Brazil: Increase in revenue limit to opt for presumed profit method

02 June, 2013

The government of Brazil has again increased the gross income limit for companies to opt for taxation under the presumed profit regime.  Companies electing to use the presumed profit method are taxed on a statutory rate applied to their gross

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Canada: Reforming Temporary Foreign Worker program

16 May, 2013

Currently, Canadians have raised concerns about the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. A review of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program has been incorporated in the Economic Action Plan 2013 and legislation has been enacted to change the rules. It

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Germany: Amendments to the taxation of portfolio dividends

08 May, 2013

A new law in respect of dividend taxation was published in the Federal Gazette on 21 March 2013. This law has been introduced following a decision of the European Court of Justice in 20 October 2011 which required a review of the taxation of

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UK: HMRC announces widespread compliance with real time information

29 April, 2013

Most UK employers are now required to report their information on wages and deductions under the Pay as you Earn (PAYE) scheme in real time. The UK tax authority HMRC announced last week that more than 680,000 employers have begun reporting PAYE in

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Belgium: New tax measures for 2013

23 April, 2013

Belgium’s Council of Ministers recently reached agreement on new tax measures for 2013. The Belgian government has already confirmed plans to increase the minimum wage and to reduce employer contributions from April 1. These measures are intended

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Norway: Interest deduction limitation proposed

23 April, 2013

On 11 April 2013 the Norwegian Ministry of Finance published a legislative proposal and invited public submissions on the introduction of an interest deduction limitation for loans between related persons. The proposed limitation applies where there

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South Africa: Tax measures included in 2013 budget

17 April, 2013

Certain tax proposals presented on 27 February 2013 in South Africa’s annual budget are summarized below: There were no tax increases but there was a substantial increase in fuel levies of 23 cents from April 2013. There was no specific mention of

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Japan: 2013 tax reform bill has been passed

17 April, 2013

Japan’s 2013 tax reform bill passed on 29 March 2013 and the key changes are related to corporate taxation. They include the introduction of a tax credit for increased salaries paid to employees; the introduction of a tax credit / special

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Finland: Government’s 3-Year Tax Plan

01 April, 2013

The Finnish government has formed a new 3-year spending plan to respond to the current decline in the Finnish economy. The plan covers the years from 2014-2017. The main key points of the plan are as follows: • Corporate income tax will be

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Korean government releases revised tax reforms enforcement ordinance

24 February, 2013

The Ministry of Strategy and Finance (MOSF) on 17 January 2013 announced that the revised tax reforms enforcement decree would be released in mid-February. This decree will provide for the enforcement of amendments made to a number of tax laws,

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Colombian Tax Reform

24 January, 2013

The Colombian tax system is reformed by the Law No. 1607 of 2012 and it took effect from 2013. The major changes are as below: The reform introduces a new minimum tax (IMAN) that is a progressive flat tax based on the amount of income derived. The

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Ukraine: Proposed amendments to the Tax Code

23 December, 2012

The following proposed tax rates will be increased:  excise tax, vehicle registration charges, payment for subsoil use (if with a purpose other than extraction of minerals), ecological tax and charges for the use of radio frequency resources. The

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New plan for tax exemption for Argentina

19 December, 2012

Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has taken some initiatives to increase the tax-exempt personal income tax threshold. According to the new plan, taxpayers with a gross monthly salary of up to ARS25,000 (USD5,215) will be

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Netherlands Bill Softens Exit Tax Rules

17 December, 2012

It was reported on 17 December 2012 that the Dutch Second Chamber has recently approved a bill submitted by the Financial State Secretary amending existing legislation pertaining to exit tax. The bill provides companies electing to relocate abroad

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Italian Law Decree aims at incentives for start-up companies

10 December, 2012

The Italian Government has approved Law Decree, No. 179 of 18 October 2012, which has been published in Official Gazette No. 194. The Decree introduces incentives for innovative start-up companies, to encourage economic growth. For the first time

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Kenya Increasing Taxes to Cover Budget Shortfall

10 October, 2012

On 10 October 2012 it was reported that, according to Kenya’s Finance Minister, the government needs to find KES40bn of additional tax revenue or spending cuts to fill a hole in its 2012/13 Budget, which has been largely caused by the recent pay

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India: Reduces tax rate on foreign borrowings

27 September, 2012

The Indian government has lowered the taxes charged on money borrowed by Indian companies in foreign currency. The changes are included in Finance Act 2012, which amends section 115A of the Income Tax Act and inserts a new section, 194LC, in the

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Australian Parliament Passes Fund Manager Tax Reforms

29 August, 2012

The Australian government has loosened the tax requirements on the financial services industry in an effort to remove any barriers to the use of Australian fund managers by international investors. The Tax Laws Amendment (Investment Manager Regime)

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