OECD’s head of tax policy says protectionist measures by national governments had to be avoided The risk of protectionist tax measures being taken by national governments has abated as a result of the OECD’s Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (Beps) project, a key official has told a conference in Dublin…. – Continue reading
Multinational companies operating in Europe will have to publicly disclose their earnings and the tax paid in each European country if new measures being proposed by the European Commission come into force, The Guardian has reported. The Commission will propose new legislation in April that makes profit and tax information… – Continue reading
Journalist Steve Topple investigates Bermuda-based big business tax avoidance and its links with UK political parties – and even some charities LAST WEEK saw the news emerge that everyone’s favourite search engine, Google, only had to pay £97m in back-tax (not the “major success” of £130m as was first reported)… – Continue reading
Senegal on February 4 signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, becoming the 93rd jurisdiction to sign the document, and the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement for the automatic exchange of Country-by-Country reports, becoming the 32nd signatory to that agreement, the OECD has announced. The Multilateral Convention… – Continue reading
The OECD’s final reports on the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Project aim to target aggressive tax planning strategies which have the effect of shifting profits from high tax jurisdictions to low tax jurisdictions. The BEPS Project has been divided into 15 Actions, of which one of the most… – Continue reading
At least this is the goal – member states safeguarding their social models by preventing trans-border operating multinational companies from avoiding “their fair share” of the tax burden. According to the European Commission, small and medium-sized enterprises in the EU pay 30% higher tax burden than large multinational companies. With… – Continue reading
Many serious reforms have been implemented, and very strong Federal political will, together with strong state-based political consensus, will be needed for any further tax reform in 2016. Over the last couple of years, there has been a lot of talk about tax reform, notably base erosion profit shifting (BEPS)… – Continue reading
McDonald’s Australia was able to more than halve its tax bill last year after routing payments via the low-tax nation of Singapore. Each year McDonald’s reduces its profit, and thus its local tax bill, by paying McDonald’s Asia Pacific based in Singapore, and registered in Delaware, a “service fee” amounting… – Continue reading
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service on Tuesday announced that, starting February 16, its Advance Pricing and Mutual Agreement office will begin accepting requests for bilateral advance pricing agreements between the U.S. and India. This marks a big step forward to ensure tax certainty between the two countries, according to experts…. – Continue reading
JOHANNESBURG – A data sharing agreement signed by 31 countries – including South Africa – in a bid to enhance transparency by multinational enterprises, is unlikely to have an immediate impact on mining companies. Through the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on the Exchange of Country-by-Country Reporting, signed by members of… – Continue reading
The debate about corporation tax intensifies. Is the tax on profit no longer viable now that the global nature of modern business is making it ever harder for individual governments to enforce? Director asks two business leaders, has globalisation made corporation tax redundant? Yes, says Stephen Herring, head of taxation… – Continue reading
Finance minister will commission an impact assessment on on how a proposed package by the European Commission to clamp down on aggressive tax planning will impact Malta’s economy Malta will resist any attempt by the European Commission to reduce sovereignty over its own fiscal affairs, finance minister Edward Scicluna pledged…. – Continue reading
Radical changes to business taxation may be necessary to reduce large multinationals’ ability to avoid levies, a respected economic think tank has indicated. In the wake of the row over Google’s deal with HM Revenue and Customs, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) suggested a shake-up of the corporation tax… – Continue reading
The EU’s anti-base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) proposals could have consequences for captives in Europe, as politicians pinpoint reinsurance arrangements as a means of unfair tax avoidance. The European Commission introduced a range of anti-tax avoidance proposals on 28 January, following the release of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation… – Continue reading
Despite the anticipated tsunami of tax disputes generated by underlying tensions in international taxation, there is reason for hope that appropriate means are being developed to address them efficiently and effectively. Multinational enterprises (MNEs) should be addressing their existing international taxation planning structures in light of coming changes in international… – Continue reading
The European Parliamentary Research Service has estimated that corporate tax-dodging costs the EU between $54.5 billion and $76.4 billion a year. The European Commission has proposed a package of measures to clamp down on corporate tax avoiders that would close a loophole companies have used to shift profits to low-tax… – Continue reading
