Forum on Harmful Tax Practices – Peer Review Results Inclusive Framework on BEPS Action 5 (update August 2021): potentially harmful features Sint Maarten tax exempt company regime “in the process of being eliminated” (Sint Maarten)

At its April 2021 meeting, the Forum on Harmful Tax Practices (FHTP) updated conclusions for 18 preferential tax regimes. The Inclusive Framework on BEPS approved these results on 7 June 2021, according to the document “Harmful Tax Practices – Peer Review Results Inclusive Framework on BEPS: Action 5 Update (as of August 2021)”. Progress continues in combatting harmful tax practices as new outcomes on the review of preferential tax regimes have been approved ...

Barbados joins agreement to address the tax challenges arising from the digitalisation of the economy

Barbados has joined the two-pillar plan to reform the international taxation rules and ensure that multinational enterprises pay a fair share of tax wherever they operate, bringing to 133 the total number of jurisdictions participating in the agreement. The Statement, released on the 1st of July 2021 and agreed by Barbados today, establishes a new proposal for international tax reform based on a two-pillar package. This has been announced on the website ...

Making tax dispute resolution more effective: New peer review assessments for (inter alia) Argentina, Chile and Colombia

Under BEPS Action 14, jurisdictions have committed to implement a minimum standard to improve the resolution of tax-related disputes between jurisdictions. Despite the significant disruption caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the necessity to hold all meetings virtually, work has continued with the release today of the Stage 2 peer review monitoring reports for Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, India, Latvia, Lithuania and South Africa. This has been announced on ...

New OECD data highlights the importance of the international tax reform discussions

New data underline the importance of the two-pillar plan being advanced by over 130 members of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS to reform international taxation rules and ensure that multinational enterprises pay a fair share of tax wherever they operate. The data, released in the OECD's annual Corporate Tax Statistics publication, shows the importance of the corporate tax as a source of government revenues, while also pointing to evidence of ...

OECD updates transfer pricing country profiles to include new fields on financial transactions and permanent establishments

The OECD has published updated transfer pricing country profiles, reflecting the current transfer pricing legislation and practices of 20 jurisdictions. These updated profiles also contain new information on countries' legislation and practices regarding the transfer pricing treatment of financial transactions and the application of the Authorised OECD Approach (AOA) to attribute profits to permanent establishments. This has been announced on the website of the OECD. Furthermore from the OECD-website: The transfer ...

Progress towards a fairer global tax system continues as additional countries bring their preferential tax regimes in line with international standards

Progress continues in combatting harmful tax practices as new outcomes on the review of preferential tax regimes have been approved by the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS, which groups 139 countries and jurisdictions on an equal footing for multilateral negotiation of international tax rules. This has been announced on the website of the OECD. Furthermore from the OECD-website: At its April 2021 meeting, the Forum on Harmful Tax Practices (FHTP) took new ...

Forum on Tax Administration: Towards Sustainable Remote Working in a Post-COVID-19 Environment

On 19 July 2021, the report of the Forum on Tax Administration ‘Towards Sustainable Remote Working in a Post-COVID-19 Environment’ was published. This has been announced on the website of the OECD. Furthermore from the OECD-website: The COVID-19 pandemic saw a significant shift among most tax administrations to remote working by many of their staff. As tax administrations consider the shape of the workplace post-pandemic, many are examining the options ...

First edition of Tax Transparency in Latin America report outlines growing role of tax transparency and exchange of information in helping Latin American governments fight financial crimes and mobilise resources

On 12 July 2021, the report Tax Transparency in Latin America 2021 was published. The report is a key output of the Punta del Este Declaration, a Latin American initiative to tackle tax evasion, corruption and other financial crimes through transparency and exchange of information (EOI) for tax purposes. This has been announced with a press release on the website of the OECD. Furthermore from the press release: The report analyses the ...

New toolkit to strengthen Value Added Taxes on e-commerce in Latin America and the Caribbean

The surge in e-commerce following the COVID-19 outbreak has emphasized the importance of applying Value Added Tax (VAT) effectively to digital trade. A new toolkit released on Wednesday June 23rd offers timely and valuable assistance to tax authorities in the Latin America and the Caribbean region for the effective collection of VAT revenues from e-commerce activities. This has been announced with a press release on the website of the OECD ...

