Category: United Arab Emirates
FIA confirms getting list of 3,550 Pakistanis having properties in Dubai
KARACHI: Dubai’s famous construction company and developers, Emaar Properties, has issued lists, containing the names of 34,000 individuals, and 3,550 of them are Pakistanis. Most of them are living in Dubai or Pakistan currently, according to the addresses given in the list. FIA Director-General Bashir Memon told The News that… – Continue reading
Govt to serve notices to 300 Pakistanis owning properties in UAE: sources
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to issue notices to 300 Pakistani nationals who own properties in the United Arab Emirates, sources informed Geo News Saturday. The sources said that notices will be sent to individuals who own six or more properties in UAE. They will be inquired about their… – Continue reading
Dubai enables investors to start businesses from remote locations
Investors globally will now be able to start their business in Dubai without having to be in the UAE, following an agreement between Dubai Investment Development Agency (Dubai FDI), an agency of the Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai, and the US-based Alliance Business Centres Network (ABCN). The partnership… – Continue reading
Pak authorities trace 2,750 properties worth Rs4.2tr in Dubai
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani investigators with the cooperation of Dubai authorities have traced 2,750 overseas properties in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These overseas property empires were allegedly acquired by Pakistani nationals with illegal flight of capital and plunder of the hard-earned taxpayers’ money worth around Rs4,240 billion. Based on three intelligence… – Continue reading
Finance ministry task force given 15 days to figure out dirty money repatriation
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered the finance ministry task force established to pursue laundered Pakistani cash parked overseas to submit its recommendations within two weeks, Minister for Finance Asad Umar said on Monday. He said the government would first move against the Pakistani owners of $8 billion worth… – Continue reading
FBR says ‘bulk of declarations’ under tax amnesty received from Dubai
KARACHI: Dubai is the offshore destination of choice for Pakistanis to park untaxed money as bulk of funds against declaration of foreign assets under the amnesty scheme were received from the Emirates, a top tax official said on Saturday. “We will disclose more details regarding declarations of foreign assets on… – Continue reading
High net worth expats in UAE increasingly applying for second passport
High net worth residents in the UAE are increasingly applying for second passports to avail of maximum visa-free travel opportunities, expand businesses and avoid double taxation, experts have said. According to companies involved in citizenship programmes, most of the demand for second citizenship programmes is coming from Indians, Pakistanis, Syrians… – Continue reading
FBR lists 400 Pakistanis with investments in UAE real estate: sources
KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has listed 400 Pakistanis who own real estate in UAE, sources told Geo News Wednesday, after the revenue minister announced an investigation into the matter. Geo News broke the story on February 6, 2018, in which it reported that the Pakistani individuals have… – Continue reading
European Union removes UAE from tax haven blacklist
UAE was confident of swift removal from the tax haven list in 2018. The UAE, along with seven other countries, has been removed from the European Union’s list of Uncooperative Tax Havens as the country further enhanced its transparency in tax procedures. As a mark of strengthening ties with EU… – Continue reading
UAE Cabinet Approves Tax Deals With Croatia, Moldova
The United Arab Emirates Cabinet on January 7, 2018, approved two double tax agreements concluded by the territory in 2017 with Moldova and Croatia. Double tax agreements seek to facilitate trade and investment between two or more countries by setting out the taxing rights of the territories involved, to ensure… – Continue reading
The EU just put 3 Arab countries on a ‘blacklist’ of tax havens
Blacklisted nations may face sanctions. The European Union released its first-ever “blacklist” of global tax havens this week, including 17 territories, three of which are Arab countries. Deemed to fall short of EU tax standards, the United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, and Bahrain joined American Samoa, Barbados, Grenada, Guam, South Korea,… – Continue reading
Cooked in cheap oil? ‘Tax-free’ Gulf states to introduce VAT to revitalise economy
