Category: Statutory

China: New Rules Widen Taxation Of Indirect Transfers Of Chinese Assets And Clarify Tax Avoidance

The China State Administration of Taxation recently issued a notice extending the taxation of capital gains by non-Chinese tax residents arising from indirect transfers of Chinese assets. Where indirect transfers of equity in Chinese entities were already subject to capital gains tax based on Circular 698, Notice 7 now extends… – Continue reading

OECD Supports Swiss Tax Transparency Advances

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has welcomed Switzerland’s recent moves towards greater tax transparency, admitting the country to phase 2 of the peer review process. Jacques de Watteville, head of Switzerland’s State Secretariat for International Financial Matters, said: “We are delighted about this decision. It is the… – Continue reading

DMS Offshore Investment Services Expands International Tax Compliance Group

GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands, March 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — DMS Offshore Investment Services Ltd., (DMS) the world’s largest fund governance firm, is expanding its International Tax Compliance Group to better serve private investment funds in meeting their compliance obligations under various international tax initiatives worldwide. DMS announces the recent addition… – Continue reading

Northern Ireland corporation tax devolution backed

Giving Northern Ireland politicians the ability to set the province’s rates of corporation tax will help boost the private sector, a minister has said. Baroness Randerson said the move would allow Northern Ireland’s economy to be “rebalanced” away from over-reliance on the public sector. Her comments came as she introduced… – Continue reading

New Zealand Planning Response To BEPS

On March 13, 2015, New Zealand’s Minister of Revenue, Todd McClay, announced the Government’s tax policy work program for 2015/16, which includes key international tax reforms aimed primarily at countering base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS). In particular, the Government intends to focus on the following areas of reforms: •… – Continue reading

Use of charity tax reliefs could leave universities open to avoidance accusations, experts say

FOCUS: As charity trustees, university governing bodies have an overriding duty to act in the best interests of their institution. However, the HMRC’s hardening stance on tax planning and the current political climate could leave them treading a fine line between their desire to maximise revenue for the university’s purposes… – Continue reading

Doing business in NZ: taxation

New Zealand has a broad-based tax system consisting principally of: income tax fringe benefit tax resident and non-resident withholding tax (RWT and NRWT) goods and services tax (GST) Accident Compensation levies import tariffs and miscellaneous excise duties, and local authority rates on property. Stamp duty, gift duty and death duties… – Continue reading

Tax compliance is still a nightmare

Rules are tangled and dispute resolution is excruciatingly slow. The government’s trying but it’s a long haul As Asia’s third-largest economy, India is a major investment destination. However, in recent years, the unpredictable tax regime has has been a major stumbling block to its potential. According to a recent World… – Continue reading

Tax benefit: SEBI seeks modification in Budget proposals for offshore funds

NEW DELHI, MARCH 16: Market regulator SEBI has suggested certain changes to the conditions stipulated in the Finance Bill for extending beneficial tax treatment to offshore funds investing in India. To encourage fund managers of offshore funds to locate themselves in India, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had in his recent… – Continue reading

The UK must resist taking sides as the US and China fight for financial supremacy

Our ‘special relationship’ with the US gets forgotten when America looks at threats to the dollar’s dominance For a while now the phrase “special relationship” has sounded a touch desperate when spoken in a British accent and a tad condescending if uttered by an American. The lopsidedness of this transatlantic… – Continue reading

Rio Tinto says work to combat base erosion, profit shifting and tax avoidance could go too far and discriminate against multinational companies

Rio Tinto has warned that multinational companies could be discriminated against if moves to combat tax “base erosion and profit shifting” went too far. With Australia and the other 33 member nations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ramping up efforts to prevent multinational companies avoiding tax, Rio… – Continue reading

IFS 2020 – Ireland’s new strategy for International Financial Services

The Irish Government has launched its strategy for Ireland’s International Financial Services Sector for the next five years (IFS2020), which seeks to consolidate and grow Ireland’s position as the global location of choice for specialist international financial services (IFS). The strategy includes a comprehensive overview of the existing strengths of… – Continue reading

Doha poised to develop Islamic finance in the UK

Many Islamic financial institutions like Qatar Islamic Bank have caught up to their Western counterparts in terms of efficiency and technology and are targetting new clients abroad. Also, given Doha’s expertise in the sector and its close ties with the UK, Qatari banks are well positioned to tap into British… – Continue reading

double taxation european union investments latvia legislation oecd south korea

On 9 March 2015, the State Secretary of the Latvian Foreign Ministry, Andrejs Pildegovics, met with the members of the South Korean Parliament, Byun Jae Ill and Park Young-sun, who are visiting Latvia from 9 to 11 March in order to strengthen cooperation between the Latvian and South Korean Parliaments,… – Continue reading

Will There Be An Increase In State Transfer Pricing Audits?