OECD publishes international exchange framework and optional module for Model Reporting Rules for Digital Platforms

On 22 June 2021, the OECD published a report regarding international exchange framework and optional module for Model Reporting Rules for Digital Platforms: “Model Reporting Rules for Digital Platforms: International Exchange Framework and Optional Module for Sale of Goods”. Click here to go to the publication on the website of the OECD. The Model Rules for Reporting by Platform Operators with respect to Sellers in the Sharing and Gig Economy ("Model Reporting ...

Heads of tax crime investigation welcome new OECD report on fighting tax crimes

At their meeting on June 17th, 2021, heads of tax crime investigation from 44 countries welcomed the launch of a new edition Fighting Tax Crime – The Ten Global Principles, Second Edition, published 17 June 2021 of the groundbreaking global reference guide setting out the ten core requirements for jurisdictions to be able to effectively tackle tax crime while ensuring that taxpayers' rights are respected. This has been announced with ...

Public comments received on proposed changes to Commentaries in the OECD Model Tax Convention on Article 9 and on related articles

As part of the ongoing work of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS, the OECD secretariat on 29 March 2021 invited public comments on proposed changes to the commentaries on Article 9 and related articles of the OECD Model Tax Convention. The OECD is grateful to commentators for their input and has published the comments received. This has been announced with a press release on the website of the OECD ...

OECD supports developing countries in the time of COVID-19

On 19 May 2021, the OECD released a new report – Tax Co-operation for Development: Progress report in the COVID-19 era – looking back on the past year showing how developing countries have interacted with the OECD on a range of tax policy and administration issues. These include participating in the development and implementation of inclusive international standards; country-level capacity building programmes delivered through a variety of platforms and modalities; guidance and ...

Conference of the Parties to the MLI approve an opinion on interpretation and implementation

On 3 May 2021, the Conference of the Parties to the Multilateral Instrument (MLI) approved an opinion that sets out a series of guiding principles for addressing questions about the interpretation and implementation of the MLI. Those principles, discussed and approved by the Conference of the Parties to the MLI, were drawn from public international law, the design of the MLI itself, and its drafting history. This has been announced with a ...

Inheritance, estate and gift taxes could play a stronger role in addressing inequality and improving public finances

Inheritance taxation can be an important instrument to address inequality, particularly in the current context of persistently high wealth inequality and new pressures on public finances linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new OECD report: Inheritance Taxation in OECD Countries. This has been announced with a press release on the website of the OECD on the occasion of the release of the report. Furthermore from the press release ...

OECD and CREDAF renew partnership to strengthen tax co-operation

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Cercle de réflexion et d’échange des dirigeants des administrations fiscales (CREDAF) signed a renewal of their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreeing to extend their collaboration in promoting fair and efficient tax systems and enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of tax administrations for a further three years. This has been announced with a press release on the website of the OECD. Furthermore from ...

Platform for Collaboration on Tax launches Tax Treaty Negotiations Toolkit

The Platform for Collaboration on Tax (PCT) – a joint initiative of the IMF, OECD, UN and World Bank Group – released the final version of the ‘Toolkit on Tax Treaty Negotiations’ along with its web-based, interactive edition. This has been announced with a press release on the website of the OECD. Furthermore from the press release: The PCT's Toolkit on Tax Treaty Negotiations is an effort to provide capacity-building support to ...

OECD agrees new peer review process to foster transparency on tax rulings

In order to maintain and further improve transparency on tax rulings, the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS, which groups over 135 countries and jurisdictions on an equal footing for multilateral negotiation of international tax rules, approved the process for the BEPS Action 5 peer review of the transparency framework for the years 2021 to 2025. This has been announced by the OECD with a press release dated 22 February 2021 ...

OECD calls on countries to crack down on the professionals enabling tax and white collar crimes

Countries should increase efforts to better deter, detect and disrupt the activities of professionals who enable tax evasion and other financial crimes, according to a new OECD report “Ending the Shell Game: Cracking down on the Professionals who enable Tax and White Collar Crimes”. This has been announced by the OECD with a press release dated 25 February 2021 on the occasion of the release of the peer review reports ...

New report highlights successful delivery of Global Forum Secretariat’s capacity-building activities during challenging year

On 17 February 2021, the 2021 Global Forum capacity building report has been published, setting out the large amount of support activities conducted by the Global Forum. Despite challenging conditions, the Global Forum Secretariat ensured the continuity of its capacity-building programme in 2020, while increasing its support to jurisdictions. This has been announced by the OECD with a press release dated 17 February 2021 on the occasion of the release of the ...

