Muscat: Oman, in line with its commitment to align itself with international best practices in tackling cross-border tax evasion and meeting the standards set by the European Union (EU) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), is currently in the process of issuing regulations for automatic exchange of… – Continue reading
European Union states have added ten jurisdictions to a draft tax haven blacklist, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bermuda, an EU official told Reuters on Tuesday, in a move that would triple the number of listed countries. The measure comes more than one year after the bloc decided… – Continue reading
An agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion between Sri Lanka and Oman was signed during the Second Meeting of the Sri Lanka-Oman Bilateral Consultations, held on August 15, 2018 in Colombo at senior officials’ level by the leaders of the respective delegations. The Sri Lankan… – Continue reading
Muscat – The sultanate on Sunday signed a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with Slovakia during talks held at the Ministry of Finance to discuss cooperation in the economic fields, investment and the tax field. The agreement was signed by H E Darwish bin Ismail bin Ali al Balushi, Minister… – Continue reading
Oman has become the latest country to agree to implement the base erosion and profit shifting minimum standards by signing up to the BEPS Inclusive Framework. In implementing the minimum standards, countries agree to remove harmful tax provisions in their domestic tax regimes, amend their tax treaty rules to prevent… – Continue reading
Muscat: One of the many changes that the Royal Decree 9 of 2017 (RD) has made in the Oman Income tax law is the introduction of withholding tax (WHT) on payment of ‘dividends on shares’ by Omani companies. This amendment requires Omani companies distributing dividends on shares to foreign persons… – Continue reading
Muscat: A portal for entities subjected to taxation was launched on Wednesday by the ministry of finance. The ministry, represented by the Secretariat General for Taxation launched the portal www.taxoman.gov.om. The portal has legislations, taxation charts and agreements on avoidance of double taxation as well as developments in the field… – Continue reading
Muscat: Dodging taxes can lead to a jail term of up to three years and a maximum fine of OMR50,000 under tax law amendments published by the Ministry of Finance, as government begins its crack down on evaders. Out of the 300,000 companies registered by the Oman Chamber of Commerce… – Continue reading
MUSCAT -The Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) between Switzerland and Oman aiming to increase economic ties officially came into force last month, according to the Swiss government. Its provisions will be applicable from January 1, 2017, according to the government. The agreement was originally signed on May 22, 2015 before going… – Continue reading
The sultanate signed an agreement on avoiding double taxation and income-tax evasion with Hungary on Wednesday. The agreement was signed by H E Darwish bin Ismail Ali al Balushi, Minister Responsible for Financial Affairs, and Hungary’s Non-Resident Ambassador to the sultanate. H E Balushi said that the signing of the… – Continue reading
The European Commission has put nine Middle Eastern and North African countries on notice that they are at risk of measures being taken against them to deter tax avoidance. The nine countries (see table below) are Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates… – Continue reading
The oil price slide is driving tax reforms across the region as Arabian Gulf economies seek to shore up a potential US$700 billion deficit. All six Arabian Gulf states are planning to introduce Value Added Tax (VAT) collectively. Various other tax reforms are also underway. The IMF warned in October… – Continue reading
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has maintained third in the global ranking for ease of tax payment, according to the latest release of the Paying Taxes report by the World Bank and PwC. With the least demanding tax framework, well below the world average, the Kingdom has a total tax rate of… – Continue reading
The organization’s new ambassador in the Brazilian capital Brasília claims trade and mutual investment between Arab countries and Brazil can be worked on. São Paulo – Newly appointed to represent the Middle East and North Africa countries in Brazil, the ambassador of the League of Arab States in the national… – Continue reading
Given that the latest treaty was signed on 15 November 1967, the two countries felt it was appropriate to revise it in full. The new treaty, signed on Tuesday by the Spanish Ambassador to Finland, María Jesús Figa, and the Finnish Minister for Finance, Alexander Stubb, seeks to enable tax… – Continue reading
In order to encourage the growth of international trade including that of financial services, successive Maltese governments have sought to conclude double tax treaties with important trading partners as well as with emerging countries. This policy is expected to continue in the future. To date, treaties are in force with… – Continue reading