The Italian Patent Box regime largely complies with the OECD recommendations to prevent base erosion and profit shifting. Its non-compliant features offer a brief window of opportunity for companies able to take swift advantage of its wide range of qualifying intangible assets. Many countries have implemented specific IP regimes through… – Continue reading
Australia is one of 31 countries to sign an agreement in Paris to confidentially share tax information on multinational companies in a bid to stamp out tax avoidance. The deal comes as Apple has taken advantage of accounting rules in its local business that could allow it to pay virtually… – Continue reading
Today’s proposals aim for a coordinated EU wide response to corporate tax avoidance, following global standards developed by the OECD last autumn. New rules are needed to align the tax laws in all 28 EU countries in order to fight aggressive tax practices by large companies efficiently and effectively. The… – Continue reading
x The government plans to exchange financial information on multinational firms doing business here with members of the OECD and G20 countries in order to make them pay appropriate taxes to countries where profits are generated, officials said Thursday. The Ministry of Strategy and Finance said that it will follow… – Continue reading
The South African Revenue Service (Sars) has published additional record-keeping requirements for large multi-national companies which they will have to comply with in future. Many companies have already included some of the required information in their transfer pricing documentation and on their annual tax returns, but there seems to be… – Continue reading
Australia must not be blown off course from getting a company tax rate closer to 20 per cent. Corporate tax transparency figures released in December by the Australian Taxation Office should not slow momentum. For the first time, the ATO reported the tax affairs of companies with total incomes of… – Continue reading
In an effort to provide their tax administrations with more tools to combat corporate tax avoidance through transfer pricing, officials from 31 countries today signed an agreement setting out the parameters for automatic exchange of country-by-country reports on large multinational corporations. The agreement — the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on… – Continue reading
NEW DELHI, JANUARY 26:Ministers and top tax officials from more than 30 countries including India will sign an international agreement on Wednesday to significantly advance the fight against corporate tax avoidance. This agreement – Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) – will be signed at the OECD in Paris, sources said…. – Continue reading
Ireland will be forced to ban many of the tax advantages it offers multinationals under proposals to be published by the European Commission tomorrow. This is the first step in an effort to have all EU countries introduce similar tax rules to prevent companies in the 28 member states avoiding… – Continue reading
NEW DELHI, JANUARY 26:A majority of Indian multinationals see the implementation of base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) project of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development leading to increase in double taxation and compliance burden for them, an India-specific BEPS survey by Deloitte India has revealed. This is interesting… – Continue reading
NEW DELHI, JAN 25: A majority of Indian multinationals see the implementation of OECD’s BEPS project leading to increase in double taxation and compliance burden for them, an India-specific BEPS survey by Deloitte India has revealed. This is interesting given that one of the objectives of OECD’s Action Plan on Base… – Continue reading
On 5th October 2015, the OECD released its final reports setting out the action plan on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project, thus concluding the two year project which started at the behest of G20 countries in 2013. The reports are aimed at suggesting the measures to reform the… – Continue reading
A vast majority of tax directors working for multinational corporations located in Belgium fear that the base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) project will lead to higher administrative charges, a survey of over 800 tax directors across Europe has revealed. According to Deloitte’s European Tax Survey, 85 percent of the… – Continue reading
The Gulf countries’ proposed 5% value added tax (VAT) may translate as more than a 10% hit on net income, unless tax efficiencies are improved, according to Ernst and Young (EY). “A 5% rate may not sound like a lot, but if it ends up as an additional cost on… – Continue reading
India to change laws in Union Budget to make country-by-country reporting mandatory for Indian multinationals New Delhi: India will change laws in the upcoming budget to make country-by-country reporting mandatory for Indian multinationals to ensure they follow so-called base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) guidelines. The norms were announced in… – Continue reading
Tax dodging by the super-rich is one of the main drivers of global income inequality and must be sharply curtailed, according to a new report from the global nonprofit Oxfam. Citing research by Berkeley economist Gabriel Zucman — a protégé of Thomas Piketty, author of the global bestseller on inequality,… – Continue reading
Ireland’s insistence that it is not a tax haven and that in fact other EU countries have tax regimes that facilitate tax dodging by multinationals will be borne out by a study to be released next week. But while this will be good news to Finance Minister Michael Noonan a… – Continue reading