Gulf states are planning to introduce value-added tax starting next year following the hit faced by the energy-rice countries due to a drop in oil prices. Gulf states are planning to introduce value-added tax starting next year following the hit faced by the energy-rich countries due to a drop in… – Continue reading
Bizarre tax treaty could let the Guptas leave SA with billions: report
The Gupta family sought advice on how to move tens of billions of rands to the United Arab Emirates, revealing the enormous size of their empire, according to a report by the Sunday Times. The treaty which came into effect in March this year, stops the South African Revenue Service… – Continue reading
Pakistan yet to include UAE, Panama for exchanging financial data
KARACHI: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Friday issued a list of at least 88 countries, including tax haven Switzerland to automatically swap financial information of their citizens — but does not mention United Arab Emirates and Panama, the tax avoidance hubs for wealthy Pakistanis. The country will exchange financial… – Continue reading
UAE inks multilateral tax co-operation convention
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has signed an international tax agreement – Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters(MAC), which is now seen as the ‘gold standard’ for co-operation in tax administration. With this move, UAE has become the 109th jurisdiction to join the most powerful multilateral treaty… – Continue reading
VAT and CRS to add to costs and regulatory burden of banks
Value added tax is likely to be an irrecoverable cost, negatively affecting margins for the banking sector Dubai: The UAE and GCC banks that are facing increased regulatory burden from Basel III capital requirements and International Reporting Standards 9 (IFRS 9) are expected to face further pressure in terms of… – Continue reading
Dubai no longer a tax haven! Indians rush to hide undeclared wealth
Dubai,, till now considered a tax haven , has decided to share information of the bank accounts in the UAE with the Indian government starting next year. This has sent jitters among several Indians, who are rushing to hide their undeclared wealth stashed abroad. From January 2018, the UAE will… – Continue reading
Offshore tax evasion: compliance and penalties – part 1
Sometimes it can be hard to keep up with the avalanche of government announcements on tax avoidance and evasion. In the first of a two part series, Jason Collins, a member of the CIOT’s management of taxes sub-committee and partner at Pinsent Mason, provides an overview of the rapidly changing… – Continue reading
HSBC discloses tax evasion probes in India, other countries
Global banking giant HSBC has disclosed being probed by tax authorities in India and several other countries, including against its Swiss and Dubai units, for allegedly abetting tax evasion of four Indians and their families. Besides, the bank has been approached by the regulatory and law enforcement agencies of various… – Continue reading
Black money across the border: Why Pakistan’s elite are quivering as UAE demands tax information
According to unofficial estimates, more than $2 billion has flowed into Dubai real estate from Pakistanis every year for the past three years. Last week, account holders in a major UAE bank began receiving letters alerting them that soon they would be required to furnish information “with a view to… – Continue reading
Double taxation: Ecuador, Italy sign agreement to foster private investements
Ecuador signed an agreement with Italy to define the tax obligations of the citizens of the two countries, in order to avoid double taxation on income taxes and equity and prevent tax evasion, the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry said. “This protocol modifies the agreement signed in Ecuador and Italy in 1984… – Continue reading
Financial services firms prepare for CRS implementation
The UAE’s Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of the UAE are working with banks and other financial services companies in the country to prepare for the Common Reporting Standard (CRS), which will come into effect starting 2018. The CRS is a system developed by the Organisation for Economic… – Continue reading
Global fight against tax-evaders sets eyes on UAE
The United Arab Emirates’ tax-free perks could soon come to an end as the OECD group of wealthy nations lays down the pressure to tackle global tax-evaders. The Gulf state’s hesitation to sign up to a world treaty to assist in the exchange of information on tax evaders is a… – Continue reading
UAE, Argentina sign deal on double taxation
The UAE has signed an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation with Argentina with the aim of boosting expanding joint economic partnerships. The agreement was signed by Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, and visiting Argentina’s Vice President Gabriela Michetti, in the presence of Fernando… – Continue reading
Saudi joins talks on VAT, selective tax in GCC states
