Italy: VAT rate increases
The Italian Parliament has agreed to an emergency 1% rise of VAT from 17 September 2011. Though the rise was originally submitted in June 2011, and was scheduled for January 2014. But due to instability in the financial market, the government took
See MoreMineral resources rent tax demanded by an Indian state
Orissa has more than 35% of India’s iron ore reserves. Considering the potentially huge amount of money to be made not just benefitting a small group of private mining companies, the Chief Minister of Orissa has asked the Indian Prime Minister to
See MoreTax exemptions for oil and gas projects granted in China
Both onshore and offshore oil and gas drilling projects have been granted import duty and value-added tax exemptions by the China’s Ministry of Finance. The exemptions have been granted to the importation, within established quotas, of equipment,
See MoreSwitzerland Amends Bond Withholding Tax
On 29 August 2011 it was reported that changes in withholding tax should allow Swiss companies to issue their bonds under competitive conditions in Switzerland, according to the Swiss federal government, which said that the changes would also apply
See MoreFrance Disclosed 3% Tax on High Income Earners
Despite sluggish economic growth, as part of a package of fiscal measures to meet its ambitious deficit reduction targets, the French Prime Minister has introduced an exceptional tax of 3% imposed on the annual income of the top earners in France.
See MoreFrance: Tax measures for 2011 year-end finance bills announced
The French Prime Minister announced some budget and tax measures that aim to reduce France’s deficit, on 24 August 2011 at a press conference. The French Cabinet will examine some of these proposed measures on 31 August and include in the draft of
See MoreVAT cuts on new houses in Spain
The Spanish government has announced to reduce the rate at which the sales tax is applied to the sale of new housing. The intention behind this reduction is to stimulate the country’s stagnant housing market and support the construction
See MoreLower Corporate Taxes Committed by the South Korean Government
The Finance Ministry of South Korea agreed to the government’s long-standing plan to reduce corporate taxes from next year. The government is expected to lower the rate of corporate tax on businesses from the current 22% to 20% for a taxable
See MoreIncome tax cuts suspended in Sweden
Due to the uncertainty surrounding the euro zone the Swedish government set aside on hold the planned tax cuts. According to the government declaration two measures announced in the November 2010 budget will be put on hold. One is tax cuts for
See MoreNew transfer pricing form issued by Malaysia’s tax authority
Malaysia’s Inland Revenue Board (IRB) has issued a new form to collect information on transfer pricing compliance, and enforce transfer pricing rules for the corporate taxpayers. The IRB targeted the corporate taxpayers because they have
See MoreTransfer pricing gets intensive focus in Vietnam’s General Department of Taxation
During the late July 2011 Vietnam’s General Department of Taxation (GDT) and HCM tax authorities took several activities on transfer pricing (TP) which focused importantly on increasing awareness and strengthening the implementation of TP
See MoreIndian coal mining industry faces tax hit
Indian draft Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act added new provisions requiring non-coal mining companies to contribute 100% of their royalty to the proposed District Mineral Foundation, and coal mining companies to contribute 26%
See MorePropensity to increase tax revenue: Philippines parliament
Instead of enacting new laws, the Speaker of the Philippines House of Representatives, Feliciano Belmonte, urged to prioritize measures that would plug loopholes in the country’s tax system and rationalize the tax incentives law. Bills that would
See MoreAuthorities’ use of net-back approach in transfer pricing case has been overruled by the Russian Court
The Federal Arbitration Court of the Moscow Region rejected the Russian Tax Authorities’ attempt to adjust a taxpayer’s transfer pricing by applying the net-back approach. The net-back method are applied to oil production and operates by taking
See MoreInsurance and VAT exemptions are modified in Philippines
The Philippines Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued clarifications regarding the income tax deductibility of insurance contributions, and to the applicability of value-added tax (VAT) following takeovers and mergers. According to that, only the
See MoreAustralia:Proposal to reduce tax savings
Australian government has published a discussion paper on the proposal to reduce the taxation on the interest income on savings by 50%, as proposed in the 2010-11 Budget. It is expressed that the introduction of the discount will benefit more than
See MoreTax Simplification Projects Announced in UK
In order to improve and simplify the tax system, the government of UK declared two new projects as part of its ongoing work, to review pensioner taxation and employee share schemes. On 13 July 2011 the government has confirmed that the UK’s Office
See MoreCanada promotes fire-fighter tax credit
Canada’s Ministry for National Revenue has highlighted a new tax credit targeting volunteer fire-fighters. This is a part of their ongoing promotion of the government’s Budget measures. Speaking at a fire station Canada’s Minister for National
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