Category: Regulatory

New Zealand Law Foundation Report suggests accepting cryptocurrency

A recent report published by the New Zealand Law Foundation on regulating cryptocurrencies in New Zealand suggests the regulators of the country to start taking tax in crypto and trial a CBDC. The report, that is commissioned by the New Zealand Law Foundation and written by the University of Auckland… – Continue reading

Government mulls e-tax

The government is considering imposing taxes on companies’ digital revenue as a way of increasing public coffers by capitalising on the rapidly expanding digital commerce sector. Plans to establish a so-called ‘e-tax’ are in line with the government’s strategy to prepare for the fourth industrial revolution, said Aun Pornmonirath, Deputy… – Continue reading

German companies unconvinced by Brexit tax reduction promises: study

BERLIN, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) — German companies are highly sceptical that the British government can deliver on a promise to attract more business to Britain by lowering taxes after Brexit, a study published on Thursday by the Foundation for Family Business in Germany and Europe found. According to the study,… – Continue reading

IRS bank secrecy program has little impact on tax compliance

The Internal Revenue Service’s Bank Secrecy Act program, in which it is supposed to safeguard against money laundering, is having only a minimal impact on tax compliance, according to a new report. The report, from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, noted that the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting… – Continue reading

China to introduce more measures to facilitate foreign investment

BEIJING, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) — The Chinese government will roll out more measures to facilitate the delivery of major foreign-invested projects, lower tariffs on some imported goods and streamline customs clearance procedures at a faster pace, as was decided at the State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li… – Continue reading

IN UKRAINE A NUMBER OF TAXES IS TOO HIGH – EXPERT

In Ukraine in some areas taxes are too high, and entrepreneurs simply can’t pay, so toughen system of tracking defaulters only after tax cuts. Comments about this correspondent of ГолосUA said political analyst Nikolai Spiridonov. “In Ukraine, a number of taxes too high. Businesses simply can’t pay. And is double… – Continue reading

Confusion Over Bitcoin Taxation Leads to Poor Reporting of Gains and Losses

With Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies making huge sums of money for those adept at timing the market, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is keen to make sure it receives its cut of the profits. However, a lawyer from Morgan Lewis & Bockius states that many users do not realise… – Continue reading

IRS weighs easing tax-free spinoff rules

The Internal Revenue Service is considering relaxing the rules for companies to qualify for tax-free spinoffs — a shift that could benefit drugmakers and tech firms with promising early-stage products. The agency said Tuesday it’s looking into whether units should still be required to generate revenue before a spinoff from… – Continue reading

Advocacy Group Says EU’s Tax Haven Blacklist Is Failing

Tax havens are typically assumed to be islands in warm climates offering low tax rates for organizations looking for a lucrative loophole. But these “havens” are also sought after for opaque financial laws that can allow organizations to get away with illegal activity, like money laundering. Now, a new report… – Continue reading

The Hukou System in Shanghai: Benefits, Eligibility, and Application Process

Hukou (户口) is a system of household registration in China. Each citizen is issued a household register under supervision of the Ministry of Public Security, China’s police. Hukou serves as an identity proof for citizens, recording their basic information and permanent residence. The hukou registration also determines access to housing,… – Continue reading

NBI probe in Turku targets real estate firm, nabs third suspect

A large-scale police operation into money laundering appears to have targeted the Airiston Helmi real estate firm, led by a Russian man with Maltese citizenship. An exceptionally large police operation took place in southwest Finland this weekend, in what the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said was an extensive search… – Continue reading

Crypto Tax Rules Need Clarity, US Congress Tells Revenue Agency

The federal tax-collecting authority should update its virtual assets guidance because the lack of clarity creates uncertainty for citizens, Capitol Hill lawmakers said in an open letter. The US House of Representatives has urged the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to release a new, comprehensive version of its cryptocurrency guidance because… – Continue reading

Withholding Taxes – What, why, when?

