightly in its latest OECD “peer review”, although it maintained its “largely compliant” ranking amid beneficial ownership and tax information exchange concerns. The just-released full Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) report, produced by its Global Forum on transparency and tax information exchange, showed The Bahamas… – Continue reading

Deloitte: Romania faces growing fiscal competition as 8 EU member states cut corporate tax rates since 2017

Romania will be able to count less on the low taxation advantage in order to attract investments due to growing competition, after eight EU member states have reduced their corporate tax rates since 2017, according to a study released by Deloitte Romania. “Even in the new context, the Romanian corporate… – Continue reading

Cabinet finalises income tax bill after ‘taking feedback into account’

AMMAN — The government on Monday endorsed the income tax draft law and said it will refer it to the Lower House on Tuesday to get it through constitutional channels towards enactment. Meanwhile, the government reasserted that it was earnestly carrying on with economic reforms according to schedule. During a… – Continue reading

Tax raids end in Madhya Pradesh, Bengaluru; Rs 100 crore tax evasion, 12 bogus companies detected

The searches which started at the locations pertaining to the Bhopal-based Asnani Group and its business associates have led to the disclosure of around Rs 100 crores undisclosed income. BHOPAL: Five day long searches at 30 premises related to a Madhya Pradesh-based real estate major and business associates in Bhopal,… – Continue reading

Jubilant Food Works Limited is not a PE of Domino’s Pizza International Franchising Inc: ITAT [Read Order]

In DCIT vs. M/s. Dominos Pizza International Franchising Inc., the Mumbai Bench of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal ( ITAT ) held that Jubilant Food Works Limited, who holds the Master Franchise for Domino’s Pizza in India is not a Permanent Establishment of the Domino’s Pizza International Franchising Inc. In… – Continue reading

Relying on tax incentives in SEZs may breed unhealthy competition: experts

Clear policies, investment-friendly business environments and streamlined government approval procedures are more important, experts say. Vietnam’s special economic zones (SEZs) should focus more on developing clear policies, fostering investment-friendly environment and streamlining government approval process instead of relying only on tax incentives, a conference heard Friday. Hoang The Long, former… – Continue reading

Bitfinex Now Wants Your Tax Information ‘In Case’ Authorities Ask For It

Bitfinex is a cryptocurrency exchange that is registered in the British Virgin Islands. The choice of location for the popular exchange is strategic for tax purposes. The British Virgin Islands are known to be tax havens for corporations that want to keep as much of their profits as possible. This… – Continue reading

FBR set to receive 50,000 cases of Pakistanis owning assets abroad

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s tax authorities have placed standardised software for receiving first batch of around 50,000 cases of Pakistanis owning assets and bank accounts abroad through automatic exchange portal from Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with effect from October 1. Top officials in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)… – Continue reading

EU to remove two Caribbean countries from blacklist of tax havens

BRUSSELS, Germany (CMC) — Two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries are likely to be removed from the European Union list of tax havens next week, when European finance ministers meet here. The Bahamas and St Kitts-Nevis had in the past strongly objected to be included in the list put out by… – Continue reading

Ghana Parliamentary Minority raises red flag over Double Taxation Agreements with four countries

The Minority in Parliament has raised concerns over government’s intention to approve Double Taxation Agreements with the Czech Republic, Morocco, Mauritius and Singapore which they claim were not in the interest of the country. According to the Minority, Ghana would not benefit from the deal since the level of investments… – Continue reading

IRS issues new advance pricing agreement template

The Internal Revenue Service has issued a new template that corporate taxpayers need to use when asking for an advance pricing agreement with the IRS. Advance pricing agreements are prior agreements between multinational companies and the IRS on the appropriate transfer pricing method to use for a given set of… – Continue reading

Singapore Legislates For IP Tax Concession Reform

Singapore has gazetted a law to repeal the income tax concession for intellectual property income derived by companies benefiting from the Pioneer Service Companies Incentive (PC-S) or the Development and Expansion Incentive (DEI) schemes. The removal of this tax concession was first announced in Singapore’s 2017 Budget at the same… – Continue reading

Banks given 15 days to share foreigners’ data with FBR under OECD obligations

KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has given a 15-day timeline to banks and brokerages to furnish financial data of foreign customers as the country signed in an international convention for information exchange to curb tax evasion, officials said on Wednesday. The officials said FBR directed financial institutions, including… – Continue reading

Wary Pak not acting against tax evading Chinese firm

Islamabad: Pakistan customs officials are reportedly reluctant to file a criminal case against a Chinese company for evading taxes due to what they described as “national interests”. According to the Express Tribune, sensitivities related to the over USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, is preventing customs from filing… – Continue reading

World Bank urges Uganda to improve taxation to finance development, sustain growth

KAMPALA, May 16 (Xinhua) — The World Bank in its new report has urged Uganda to improve its tax revenue if the east African country is to sustain economic growth. The Bank in its 11th Uganda Economic Update issued on Tuesday said while the economic growth has rebounded from 4.5… – Continue reading

Moon Orders Joint Probe Team on Offshore Tax Evasion

President Moon Jae-in has criticized tax evasion as an antisocial act that undermines social fairness and justice. He called on related agencies to form a joint investigation team and draft cooperative measures against attempts to evade tax through illegal concealment of assets overseas. Chairing a meeting with his top aides… – Continue reading