At a very high level, it’s a simple concept: a multinational borrows money from a related company overseas, and then uses the interest bill and the repayment methods to reduce tax exposure in Australia. If the loans – and the interest rates – are big enough, the tax savings can… – Continue reading
Ireland is expecting European Union regulators to issue a decision on the country’s tax deal with Apple before the end of the year. The Irish finance minister said the move could force the iPhone maker to pay substantial back taxes. The European Commission has already ordered Dutch authorities to recover… – Continue reading
On a warm afternoon last month, Mexican central bank Governor Agustin Carstens looked out over sun-drenched piles of dirt and construction equipment near Guadalajara and hailed the groundbreaking of a new currency-printing plant as a sign of a solid economy. There’s one catalyst for rising cash demand that isn’t a… – Continue reading
Measures to control corporate tax avoidance to be presented at Antalya summit The final package of measures proposed by the OECD as part of its base erosion and profit shifting (Beps) project will be presented to G20 leaders in Turkey this weekend. The new Beps rules are designed to improve… – Continue reading
NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Business executives cited an increased compliance burden as their biggest concern with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Base Erosion and Profit Shifting initiative (37.7 percent), according to an October Deloitte poll. Other concerns included double taxation of income (17 percent) and… – Continue reading
x The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has slapped higher taxes on importers of second-hand vehicles ahead of a new duty that will push the prices up by Sh200,000. The revenue authority reviewed the current retail selling price of second-hand vehicles in October 15. This is the benchmark the taxman uses… – Continue reading
FRANKFURT (The Street) — Europe’s allure as a tax haven for U.S. multinationals may be coming to an end. That’s because European Union regulators are closing up tax loopholes that U.S. companies have been enjoying for years. The first two to feel the heat are Starbucks (SBUX – Get Report)… – Continue reading
Call to halt bank sale in favour of reform rejected by UK Government UK MINISTERS decided to “wash their hands” of a tax evasion scandal in a subsidiary of the government-owned Royal Bank of Scotland, according to damning testimony given by a former treasury official who is now a Labour… – Continue reading
Plans to list its European REIT on the JSE. Feeding South Africans’ seeming insatiable desire for rand-hedge stocks, Schroder Real Estate is planning to launch a European Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), which will have a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange with a secondary listing on the Johannesburg… – Continue reading
Exclusive More than 100 victims of notorious conman Peter Foster have moved to freeze funds held in offshore tax havens after more than $10 million was siphoned from his online gambling company Sports Trading Club. Fairfax Media can reveal Foster and at least eight associates have been served with freezing… – Continue reading
One year after the announced closing off of the Double Irish tax arrangement, U.S. multinationals once again turned their attention to Dublin as Ireland announced details of the Knowledge Development Box, or KDB. This new component to its corporate tax regime will allow companies to pay a reduced corporate tax… – Continue reading
Whilst the growth of India as an emerging market for foreign investment is nothing new, we are seeing some new trends in the way in which offshore Cayman vehicles are being used as an avenue for investing in that market – specifically, voluntarily registering master funds as regulated master funds… – Continue reading
Treasury says making available documents detailing tax policies tailored for multinational firms would jeopardise ‘open and frank discussions’ The UK has joined Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium in blocking attempts by a committee of MEPs to gain access to secret European archives that detail some of most controversial tax policies… – Continue reading
They say the only certain things in life are death and taxes, but a large number of non-U.S. citizens may have found a way to avoid at least one of those. Under U.S. tax law, the estates of foreign holders of U.S. assets, such as stocks, real estate and valuables,… – Continue reading
Non-resident Indians (NRIs) have one more investment option to choose from. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed NRIs to invest in the National Pension System (NPS), under Foreign Exchange Management Act. NPS will allow NRIs to invest in a mix of equities and debt and save for their… – Continue reading
Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem said the Netherlands wants to make as much progress as possible in clamping down on tax avoidance by multinational corporations during its EU presidency, after criticism from the European Commission, reports Reuters. The Dutch tax system has enabled some corporations to pay almost no taxation… – Continue reading
Recent legal changes in Qatar must be understood by chief financial officers (CFOs) and finance professionals if businesses are going to be able to address potential risks, the Institute Of Chartered Accountants In England and Wales (ICAEW) said, reports the Gulf Times. The accountancy body partnered with international law firm… – Continue reading
