UK: HMRC Publishes Departmental Improvement Plan
On 23 March 2015 HMRC published its Departmental Improvement Plan for 2014. HMRC has been given the objective of maximizing revenues, improving taxpayer services and making sustainable cost savings. In 2013/14 HMRC collected total tax revenues of
See MoreUS: Low Income Taxpayer Clinic Grant Recipients Announced
The Internal Revenue Service awarded approximately $10.25 million in matching grants to Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs) for the 2015 grant year (Jan. 1, 2015, through Dec. 31, 2015). LITCs are organizations that represent low income taxpayers in
See MoreUK: HMRC to publish new pensions guidance manual
The UK tax authority HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced on 20 March 2015 that it will be publishing a draft Pensions Tax Manual in the early spring of 2015. This will replace the existing Registered Pension Schemes Manual. The new draft Manual
See MoreEgypt Proposes Reduction in Standard Income Tax Rates
The Minister of Finance announced in a press release on 10 March 2015, that the standard corporate tax rate and the top marginal tax rate for individual income tax purposes will be reduced to 22.5% from 25%. Also an additional 5% surcharge is
See MoreSpain: Council of Ministers approves second chance mechanisms
The Council of Ministers has approved on 28 February, 2015 the “Royal Decree Law on second chance mechanisms and the reduction in the financial burden, and other measures of a social order”. The Royal Decree includes several measures on
See MoreTaiwan: Non-Residents Notified On Tax Compliance
The National Taxation Bureau of Taipei has announced that it is currently assessing a total of 3,253 foreign taxpayers from countries such as the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore to ensure their compliance with relevant
See MoreUkraine: State Tax Service Clarifies Amendments of the Tax Code
The State Tax Service issued a letter on 21 January 2015 clarifying the latest amendments to the Tax Code in relation to taxation of pensions, interest on bank accounts, dividends, prizes and winnings. Details of the clarification; From 1
See MoreCanada: Federal budget 2015 could come in May
The Canadian Finance Minister declared that the federal budget 2015 has been postponed until April or later because of oil market volatility. Usually the budget comes in February and March. In spite of prices were somewhat less volatile than
See MoreAnnual Conference of the Green Growth Knowledge Platform
The third annual conference of the Green Growth Knowledge Platform was held on 29 to 30 January 2015 with the theme Fiscal Policies and the Green Economy Transition: Generating Knowledge – Creating Impact”. Topics discussed at the conference
See MorePoland: Taxation of undeclared income approves by parliament
The lower chamber of the parliament has approved a draft law (draft No. 3032) on 16 January 2015 and after publishing the law in the official Gazette it will enter into force on 1 January 2016. According to the law penalty rate will be reduced 55%
See MoreSpain: Government Announces New Country-by-Country Reporting Obligations for MNEs
The Spanish government on 20 January 2015 announced that it will issue regulations, expected to be adopted in the first half of 2015, that will require country-by-country reporting by multinationals. The new regulations would enter into force on 1
See MoreBulgaria: Summary of tax amendments that apply from 2015
On 9 January 2015 the Finance Ministry published a summary of amendments to the tax legislation that are effective from 1st January 2015. The amendments include the following major tax changes: Personal income tax Introduction of a new tax relief
See MoreIndonesia temporarily bans overseas travel by key tax debtors
The Ministry of Finance of Indonesia has banned overseas travel of key tax debtors with total debt amount of IDR3.32 trillion (USD268m) for a temporary period of six months. This step was taken to ensure effective tax administration and compliance.
See MoreUS & Mexico finalize agreement on sugar import investigations
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced on December 19, 2014 that it had finalized agreements with the Government of Mexico and Mexican sugar exporters to suspend antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations on imports of sugar.
See MoreGreece: Released templates and guidelines for APA Negotiations
The Greek Ministry of Finance has recently released template application forms for preliminary consultations and formal negotiations, as well as additional guidelines on the overall APA procedure and changes on corporate income tax. On 6 September
See MoreUS: Senate Passes Tax Extenders Bill
The US Senate approved the “Tax Extenders Bill” on 16 December, 2014. The bill, which extends the life of a number of tax breaks through 2014, passed the Senate 76 to 16. Only 60 votes were needed for approval. Dozens of temporary tax breaks,
See MoreUkrainian Cabinet Dissolves DTA With Cyprus
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the draft law on the denunciation of the Cyprus - Ukraine Income Tax Treaty (2012), on December 17, 2014. Prime Minister of Ukraine, Arseniy Yatseniuk said that when the convention was signed in 2012, it
See MoreFrance: Assembly Passes Second Draft Finance Bill For 2014
The draft amending budget for 2014 was passed at first reading by the French assembly on 9 December 2014. The legislation also has been passed by the Senate, and enactment is now expected before the end of 2014. This second draft Finance Amendment
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