HANOI – On May 7th, New Zealand’s double tax agreement (DTA) with Vietnam went into effect. The DTA agreement was originally signed on August 5, 2013. New Zealand’s Revenue Minister, Todd McClay, stated that “the new double tax agreement which was signed in August 2013 brings our network of tax… – Continue reading
Following the ratification of the double tax treaty (“DTT”) between Cyprus and Spain on March 22nd, the new treaty will come into force three months after the exchange of official notifications and upon completion of the official exchange of the ratified documents between the governments of Spain and Cyprus. Accordingly,… – Continue reading
Treasury is taking submissions on a revised tax treaty with Switzerland, which will lead to Swiss banks handing over secretive bank account information to Australian authorities on request. The new treaty means Australian tax evaders with undisclosed Swiss bank accounts will now rely on limited bank secrecy protection from the… – Continue reading
New Delhi: Tasked with the job of recovering illicit wealth stashed away by Indians, the SIT on black money has decided to look into the contentious issue of secrecy clauses in India’s tax treaties with Switzerland and other countries. India has signed tax information exchange treaties with many countries, but… – Continue reading
NICOSIA and New Delhi are inching closer to putting their double taxation avoidance agreement (DTAA) back on track, financial sources said yesterday. The sources, familiar with the subject but speaking on condition of anonymity, played down reports from India that Cyprus was unlikely to get off the ‘blacklist’ any time… – 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
In brief On 28 March 2014, China and Germany entered into a new double taxation agreement (DTA) and protocol (together referred to as ‘the new DTA’). The new DTA results in an extensive revision of the currently applicable treaty signed in 1985 (1985 DTA). The key changes include extending the… – Continue reading
NEW DELHI: Mauritius has said that it will address India’s concerns over the abuse of the lucrative tax treaty between the two countries, promising measures to ensure that benefits are available only to genuine investors. The island nation has proposed a stringent limitation of benefit clause in the Double Taxation… – Continue reading
Navin Ramgoolam discussed issue of long-pending treaty re-negotiation with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in their bilateral meeting today Mauritus on Tuesday said it was determined to allay India’s fears on round tripping of funds, by incorporating adequate safeguards in the India-Mauritius tax treaty. The island nation said it had… – Continue reading
Mauritius on 27 May 2014 decided to provide automatic tax information exchange to India. The decision was announced by the Prime Minister of Mauritius Navin Ramgoolam after his meeting with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi. Navin Ramgoolam was in India to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as… – Continue reading
We are living in the golden age of global tax reform. At no point in history have there been so many initiatives coordinated by such a dizzying array of tax authorities, all focused on one thing: replenishing municipal budgets that have been depleted over the last five years of global… – Continue reading
Republican tax law writers in the U.S. Congress and multinational businesses on Monday said international talks aimed at preventing companies from moving profits to low-tax countries could hurt the United States. Representative Dave Camp and Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah warned of the effect on U.S. taxpayers from the Organisation… – Continue reading
Georgian Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri held the bilateral meetings in the Hague as part of the annual meeting of member-states of the Holland-Belgium group of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. In particular, he met with Moldovan Minister of Finance Anatoly Arapu and manager of the Moldovan National Bank… – Continue reading
…as FATCA comes into force in JulyGovernment is to broaden the current tax net to include Ghanaians engaged in economic activities or hold investments in the United States, Dr. Larbi Siaw, Tax Policy Adviser at the Ministry of Finance (MOFEP) has saidDr. Larbi said that implementation of the Foreign Account… – Continue reading
Azerbaijan and the U.S. intend to sign a double taxation evasion agreement in the near future, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Taxes, Sahib Alakbarov told journalists on May 26. The minister said that among other things, this document will allow the Ministry of Taxes to actively fight against the Azerbaijani residents… – Continue reading
India amended its domestic tax law for transactions with taxpayers of certain tax jurisdictions, as an anti-avoidance measure. The amendments involving transactions made in Cyprus include a temporary 30% withholding tax for all transactions between India and Cyprus in place since March. Under the double tax treaty between India and… – Continue reading
TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior trade official termed the recent memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Turkey and Iran on avoiding double-taxation as an important development with major positive impacts on the two countries’ trade relations. “The MoU signed between Iran and Turkey has been a wide stride in the (two… – Continue reading