The Saudi Council of Ministers has authorized minister of finance or his deputy to discuss two draft uniform agreements on value added tax (VAT) and selective tax for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. The agreements shall be discussed within the framework of the GCC financial and economic committee, and sign… – Continue reading
Panama Papers: IT Department invokes tax treaties, sends 200 requests for data on Indians implicated
Officials said around 192 requests had been sent to a number of countries, while another dozen were being processed as part of their investigation. The Income Tax Department on Sunday said it had invoked several tax information treaties and made around 200 requests to collect banking- and finance-related evidence on… – Continue reading
Minister Of Finance Visits Kyoto, Japan – OECD BEPS Process And Tax Agreement United Arab Emirates
As part of the aim to sustainably meet the highest international standards in the tax field, the Minister of Finance Dr. Jose Jardim has joined the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting agenda of the OECD. In this context, the section with regard to the Common Reporting Standards concerning the automatic… – Continue reading
The Implementation of Automatic Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes Moves a Further Step Forwards in Singapore
On 9 May 2016, Singapore passed the Income Tax (Amendment No. 2) Act 2016 (Amendment Act). This is a first step towards the implementation of the Common Reporting Standards (CRS) developed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) into Singapore law. The legislation sets up the legal framework… – Continue reading
Government Joins Europe-Led Plan To Tackle Tax Evasion
The Indian government has signed up to a scheme to clamp down on tax evasion and corruption launched by Europe’s biggest nations, Britain’s government said on Wednesday. Signatories to the scheme – announced in April by Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain – undertake to give one another free access… – Continue reading
Chile seeks to eliminate double taxation with China
SANTIAGO, June 7 (Xinhua) — The Foreign Relations Committee of the Chilean Senate approved Monday legal proposals to eliminate double taxation with China and three other countries. Chile and China first signed an agreement over the matter on May 25, 2015 in Santiago. “China is our main trading partner and… – Continue reading
Iran To Launch Offshore Bank To Process International Payments
Iran is to launch an offshore bank on one of its Gulf islands “within a month”, according to a report by the official IRNA news agency, as it continues to seeks ways around restrictions on international payments. The bank will be set up on Kish Island, which has been developed… – Continue reading
Will new tax treaty with Mauritius turn India into a fund management hub?
The new tax treaty between India and Mauritius may achieve what last year’s budget tried to do, albeit unsuccessfully—encourage offshore fund managers to relocate to India, in the process making the country a fund management hub, much like London, Dubai or Singapore. With the new agreement restoring parity between domestic… – Continue reading
Greater transparency significant change for UAE-based multinationals: KPMG
Dubai: UAE-based multinationals will start to feel the impact of the OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) proposals that come into effect this year, a KPMG seminar on international tax developments has revealed. The BEPS proposals are focused on mitigating tax planning strategies that exploit gaps and mismatches in… – Continue reading
UAE – Jersey trade relations: from a tax haven to taxonomy
As with any offshore financial centre, secrecy has been synonymous with the Channel Islands of Jersey. But the reason for the strong relations between the self-governing British dependency and the United Arab Emirates – still not known to many – is not confidentiality alone. It has not been so long… – Continue reading
UAE, UK ink deal on avoidance of double taxation
The agreement enhances the depth of the bilateral relations between UAE and UK. UAE, represented by the Ministry of Finance, or MoF, signed an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation with the United Kingdom, on Tuesday. The agreement aims to enhance the economic and trade relations between the two… – Continue reading
UAE, Jordan in tie-up to avoid double taxation
ABU DHABI: UAE, represented by the Ministry of Finance (MoF), recently signed an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation and tax evasion on income with Jordan. The agreement aims to enhance joint cooperation in economic and tax fields, and encourage investment activities and trade exchange between both countries. The… – Continue reading
The Panama Papers And FATCA – Another Cover Up?