The tax regime in Sri Lanka historically imposes WHT on both domestic as well as cross border payments. WHT on domestic payments eases revenue collection (e.g.: PAYE) while WHT on cross border payments are adopted by most countries to ensure that the fair share of tax is retained in the… – Continue reading

GST: E-commerce firms to collect 1% tax at source from October 1

Issue of multiple registration for foreign operators to be reviewed by panel NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 20 The Finance Ministry on Thursday notified that e-commerce operators shall collect an amount at the rate of one per cent as tax collected at source (TCS) under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on… – Continue reading

McDonald’s Luxembourg tax deal not illegal

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – McDonald’s tax deal with Luxembourg did not breach EU state aid rules, EU antitrust regulators ruled on Wednesday, saying the reason the US fast food chain did not pay some taxes was due to the mismatch between US and Luxembourg laws. The decision by the European Commission… – Continue reading

Kazakhstan ratifies protocol amending double taxation avoidance deal with Uzbekistan

President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev has signed the law on ratification of the protocol between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on avoidance of double taxation of incomes, the press service of the head of state reported Sept. 18. “The head of state has signed the law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On… – Continue reading

Investing in Guangdong Easier for Foreign Firms after New Incentives Announced

On September 13, South China’s Guangdong province announced a series of investment incentives and cost-cutting measures to offset the impact of the worsening trade war with the US. The measures, outlined in the Policy Measures for Expanding Opening-up and Using Foreign Investment, consist of a 10-point plan to attract foreign… – Continue reading

Don’t make extra income a tax time headache

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is increasing its efforts to identify taxpayers who fail to report all their income this tax time, as it strives to recover an annual tax shortfall of nearly $1.4 billion caused by individuals who leave income out of their return. “Tax lost from under-reported income… – Continue reading

Income Tax Exemption to Interest Income on Specified Offshore Rupee Denominated Bonds

The Finance Ministry, last day informed that the Government is planning to introduce income tax exemption to the interest income on the specified Offshore Rupee Denominated Bonds. “Legislative amendments in this regard shall be proposed in due course”, the Ministry said. Interest payable by an Indian company or a business… – Continue reading

Pharmaceutical giants named and shamed in tax avoidance investigation

Four pharmaceutical giants have been named and shamed for depriving Australia of $215 million a year in tax avoidance. Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD Australia), and Abbott – which make household name brands like Band Aid, Baby Oil, Centrum and ChapStick –were found to have unfairly… – Continue reading

Gibraltar enters Brexit negotiations

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is scheduled to meet with the European Union’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier to push for an annex addressing smuggling in the British territory, as well as cross-border workers and tax evasion. Gibraltar is also on the agenda. As for Gibraltar, however, Spain will reportedly not… – Continue reading

Inheritance tax avoidance investigations rise as HMRC cracks down on estate undervaluations

HM Revenue and Customs is increasingly targeting estates it believes have undervalued residential property to avoid Inheritance Tax bills, according to an accountancy firm. HMRC investigated 5,400 estates for underpayment of inheritance tax (IHT) last year. This is up 5% from 5,100 in the 2016/17 tax year. One in four… – Continue reading

China’s new income tax laws to bring ‘profound implications’

In June this year, the Chinese government announced much-anticipated revisions to the country’s individual income tax laws. KPMG Partner and Senior Advisor Michael Olesnicky says that these new revisions will likely have ‘profound implications’ within the wealth management community in Asia. Hubbis CEO Michael Stanhope recently spoke with him about… – Continue reading

Can the PHL fully participate in ASEAN Taxation Cooperation?

(Second of two parts) Embracing the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEoI), whether in the form of FATCA and/or CRS, affects stakeholders ranging from the government and businesses down to the ordinary consumers of financial products and services. As such, the uncertainties arising from the supposed implementation are definitely not in… – Continue reading

UPDATED: FCO CHALLENGES PREMIER’S OFFICE CLAIMS OF UK CRIME AGENCY CO-OPERATION

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is challenging Cayman’s claims of co-operation with the UK National Crime Agency. This, in response to a Premier’s Office statement issued Saturday (15 September) refuting claims from UK National Crime Agency Director Donald Toon that Cayman authorities are uncooperative and his agency “struggles” to get… – Continue reading

Hong Kong Banks Divulge Client Data

HONG KONG – The majority of Hong Kong financial institutions have divulged detailed data about their international clients for an international data swap. New media reports in Hong Kong indicate that approximately 1 700 financial institutions have submitted details about their clients for international information exchanges. The information exchanges are… – Continue reading

Brits living in SA must declare their offshore assets

The British High Commission has advised British citizens to report and pay their tax on foreign income and assets. In a media release, the Commission said as part of the British Government’s “Requirement to Correct” legislation UK taxpayers must make sure that all their foreign income and assets, where there… – Continue reading