OECD releases the final batch of the stage 1 peer review reports for BEPS Action 14 on dispute resolution mechanisms

On 16 February 2021 the OECD released the final batch of the stage 1 peer review reports for BEPS Action 14 on dispute resolution mechanisms. The stage 1 peer review assessments for Aruba, Bahrain, Barbados, Gibraltar, Greenland, Kazakhstan, Oman, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates and Viet Nam evaluate the efforts made by each jurisdiction to implement the Action 14 minimum standard of the OECD/G20 BEPS Project, which aims to improve the resolution of tax-related disputes between jurisdictions ...

Stage 1 peer review report on dispute resolution released by OECD: overall Aruba meets the majority of the elements of the Action 14 Minimum Standard and where it has deficiencies, Aruba is working to address some of them

On 16 February 2021 the OECD released the final batch of the stage 1 peer review reports for BEPS Action 14 on dispute resolution mechanisms, including the stage 1 peer review assessment for Aruba. This has been announced by the OECD with a press release dated 16 February 2021 on the occasion of the release of the peer review reports. The reports evaluate the efforts made by each jurisdiction to implement ...

Platform for Collaboration on Tax’s new toolkit helps countries implement effective transfer pricing documentation requirements

The Platform for Collaboration on Tax (PCT) – a joint initiative of IMF, OECD, UN and the World Bank – has released the final version of the Practical Toolkit to Support the Successful Implementation by Developing Countries of Effective Transfer Pricing Documentation Requirements. The release of the report has been announced by the OECD with a press release dated 19 January 2021. Furthermore from the press release: The PCT's new toolkit ...

Global Forum Secretariat delivers new toolkit to help countries become Party to the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters

The COVID-19 crisis has brought renewed attention to the role and importance of multilateral co-operation in combating tax evasion and helping fiscal consolidation. In line with its mandate to deliver technical assistance and support capacity building, the Secretariat of the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes (the Global Forum) has now produced a Toolkit for Becoming a Party to the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in ...

Progress Report 2020 of the Platform for Collaboration on Tax published

On 10 July 2020, the Platform for Collaboration on Tax (PCT) – a joint initiative of the IMF, OECD, UN and the World Bank – published its Progress Report 2020. The report gives a snapshot of the world's four leading multilateral organisations' co-operation in the area of domestic resource mobilisation (DRM), including in their responses to COVID-19. This was announced in a press release dated 10 July 2020 on the ...

OECD presents international tax update to G20 Finance Ministers

The OECD Secretary-General Tax Report (July 2020) has been presented to the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors. The report has been posted on the website of the OECD. From the overview in the report (page 4 and further): “In responding to this crisis, the tax agenda is more relevant than ever. First, fiscal measures – in particular tax-related measures – have played and will continue to play a ...

The Platform for Collaboration on Tax invites public comments on the draft Toolkit on Tax Treaty Negotiations

The Platform for Collaboration on Tax (PCT) – a joint initiative of the IMF, OECD, UN and World Bank Group – is seeking feedback from the public on a draft toolkit designed to help developing countries build capacity in tax treaty negotiations. This was announced in a press release dated 29 June 2020 on the website of the OECD. PCT's Draft Toolkit on Tax Treaty Negotiations is a joint effort to provide ...

Early restoration planning by tax administrations key to support individual and business taxpayers towards economic recovery from COVID-19 pandemic

Recovery from the profound impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on people's lives, jobs, businesses and the wider economy is likely to be lengthy, challenging and multifaceted, with tax administrations playing a critical role in restoration planning, according to a new OECD report ‘Tax Administration Responses to COVID-19: Recovery Period Planning’ prepared by the OECD's Forum on Tax Administration (FTA) in co-operation with the Intra-European Organisation of Tax Administrations (IOTA) and ...

Latin America and the Caribbean: Tax revenue gains under threat amid deteriorating regional outlook

Tax revenues in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) increased to 23.1% of GDP on average in 2018, according to the new edition of Revenue Statistics in Latin America in the Caribbean published yesterday. However, these gains are now under threat as a result of the region’s deteriorating fiscal outlook, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the global economic crisis. The release was announced in a press release on ...

Tax and fiscal policies central to governments’ responses to Covid-19 crisis

With global economic activity facing a historic drop and government spending rising dramatically, the implications of the Covid-19 crisis on public finances and tax revenues are significant. Drawing on its multi-disciplinary expertise, the OECD is deploying its data gathering and analytical capacities to help governments face these unprecedented challenges while supporting businesses and people towards economic recovery. This was announced in a press release on the website of the OECD ...