Pharmaceutical giant Shire, which is headquartered in Ireland for tax purposes, has agreed to buy US rare disease specialist Dyax Corp for about $5.9bn (€5.35bn), and potentially up to $6.5bn, while still pursuing a five- times larger unsolicited bid for biopharma firm Baxalta Inc. The Dyax deal, the latest in… – Continue reading
The Department of Justice announced today that Banque Bonhôte & Cie SA (Banque Bonhôte) has reached a resolution under the department’s Swiss Bank Program. The Swiss Bank Program, which was announced on Aug. 29, 2013, provides a path for Swiss banks to resolve potential criminal liabilities in the United States…. – Continue reading
The government has been accused of opening a loophole that allows super rich individuals and multinational companies to avoid taxes. The Tax Justice Network (TJN), a lobby group, has sued the government over agreements, which it says are robbing Kenya of the ability to raise revenues domestically, driving the country… – Continue reading
Claiming that a lot of information on illicit funds is lying unused by the Indian authorities, HSBC whistleblower Herve Falciani said on Tuesday that he is willing to cooperate with the investigative agencies in their black money probe but would need protection in return. He also claimed that millions of… – Continue reading
Video game publisher Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI) is satisfying its sweet tooth for acquisitions by buying mobile game maker King Digital Entertainment (NYSE:KING), best known for “Candy Crush Saga.” Activision announced late Monday that it has agreed to pay $18 in cash per share for London-based King, in a deal worth… – Continue reading
Tax systems within the European Union remain largely secretive and opaque despite leaders’ claims that measures are underway to fix loopholes, the European Network on Debt and Development (Eurodad) has said. The coalition of 46 NGOs from 20 European countries including Oxfam, Save the Children and ActionAid said that, while… – Continue reading
Recent legal changes in Qatar must be understood by CFOs and finance professionals if businesses are going to be able to address the potential risks, according to ICAEW. The accountancy body partnered with international law firm Pinsent Masons to host a seminar about Qatar’s recent regulatory changes for senior financial… – Continue reading
TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Canada’s largest uranium producer Cameco expects to defend itself in court next year over a tax dispute with the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) about taxation years 2003, 2005 and 2006. The CRA was questioning Cameco’s practise of selling uranium at a low fixed price to its European… – Continue reading
The Dutch finance minister has said the Netherlands wants to make progress in clamping down on corporate tax avoidance during its EU presidency, after criticism of its sweetheart deal with Starbucks. The Dutch system has allowed some corporations to pay almost no tax and that was never the intention, Jeroen… – Continue reading
MADRID — One part of the move had been long in the works by Grifols, a big Spanish medical company. The other came as a politically fraught surprise. When Grifols, a global leader in blood-plasma products, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new $100 million distribution center outside Dublin last… – Continue reading
For the die-hard fans who lined up around the block to purchase Apple’s latest iPhone last month, it’s hardly news that the California-based company still lives up to its reputation for technological innovation. The world’s No. 1 smart phone manufacturer last week released its annual financial report revealing it also… – Continue reading
On 21 October 2015, the European Commission decided that a tax ruling between Starbucks and the Netherlands should be considered illegal state aid. As a consequence, the European Commission ordered the Dutch State to recover the aid granted to a Dutch Starbucks group company (Starbucks Manufacturing EMEA B.V.), which is… – Continue reading
As the 2016 Presidential campaign heats up with debates and public appearances replete with the candidate’s opinions on the economy, ISIS, and education, among others, few candidates have mentioned the issue of corporate tax reform, especially as it relates to a level playing field between the U.S. and foreign markets,… – Continue reading
IRDA norms on retrocession viewed as being restrictive Top foreign reinsurers, namely Swiss Re, Hannover Re and Scor Re would soon be applying to the insurance regulator for opening branch offices in India. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) on Friday came out with the regulations for registration and… – Continue reading
The Internal Revenue Service says some of America’s most successful companies have been shuttling money to avoid paying their share of federal income taxes. Microsoft is fighting IRS attempts to collect more than $2 billion from profit the software giant transferred between foreign affiliates. Amazon.com is fighting to keep $1.5… – Continue reading
A small team of European Union officials is spearheading an investigation that could force some of the world’s biggest companies to pay billions of euros in avoided taxes, Reuters reports. In an office block in one of Brussels’ less fashionable districts, the 10 Competition Directorate staff from across the bloc… – Continue reading