Transactions between related entities are common and engaged in for both business and tax purposes. Management fees, factoring fees, loans, and other intercompany transactions can be beneficial from a tax planning standpoint, provided the transactions are properly structured and supported by adequate documentation, which often includes a transfer pricing study…. – Continue reading

Seychelles: Seychelles Company – Corporate Environment Summary

Seychelles is one of the most popular offshore jurisdiction, with favourable business regulations, a prosperous economy and a stable political situation. Seychelles IBC, is a limited liability company which conducts its trading and business outside the Seychelles and is intended for offshore activities. It takes up to 2 days to… – Continue reading

How India is striving to attract your company’s investment through transfer pricing measures

Following on from the Indian budget last month and various significant developments on the disputes scene, TPWeek thinks it is a good time to put together a Special Focus, bringing together its most recent reports. The Indian government is keen to promote a more investor-friendly environment in relation to corporate… – Continue reading

EAC told to weigh pros, cons of single income tax rates

East African member states have been advised to make critical assessment of single income tax rates. A law expert, Anatoly Nahayo said recently in Dar es Salaam after launching his book titled “East African Community Tax Harmonisation.” He said the move will ease allocation of capital shares within EAC member… – Continue reading

Narendra Modi To Visit Indian Ocean Island Nations In Bid To Counter China’s Influence

On Tuesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a tour of three of India’s island neighbors as part of a charm offensive intended at veering India’s neighbors away from China’s influence and to counter its ‘string of pearls’ strategy in the region. Modi will visit Seychelles, Mauritius and… – Continue reading

French real estate holdings through Luxembourg vehicles may need to be revisited, says expert

Structures for investments from overseas investors in French real estate that involve Luxembourg vehicles may need to be restructured if an expected change to the double tax treaty between France and Luxembourg takes effect, an expert has said.09 Mar 2015 Property tax Property Tax Structured real estate Specialist property investment… – Continue reading

Europe Central Bank inspectors investigating shadow lenders

The ECB needs to make sure it isn’t hiding any risky practices that could destabilise the system, reports Irish Times. Fresh from putting the squeeze on banks to behave themselves, regulators are scrutinising so-called shadow banks, alternative lenders such as investment funds doing big business out of countries like Ireland…. – Continue reading

GUEST COLUMN: Protect your investments

Many business owners have substantial personal assets invested in their business. This can have significant implications, not only for you and your business, but also for your family’s financial security. To protect your investment, both business and personal, your business strategy should include carefully structured tax-planning components to ensure you… – Continue reading

Income tax department to take closer look at bank accounts, property or stocks abroad

MUMBAI: Next time, you will think twice before opening a bank account in Jersey or buying a property in London — even if the transaction is legitimate. Everyone having accounts with offshore banks, or owning properties or stocks abroad will be soon asked a string of questions by the tax… – Continue reading

Foreign investors raise tax concerns with FM

Discuss issues related to applicability of minimum alternate tax and permanent establishment Foreign Investor on Saturday raised several tax-related issues with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at a meeting organised by the National Stock Exchange (NSE). According to sources, issues regarding applicability of minimum alternate tax (MAT) and permanent establishment (PEs)… – Continue reading

Vivienne Westwood accused of hypocrisy over offshore tax base

Vivienne Westwood’s donation of £300,000 to the Green Party sparks controversy over her company’s use of off-shore account She is probably Britain’s most influential — and definitely most controversial — fashion designer. So perhaps it was inevitable that when Dame Vivienne Westwood became the Green Party’s biggest supporter with a… – Continue reading

BBC star Jeremy Vine made his ten-year-old daughter a company shareholder to help lower his tax bill by channelling funds through private firm

BBC’s Jeremy Vine appears to have used daughter to avoid tax payments Daughter Martha, aged 10, is shareholder in Jelly Vine Productions The presenter has been funnelling cash through the limited company Controversial move highlights BBC practice of paying some presenters off the books using money from millions in earns… – Continue reading

More than 3,000 properties in Camden and Barnet held in secret offshore havens

New figures have revealed more than 3,000 properties in Camden and Barnet are registered in secret offshore havens – among the highest numbers in the capital. A leading anti-corruption charity released the data yesterday as it called on the government to implement tough new regulations to increase transparency over property… – Continue reading

India makes big strides: Pakistan seeks to follow new Swiss law on black money

India has made a major breakthrough with Swiss tax authorities, who have agreed to provide information in respect of cases independently investigated by IT department whereas first round of talks have reportedly taken place between Pakistan and Swiss government on revision of Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation agreement…. – Continue reading