FOCUS: Major infrastructure projects and other purely commercial transactions could suffer collateral damage from proposals to reform the international tax system and prevent avoidance by multinationals. Rising tax costs could put additional strain on the viability of key projects. Infrastructure projects are capital intensive and often have a high level… – Continue reading
Budget to implement some of OECD’s standards on profit-shifting NEW DELHI, JANUARY 21:Large multinational enterprises (MNEs) may be required post-Budget to furnish to Indian tax authorities information on their global incomes and taxes. This move — a fallout of India agreeing to OECD’s Action Plan on Base Erosion and Profit… – Continue reading
As from 1 January 2016, new rules have become effective in the Netherlands that require multinational enterprises (“MNEs“) to comply with new transfer pricing documentation requirements, including the obligation to prepare a Country-by-Country Report (“CbC Report“), a Master File and a Local File. These rules essentially implement Action 13 of… – Continue reading
Budget to implement some of OECD’s standards on profit-shifting NEW DELHI, JANUARY 21: Large multinational enterprises (MNEs) may be required post-Budget to furnish to Indian tax authorities information on their global incomes and taxes. This move — a fallout of India agreeing to OECD’s Action Plan on Base Erosion and… – Continue reading
MUMBAI: In what could lead to an increase in domestic tax liabilities of many Indian conglomerates and multinationals, the government is set to introduce a framework for Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), a global agreement to check tax avoidance by multinationals, in the upcoming Budget. Industry sources expect the… – Continue reading
Plans to restrict the generous tax treatment of interest costs — a key aspect of Britain’s business-friendly taxation regime — are unnecessary and potentially damaging, companies have told the Treasury. Professional bodies and business groups are voicing fears about the restrictions that are set to be introduced as part of… – Continue reading
The Financial Services Council has proposed a new tax package calling for company tax to be cut to 22% from its current 30%. The industry body also wants to see “lower, flatter, indexed” income tax rates. The FSC said its tax reform package is designed to “grow the economy and… – Continue reading
NEW DELHI: Indian businesses are anticipating a “more aggressive” stance by tax authorities as their tax arrangements come under greater scrutiny, says a survey. The findings are part of leading consultancy Deloitte India’s BEPS (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting) survey titled ‘Anticipating BEPS India impact’. Indian businesses are anticipating a… – Continue reading
The introduction of government measures to clamp down on tax avoidance could cost the UK development sector as much as £600m, according to a new study Plans to restrict the tax deductibility could harm investment in debt-reliant industries, the British Property Federation (BPF) warned. Despite supporting the initiative, the BPF… – Continue reading
The Netherlands will prioritize action against corporate tax avoidance during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union, from now until the end of June. In a report detailing its plans for its six-month term, the Dutch Government said: “The Netherlands Presidency will prioritize action against tax evasion and… – Continue reading
UK property companies are seeking changes to the proposed implementation of a global agreement to fight tax avoidance that is set to add £660m to their annual tax bill. Private equity and infrastructure companies are also among those groups facing additional payments under OECD rules on base erosion and profit… – Continue reading
ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Bloomberg BNA today announced the publication of the Daily Tax Report’s 2016 Outlook on tax and accounting policy. Dozens of policy experts, along with current and former members of Congress, congressional staffers and federal agency officials provided insights on the year ahead regarding… – Continue reading
Last year Jersey cemented its position as a leading centre for companies looking to list – as reflected in the rise in volume and value of Jersey companies listed on exchanges around the world. Here are some challenges that lie ahead in this jurisdiction over the next 12 months. In… – Continue reading
Reforms to corporate tax rules and fiscal transparency will be pursued by EU policy makers in 2016, the EU’s tax commissioner Pierre Moscovici has said. “We have a serious problem with tax avoidance and lack of transparency. Too many people have looked the other way,” Moscovici said. Moscovici told a… – Continue reading
The Ministry of Finance on 21 December 2015 released for public comment a proposal to revise the transfer pricing documentation rules and introduce country-by-country (CbC) reporting. The proposal—released as a draft bill—includes CbC reporting, master file and local file requirements, and penalty provisions, and generally follows the recommendations of the… – Continue reading
Information will feed into relaunch of the revised common consolidated corporate tax base The European Commission has received more than 170 submissions on its proposal for a revised common consolidated corporate tax base (CCCTB) ahead of its re-launch later this year. The closing date for the commission’s three-month public consultation… – Continue reading
NEW DELHI:The Narendra Modi government, which has pledged a predictable and non-adversarial tax regime, is likely to begin a sweeping revamp of direct taxes in the Budget that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will present next month. Simplification and rationalisation will be the two themes driving the overhaul, which is aimed… – Continue reading