New Delhi: Keen to further boost bilateral ties with India under the incoming government led by Narendra Modi, Cyprus is looking to bolster tourism activities as well as make the island nation a shooting destination for Indian film makers. Cyprus, the seventh largest source of FDI (foreign direct investment) into… – Continue reading
Mauritius to provide automatic tax info exchange for India Ramgoolam, who was here to attend BJP leader Narendra Modi’s swearing-in as Prime Minister yesterday, also said that Mauritius would not allow anybody to abuse or misuse its jurisdiction for any illicit activities. Seeking to allay apprehensions about Mauritius being used… – Continue reading
Russian lawmakers and banks are still squabbling about how to join the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) network after the US closed the door on talks following Moscow’s role in the Ukraine crisis. In recent weeks, Finance Minister Anatoly Aksakov pledged to Russian banks that a new law allowing… – Continue reading
India has asked Switzerland to speed up the ratification of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) convention on automatic exchange of tax information. ”I would urge you and your (Swiss) government to ratify the multilateral convention on mutual administrative assistance in tax matters as early as possible,” outgoing… – Continue reading
Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares has again defied a Supreme Court ruling on the self-executory nature of tax treaties by issuing a circular prescribing additional requirements before privileges granted under a tax treaty may be enjoyed. Henares issued Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 37-2014, announcing the coming into force of the… – Continue reading
On April 9, 2014, the Finance Ministry issued guidelines on the application of agreements on the avoidance of double taxation (DTAs), which requires tax agents and tax authorities to conduct an assessment of whether foreign recipients of income in Russia have the right to apply a tax exemption in Russia… – Continue reading
Liechtenstein said Friday that it has signed a anti-tax fraud pact with Washington that requires banks in the principality to provide information about accounts held abroad by US taxpayers to US authorities. Under the agreement, Liechtenstein would implement the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which came into effect on… – Continue reading
ZAMBIA is reviewing its tax treaty with the Netherlands and Ireland to allow the incorporation of anti-abuse clauses where necessary, a senior government official said.The move, according to tax justice advocates, marks a turning point for Zambia, which has been a key victim to tax avoidance by multinational corporations that… – Continue reading
Efforts to sign new DTAs and update existing DTAs in the first five months of the year will promote tax transparency and facilitate investments, sustaining Singapore’s position as a preferred destination for doing business, says SingaporeCompanyIncorporation.sgSingapore, in a bid to further strengthen its Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreements (DTA) network, has seen new… – Continue reading
On October 13, 2009, the government of Georgia and the government of the State of Kuwait have signed an Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital. The treaty entered into force on April 14, 2013,… – Continue reading
If you have clients who own Greek bonds (government or corporate), they may have immediate tax-filing concerns. A PwC notice explains that investors not resident in Greece who realized gains between February 29, 2012 and December 31, 2013 owe the Greek government 20% in taxes. It’s due June 25, and… – Continue reading
The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has proposed that the government demand reciprocal cooperation with the US regarding the latter’s request to apply its Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) in the country. FATCA is a law that the US has unilaterally imposed on the rest of the world to prevent… – Continue reading
CARACAS, May 17, 2014 – (WAFA) – President Mamhoud Abbas signed Saturday energy and double taxation avoidance agreements with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas. Abbas started Friday a three-day official visit to the Caracas, where he was received by Maduro. They exchanged views on the peace process as well… – Continue reading
Residential property owners need to be aware of some proposed changes, which will have a significant impact on their CGT liabilities. Final period exemption reduced If a property has, at any point, qualified as an individual’s main residence then the final 36 months would have been covered by relief from… – Continue reading
The new Mexican Income Tax Law (“MITL”) that entered into force on January 1 modified the so-called procedural provisions concerning the application by multinational companies of benefits set forth under tax treaties negotiated and executed by Mexico. Accordingly, foreign residents claiming tax treaty benefits (either for a tax exemption or… – Continue reading
NEW DELHI, MAY 14: With tax authorities pressing with over Rs 21,000 crore in unpaid dues, Finnish telecom major Nokia has invoked the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPA) India has with Finland to resolve the dispute. Nokia late last month wrote to Prime Minister invoking dispute settlement clause… – Continue reading
Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia plan to sign an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation, as well as tax evasion, the ambassador of Saudi Arabia Musaid bin Ibrahim bin Abdullah Al-Salim told a press conference. The ambassador said the agreement is expected to be signed during the Azerbaijani foreign minister… – Continue reading
Up to December 31, 2013, Mexico did not tax dividend payments. However, the Mexican Income Tax Law (“MITL”) that entered into force on January 1, 2014 established a new 10 percent withholding tax on the gross amount of dividend payments made by legal entities resident in Mexico for tax purposes… – Continue reading
On December 17, 2013, the Protocol Amending the Convention between Japan and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital Gains (the “Protocol”) was executed in London. The… – Continue reading
NEW DELHI: Foreign Direct Investment inflows from Mauritius have almost halved during April-February period of last fiscal to $4.48 billion, according to the data of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). India had received $8.97 billion during April-February 2012-13. According to an expert, investors are apprehensive that they… – Continue reading
Agreement will help ease reporting burden of financial firms of American customers The government said yesterday it would sign a tax agreement with the United States this year that will help reduce the reporting burden of financial firms under the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (Fatca). The accord will… – Continue reading
Pakistan to engage in exchange of confidential information from Switzerland for recovery of $200b illegally deposited by Pakistanis in Swiss banks The Government of Pakistan is looking forward to make use of the new Swiss laws for exchange of confidential information about the ill-gotten funds from Pakistan banked in the… – Continue reading
In Budget 2013, the Government announced its intention to consult on possible measures to combat treaty shopping. Eleven months later, in Budget 2014, the Government invited comments on a proposed domestic anti-treaty abuse rule. This article briefly reviews developments arising between the two budgets and provides high level comments in… – Continue reading
Press reports indicate that Cyprus and India will finalise the amendments to their double tax avoidance agreement in the coming weeks. A team from the Indian Ministry of Finance is expected to visit Cyprus shortly to carry forward negotiations to finalise the revised agreement and the matter is being followed… – Continue reading
NEW DELHI With India stepping up pressure for data on alleged illicit funds parked in Swiss banks, Switzerland has asserted that it cannot positively respond to requests which are beyond the ambit of bilateral tax treaty. Reiterating that it is committed to fighting tax evasion, Switzerland also said both nations… – Continue reading
NEW DELHI: After resisting for more than three years, the Centre on Tuesday revealed names of 18 people in the Supreme Court who allegedly stashed black money with LST bank in Liechtenstein and against whom prosecution have been launched by the income tax department. Centre also placed in a sealed… – Continue reading
NEW DELHI, MAY 2: Irked by non-corporation, India has warned Switzerland that reluctance on not sharing tax-related information may impact the economic co-operation between the two countries. The Government is pressing hard to get information about the account details of certain Indians at HSBC’s Swiss bank branches, in whose cases… – 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
The Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) signed by Macau and Japan comes into force on May 22, the Ministry of Finance of Japan said in a press release published yesterday. Starting from May 22, both contracting parties can request information for criminal tax matters without regard to the taxable year… – Continue reading
New Delhi – The government Tuesday disclosed to the Supreme Court the names of 26 people who had accounts in banks in Liechtenstein, revealed to India by German authorities. A bench of Justice H.L.Dattu, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and Justice Madan B. Lokur were given these names by Solicitor General… – Continue reading
It is reported in the Indian financial press that Cyprus and India will finalise the amendments to their double taxation avoidance agreement in the next few weeks. The Indian High Commissioner to Cyprus has said that a team from the Indian ministry of finance is expected to visit Cyprus in… – Continue reading
Macau is preparing to sign a Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. According to the Official Gazette published yesterday, Chief Executive Fernado Chui Sai On granted authority to Secretary for Economy and Finance Francis Tam Pak Yuen to sign a TIEA… – Continue reading
The double taxation agreement (DTA) between Singapore and Barbados came into force on April 25, 2014, after the completion of ratification procedures by both sides. The DTA is intended to boost cross-border trade and investment between Singapore and Barbados by providing greater clarity on both parties’ taxing rights to ensure… – Continue reading