To increase the scope of income tax laws, GCC countries are pursuing tax determinations with significantly broader interpretations of activities or actions that constitute doing business in-country. New concepts like Virtual Service Permanent Establishment and dependent agents are being used in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to determine taxable presence or… – Continue reading
A company controlled by Mayor of Belgrade Sinisa Mali and his family obtained more than 10 hectares of agricultural land worth anywhere from €123,000 to € 250,000 (US$140,000 to US$290,000) for free from a privatized state company. Problem is, the land wasn’t the company’s to give, but was still owned… – Continue reading
Bern, 14.10.2015 – Today, the Federal Council adopted the dispatch on the new double taxation agreement (DTA) with Oman and submitted it to Parliament for approval. The agreement will promote bilateral economic relations and contains provisions on the exchange of information upon request in accordance with the OECD standard. Aside… – Continue reading
Muscat: Bilateral trade between Oman and Spain has risen by 62 per cent, the European country’s top diplomat in Oman has said. Speaking at an event to celebrate his country’s National Day, Jose Urtasun, Spain’s Ambassador to the Sultanate, said, “Spain receives the most hydrocarbon exports from Oman of any… – Continue reading
Issues of the Uzbek-Iranian bilateral relations’ development were discussed during the meeting of Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov with Iranian Ambassador Ali Mardoniy Fard, who is completing his diplomatic mission in the country, said the message released Sept.16 by the foreign ministry of Uzbekistan. During the meeting, the sides exchanged… – Continue reading
Muscat – H E Christian Winter, Switzerland’s Ambassador to Oman has said that the recently signed Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) between his country and the sultanate reflects the broader ties Switzerland seeks with GCC. “The conclusion of the agreement takes into account the growing economic and political importance of the… – Continue reading
Muscat: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said today issued two Royal Decrees as follows: Royal Decree No. 30/2015 establishes Oman Governance and Sustainability Centre and promulgates its bylaw. Article (1) states that a centre to be named “Oman Governance and Sustainability Centre” shall be set up and affiliated to the… – Continue reading
Royal Decree No. 26/2015 ratifies the Agreement on Delimitation of Maritime Boundaries (Borders) in Sea of Oman between the Sultanate of Oman and the Islamic Republic of Iran, signed in Muscat on May 26, 2015. Article (1) ratifies the above-mentioned Agreement. Article (2) states that this Decree shall be published… – Continue reading
MUSCAT: Japan-Oman robust economic relationship is set to leap to a new level with the signing of an investment agreement between the two countries, which is expected in the second quarter of this year, says Japan’s ambassador to the Sultanate. “The signing of the Japan-Oman Investment Agreement is expected to… – Continue reading
Muscat: Taxpayers across the globe, including Oman, are facing increased scrutiny of their tax returns and positions taken as the pressure on governments increases to raise revenues from taxes, says an expert at KPMG. Ashok Hariharan, partner and head of tax for KPMG in the Middle East and South Asia… – Continue reading
On 22 May 2015, Switzerland and Oman signed an Income Tax Treaty. The treaty will come into force after the two countries exchange ratification instruments. The provisions of the treaty will have effect from 1 January of the calendar year next following that in which the agreement enters into force…. – Continue reading
International fast-food giant McDonald’s avoided paying half a billion dollars of tax in Australia over a five-year period by shifting profits through the low-tax nation of Singapore, a new report by a global coalition of trade unions says. The report, which has been funded and commissioned by a coalition of… – Continue reading
The convention for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of tax evasion with respect to taxes on income was signed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal yesterday between the Government of Oman and the Government of Portugal, reports the Oman Observer. The convention was signed on… – Continue reading
The Attorney-General, Hon. Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum today received the new non-resident Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to Fiji, His Excellency Nazar Al-Said. In welcoming the Omani envoy to Fiji, Minister Sayed-Khaiyum said that the Fijian Government looked forward to developing its bilateral relations with Oman, particularly in the areas of… – Continue reading
A Bill containing various amendments to the Tax Code has been discussed and agreed by the Georgian Economic Council. Among the measures contained in the Bill is a reduction in the rate of tax for individuals letting property, from 20 percent to five percent. There is also a proposed incentive… – Continue reading
A 1,000-page report by the US Department of Justice to force HSBC to operate to higher standards says bank is not improving the way it does business fast enough HSBC is expected to be told this week that its attempts to clean up the way it does business are falling… – Continue reading