NDRC’s easing of restrictions will likely facilitate Chinese companies’ entrance into international debt capital and loan markets. Introduction On 14 September 2015, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued the Circular on Promoting the Reform of the Filing and Registration System for Issuance of Foreign Debt by Enterprises (the… – Continue reading
Washington, Oct 30 : India and the US have agreed to continue their engagement on the vexed issue of a totalization agreement for the purpose of avoiding double taxation of income with respect to social security taxes. “There is steady progress on the issue,” Minister of State for Commerce &… – Continue reading
How analytics will nab cheaters. Tomorrow is the Australian Taxation Office’s official cutoff for 2014-15 personal tax returns. Will you be tempted to tell fibs about your income? How will the tax man ever know? Take note: it may already know – or at least can find out – a… – Continue reading
Pfizer Inc. may be getting closer to breaking up and moving out. The largest U.S. drugmaker and Allergan Plc are considering combining operations, according to the Wall Street Journal. A deal would give Pfizer a way to move to a low-tax legal address abroad and gain valuable specialty drugs like… – Continue reading
The Department of Justice announced today that Luzerner Kantonalbank AG (Luzerner), Habib Bank AG Zurich (HBZ), Banque Heritage S.A. and Hyposwiss Private Bank Genève S.A. (Hyposwiss Geneva) have reached resolutions under the department’s Swiss Bank Program. These banks will collectively pay penalties totaling more than $25 million and continue to… – Continue reading
Gold Fields and Sasol have clinched the top awards in PwC’s Building Public Trust Awards: Excellence in the field of tax reporting in 2015. Gold Fields was the overall winner in the category for tax reporting for multinational companies, while Sasol was announced the overall winner in the category tax… – Continue reading
Australia’s largest bookmaker, Tabcorp, has called for less gambling advertising, which it argues is harmful to the community, and delivered its annual attack on international betting operators for paying minimal tax. Tabcorp’s business, which includes horse racing, sports wagering, Keno and a substantial media unit, remains the market leader in… – Continue reading
The European Commission (Commission) has adopted a decision on 21 October 2015 on the tax rulings – also referred to as “comfort letters” – granted by Luxembourg to Fiat Finance and Trade (FFT) and by The Netherlands to Starbucks. Rejecting the decisions of domestic authorities in Luxembourg and The Netherlands,… – Continue reading
The yuan in Hong Kong rose the most in more than two weeks on speculation China’s central bank intervened to prop up the currency after its discount to the Shanghai spot price widened. Large Chinese banks sold dollars in the offshore market in early Asian trading hours Thursday, according to… – Continue reading
RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) — Brazil’s Secretariat of Federal Revenue is carrying out an official investigation of Eduardo Cunha, head of House of Representatives, for tax evasion and other fiscal crimes, local daily O Globo said on Wednesday. Started in August, the investigation was based on information which… – Continue reading
Parliament’s Special Committee on Tax Rulings recommended measures to make corporate taxes in the EU fairer and more transparent, after eight months of fact finding, in a vote Monday evening in Strasbourg, EU News reports. The report – prepared by co-rapporteurs Elisa Ferreira and Michael Theurer – was approved by… – Continue reading
Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, who played a key role in the bailout of UBS Group and in the U.S. dispute over offshore bank accounts, announced she won’t run for re-election to Switzerland’s government. Speaking at a press conference in Bern on Wednesday, she said she has told her government colleagues that she… – Continue reading
The finance ministry on Tuesday set up a 10-member committee to review the Income-Tax Act to avoid litigation and improve ease of doing business, after solving past minimum alternate tax (MAT) cases and easing transfer pricing norms. The announcement came on a day when a World Bank report showed only… – Continue reading
(CNS Business): The use of Cayman Islands funds as a wealth management tool for high net worth Latin American families was debated last week at the STEP LatAm Conference in Brazil, where kidnapping is a constant worry for the wealthy and demand for outbound investments is fuelled by privacy and… – Continue reading
National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), the largest lender by assets in the United Arab Emirates, bought Royal Bank of Scotland’s offshore loan book in India for 3 billion dirhams ($816.8 million) in October, the bank’s chief executive Alex Thursby said in a conference call on Wednesday. The bank is… – Continue reading
The government on Tuesday set up a 10-member committee, chaired by former Delhi High Court judge R V Easwar, to identify provisions in the Income Tax Act that “lead to litigation and impact the ease of doing business” for resolution early next year in the Finance Bill, 2016. The government… – Continue reading
LONDON (Alliance News) – The Renewables Infrastructure Group Ltd on Tuesday said it is planning to raise further funding from its equity placing programme. The company, which invests in renewable energy infrastructure projects, said the fundraising will likely take the form of placing of shares and will be closed in… – Continue reading
