Costa Rica increases tax on tobacco, derivatives
Costa Rica’s tax authority (DGT) has announced an increase in the specific tax on tobacco and tobacco-derived products, raising the rate from CRC 26.59 to CRC 26.92 per unit. This adjustment is outlined in Resolution No. MH-DGH-RES-0023-2025,
See More
Australia unveils 2025-26 budget, proposes amendments to tax laws for managed investment trusts
Australia’s Treasurer Jim Chalmers presented the 2025-26 Budget on 25 March 2025. The tax measures are limited and include plans to amend tax laws for managed investment trusts, allowing legitimate investors to access concessional withholding tax
See More
Mongolia: MLI instrument goes into effect on January 2025, announces direct and indirect tax measures
Mongolia has ratified the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (MLI) on 30 September 2024, which takes effect on 1 January 2025. As of February 2025, the Organisation for Economic
See More
Slovak Republic issues tax return form for sugary beverages
The Slovak Republic Ministry of Finance released the tax return form and the related instructions for the new tax on sweetened soft drinks, effective 1 January 2025. Earlier, the Slovakian Parliament enacted the Sugar Tax Act targeting sweetened
See MoreUN Tax Committee: Progress on Handbook on Health Taxes
On 18 October 2024 the UN Tax Committee held a first discussion on some new chapters of the Handbook on Health Taxes for Developing Countries. The subcommittee also presented revised versions of some chapters that had already been presented at an
See More
Costa Rica lowers alcoholic beverages tax rates
Costa Rica’s Ministry of Finance has reduced tax on alcoholic beverages by 0.34% under Article 1 of Law 7972. The revised tax rates are mentioned in MH-DGH-RES-0049-2024, which was published in the Official Gazette on 11 October 2024 and will
See More
Slovak Republic gazettes bill to tax sugary beverages
The Slovak Republic gazetted a new bill, “Act on Tax”, which imposes a sugar tax on sweetened soft drinks. The bill will take effect on 1 January 2025. The Slovak President signed the bill on 20 September 2024, and it was officially
See MoreOECD: Latest Edition of Tax Policy Reforms
On 30 September 2024 the OECD published the latest edition of Tax Policy Reforms: OECD and Selected Partner Economies. This annual publication provides comparative information on tax reforms in a number of countries. The latest report looks at the
See More
Slovak Republic enacts sugar tax, targets sweetened nonalcoholic beverages
The Slovakian Parliament enacted the Act on Tax (sugar tax) targeting sweetened nonalcoholic beverages on 11 September 2024. This follows after the Slovak Republic’s Ministry of Finance initiated a public consultation on draft legislation in
See More
OECD: Economic Survey of Malaysia
On 27 August 2024 the OECD published its latest Economic Survey of Malaysia. The survey notes that Malaysia’s economy has grown significantly since the 1960s, with a higher per capita income than other countries in the region. Malaysia is
See More
Australia publishes guidance on GST for food, drinks, health products
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has provided guidance to help taxpayers navigate the goods and services tax (GST) classification of food, beverages, and health products, clarifying whether these items are subject to tax or GST-free. ATO has
See More
Italy extends plastic and sugar tax suspension
Italy has enacted Law No. 67 of 23 May 2024, now published in the Official Gazette, which converts Decree-Law No. 39 of 29 March 2024 into law with specific amendments. The key measure in this legislation is the continued suspension of the
See More
Slovak Republic consults public regarding draft bill to tax sugary beverages
The Slovak Republic’s Ministry of Finance has proposed a draft bill for public consultation on taxing sugary beverages and drinks with sweeteners. The tax on sweetened soft drinks (TSSD) is classified as an indirect tax on consumption. This
See More
UN Tax Committee Discusses Health Tax Guidance
On 22 March 2024 the UN Tax Committee discussed the latest output from the work program of the health subcommittee which is producing a handbook on health taxes for developing countries. Health taxes can apply to tobacco, alcohol, sugar-sweetened
See MoreWorld Health Organisation: Launch of Technical Manual on Alcohol Tax Policy and Administration
On 5 December 2023 a webinar was held to launch the WHO technical manual on alcohol tax policy and administration. See: WHO technical manual on alcohol tax policy and administration . Rudiger Krech, the director of health promotion at the WHO,
See More
UN Tax Committee considers transfer pricing and treaty issues
The 27th session of the UN Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters took place from 17 to 20 October 2023. Subcommittees dealing with various areas of taxation presented updates to the Tax Committee on their
See More
Kuwait: IMF Report Recommends Implementation of VAT and Excise Taxes
On 5 June 2023 the IMF published a report following consultations with Kuwait under Article IV of the IMF’s articles of agreement. Kuwait’s economy has begun to recover after the pandemic with economic growth estimated at 8.2% in 2022 as a
See More
South Africa introduces reduced income tax rates
On 16 January 2023, the National Treasury of South Africa published a media statement regarding the publication of the country's 2022 tax acts in the Official Gazette. Personal Income Tax Personal income tax rebate has been amended, i.e., a
See More