On 9 February 2015, Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services lowered its long- and short-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings on the Kingdom of Bahrain to ‘BBB-/A-3’ from ‘BBB/A-2’. At the same time, it lowered the long- and short-term foreign and local currency credit ratings on the Central Bank… – Continue reading
Accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has been accused of promoting tax avoidance “on an industrial scale”, in a report by MPs. It is said to have helped hundreds of clients cut their corporation tax bills by setting up bases in Luxembourg. Earlier this week the Archbishop of Canterbury said companies should… – Continue reading
Nilesh Ashar, partner and head of Tax for KPMG in the UAE, analyses the impact of investment regulations and tax laws on foreign businesses foraying into the Middle East. In the last decade, the Middle East region has witnessed significant economic growth, primarily driven by the surge in oil revenues…. – Continue reading
MUSCAT The agreement to avoid double taxation and prevent tax evasion between Oman and Japan is to come into effect from September 1. Japan’s official gazette has announced the agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Sultanate of Oman for the ‘Avoidance of Double Taxation and… – Continue reading
THE National Tax Policy (NTP) has identified double taxation as one of the major hindrances to the growth of the Nigerian economy. Double taxation has become an issue paramount to investors and top executives of multinationals as income is generally taxable both in source and residence countries. In order to… – Continue reading
(MENAFN – Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) A double-taxation avoidance agreement between Japan and Oman is expected to enter into force next month, the Japanese Foreign Ministry announced Monday.Japan notified Oman on Sunday of the completion of its internal ratification procedures for the treaty on the avoidance of double taxation and… – Continue reading
Northern Ireland looks set to be handed the power to slash corporation tax in a move with the potential to significantly boost our stuttering economy. In a development which could transform international investment, senior sources in London and Belfast predict that an announcement will be made no later than October… – Continue reading
Muscat: Oman and Bulgaria expect to sign a double taxation avoidance treaty in September this year, as both countries are in negotiations to finalise the treaty, said Antoaneta Petrova of Bulexpo AA & Co. She noted that once the agreement is in place, Bulgarian companies operating in Oman will need… – Continue reading
• Partnership creates end-to-end solution for enabling and ensuring FATCA compliance, including: data consolidation, indicia identification, additional KYC data/document capture, alerts/notifications and dashboards to monitor compliance, withholding calculations and remittance, and tax reporting. Banking analytics, risk and compliance pioneer, iCreate, today announced a strategic partnership with tax information reporting leader,… – Continue reading
MoUs cover defence, tourism, archives and double taxation — MUSCAT — Oman and the Kingdom of Spain signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the field of archive and documentation at Al Alam Palace within the framework of the Spanish monarch’s visit to the Sultanate, yesterday. The Government of Oman… – Continue reading
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Caterpillar Inc’s offshore tax strategies will come under scrutiny on Tuesday at a U.S. Senate hearing expected to examine dealings by the world’s largest mining and construction equipment maker in Switzerland, Bermuda and Luxembourg. With many multinationals being criticized for tax avoidance, veteran tax sleuth Senator Carl Levin… – Continue reading
Caterpillar (CAT:US) Inc. began defending its international tax maneuvers as a U.S. Senate investigative panel set an April 1 hearing to examine the company’s “offshore tax strategy.” Representatives from Caterpillar and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP will testify, according to the hearing notice posted today by the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. The committee, led… – Continue reading
LONDON — They are the most expensive and luxurious flats in the whole of London. Their ultramodern bay windows offer an unobstructed view onto Hyde Park. An underground corridor connects them to the Mandarin Oriental, the palace where Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal has one of his prized restaurants. In total, the… – Continue reading
Romania is waiting for an answer from the United States on the beginning of negotiations of an intergovernmental agreement on the implementation of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) on the exchange of information for fighting tax avoidance.The Romanian Government has approved a memorandum to this effect on January 22,… – Continue reading
Austrian Finance Minister Michael Spindelegger said a deal on extending a European Union savings tax is in Luxembourg’s hands. Austria “can agree to this tomorrow — it’s not up to us if there isn’t agreement,” Spindelegger told reporters before a two-day meeting with his European Union counterparts in Brussels today…. – Continue reading