Tax avoidance on a grand scale is nothing new – the US President Barak Obama has led the way in tackling the issue head on with the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) since 2010. FATCA demands non-American financial institutions should hand over details about accounts and investments controlled by… – Continue reading
ICRC used to conceal offshore account beneficiaries
The Swiss-run humanitarian organisation International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has allegedly been used without its knowledge to mask the true beneficiaries of offshore accounts whose details were leaked in the Panama Papers. According to revelations by the Swiss papers Le Matin Dimanche and SonntagsZeitung on Sunday, the ICRC… – Continue reading
UAE, Finland sign agreement on exchange of information for tax purposes
ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Finland have signed an agreement on the exchange of information for tax purposes between the two countries. The agreement was signed by Younis Haji Al Khoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, MoF, and Riitta Swan, Ambassador of Finland to… – Continue reading
OECD launches common reporting standard
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has launched the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) also known as the common reporting standard (CRS) – a globally co-ordinated approach to disclosure of account information between tax authorities. It follows on from several country’s successful implementation of the US Fatca regulations… – Continue reading
Singapore-UAE Tax Treaty Improved
The second Protocol to the double tax agreement between Singapore and the United Arab Emirates entered into force March 16, 2016, and will become effective from January 1, 2017, lowering withholding tax rates and amending permanent establishment rules. The protocol, which was signed in October 2014, revises the terms to… – Continue reading
Budget 2016: 9% tax rate regime for India’s first International Financial Centre
The pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi – the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) – housed in the Gujarat International Finance Tec City – has received a boost in the Union Budget 2016/17. The long pending tax issue has been decided with 9 per cent minimum alternate tax (MAT),… – Continue reading
Rwanda: Revenue Body Warns Consultants Against Encouraging Tax Evasion
The Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) has warned tax consultants who mislead or encourage clients to evade taxes, saying they will be apprehended and punished according to the law. The tax body said there are some consultants encouraging taxpayers to under declare their returns, manipulate systems, or even default altogether. Richard… – Continue reading
5 years imprisonment and fine of $250,000 for FATCA law evaders: USFAAF
Deputy head of the US Financial Advisory and Audit Firm (USFAAF) Jim O’Neill said US citizens and green card holders in Egypt and Arab countries are obligated to comply with the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, commonly known as FACTA, to avoid paying fines or imprisonment. According to O’Neill,… – Continue reading
Wind of Change: IMF Chief Calls For New International Taxation System
Governments globally should take steps to adjust taxation systems to close loopholes allowing multinational corporations to avoid paying taxes in countries of their origin, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde said on Monday. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The IMF chief said taxation allows governments to mobilize their revenues. She… – Continue reading
India’s Axis Bank seeks Gulf expansion with branch in Sharjah
Axis Bank, India’s third-largest private bank by assets, is aiming to open branches in Sharjah and Bahrain by March next year as part of plans of increasing its presence in the Arabian Gulf region, a senior executive said. Axis Bank has nine overseas offices: branches at Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai-DIFC,… – Continue reading
India – A tax haven
To search for a tax haven to free yourself from tax burden, you need not have to go to Bermuda, Isle of Man, Cayman Islands, Dubai, Switzerland, Mauritius or any other country. It is just right here in India where we are living, hidden in various sections of our Income… – Continue reading
Pakistanis welcome tax exemption
ABU DHABI // Pakistani expatriates have been reassured that new taxation laws will not apply to them. Anti-corruption campaign group Transparency International (TI) said Pakistanis residing in the UAE need not worry about double taxation laws. Syed Gilani, former chairman of TI, said that Pakistani laws state that anyone working… – Continue reading
Kenya: Treasury Defends Controversial Mauritius Tax Agreement
Treasury is still fighting to keep a tax agreement out of parliament after a lobby group sued them over a pact it signed with Mauritius back in 2012. The double taxation avoidance agreement allows firms registered in the two countries to pay taxes in only one country. It also allows… – Continue reading