Chasing tax evaders worldwide

Indonesia is set to join the global treaty on the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) on tax matters this month, and will then have virtually all the “high-caliber weapons” it needs to hunt down tax evaders — not just within the country but anywhere in the world, including tax-haven countries…. – Continue reading

Delhi HC upholds Income Tax Notices against Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Oscar Fernandes [Read Judgment]

The Delhi High Court, last day dismissed petitions by the Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Oscar Fernandes challenging the income tax notices sent to them in connection with the National Herald case. On 16 August, the high court had reserved its verdict on the pleas of… – Continue reading

India Resident Foreign Companies to Pay 40 Percent Tax: Latest POEM Guidelines

In June this year, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) came out with final clarifications regarding the rules on Place of Effective Management (POEM). POEM is an internationally recognized test for determining the residence of a company incorporated in a foreign jurisdiction with a view to assessing its tax… – Continue reading

Minister of Economic Development names factors that will make companies move to Russian offshores

The first companies to enter Russian offshores are those that face pressure on the part of foreign authorities, the Head of the Ministry of Economic Development believes. Also, the first residents of the Special Administrative Region (SAR) will be those that will not entail significant costs. The first residents of… – Continue reading

ASEAN taxation cooperation via automatic information exchange

IN 2015, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint 2025 was adopted as part of the ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together plan. This collaboration charts the broad trajectories of ASEAN economic integration from 2016 to 2025. It aims to strengthen and reinforce by 2025 these five AEC characteristics: 1. A highly… – Continue reading

PACAC Explains Why FG Turned Spotlight on Multinationals

The Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACAC) has explained why it is shifting the war against corruption in the country from politically exposed persons to multinationals. According to the Executive Secretary of PACAC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, Africa and indeed Nigeria losses more from Illicit Financial Flows (IFF) perpetrated by multinational… – Continue reading

Russian Finance Ministry Considering Abolishing VAT on Gold

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian Finance Ministry is considering complete abolition of value added tax (VAT) on gold, believing that this measure will help to return the capital worth tens of billions of rubles to the country, Deputy Finance Minister Alexey Moiseev told Sputnik on Thursday. “We receive appeals, including from… – Continue reading

Blockchain Startup Smart Valor Receives Approval To Operate In Switzerland

Blockchain startup Smart Valor has announced that it received approval to operate in the Swiss financial market. Based in Switzerland’s Crypto Valley, Smart Valor is a company building a decentralized marketplace for tokenized alternative investments. Its network is coordinated by a smart-contract-based governance model, which incentivizes each participant to contribute… – Continue reading

A Bird’s Eye View on General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation in European Law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union (EU). The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) superseded the UK Data Protection Act 1998 on May 25, 2018. Significant and wide-reaching in scope, the new… – Continue reading

Australia’s fugitive Chinese accounts frozen

The top story in the finance section on Tuesday morning is about the Chinese government’s hunt for hidden assets (and unpaid taxes) overseas. The article mentions Australia and New Zealand freezing accounts from customers who don’t identify if they are foreign taxpayers. It goes on to say many of the… – Continue reading

Sweden takes measures to tackle tax evasion, financial crimes

STOCKHOLM, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) — The Swedish government has proposed three new measurements to tackle aggressive tax planning, evasion and financial crimes, the Government Offices of Sweden said Tuesday. The proposals include increased international automatic information exchange, new possibilities for the Swedish Tax Agency to prevent financial crimes and tighter… – Continue reading

China Joins International Financial Data Exchange to Take on Tax Evasion

(Yicai Global) Sept. 5 — China’s tax authority will begin sharing residents’ financial investment data with around 100 countries this month in a bid to crack down on tax evasion. The State Administration of Taxation will begin exchanging data to learn more about what Chinese citizens are doing with their… – Continue reading

NBR’s transfer pricing cell remains ineffective for 5yrs

Transfer pricing cell of National Board of Revenue has remained nearly dysfunctional since its formation five years back due mainly to lack of logistic support, expert and dedicated manpower and propelling initiative of the tax authorities. The cell even could not conduct audit on any statement of international transactions of… – Continue reading

Australian PM Planning New SME Tax Changes

Australia’s new Prime Minister has said his Government is working on plans to help improve the tax competitiveness of small businesses. Former Treasurer and now Prime Minister Scott Morrison had been at the forefront of the Government’s two-year battle to pass a package of company tax cuts. He had sought… – Continue reading