Ghana: 2025 budget to ease economic pressures on households, businesses
Ghana's Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, presented the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy on 11 March 2025 outlining tax policies and proposals designed to restore fiscal discipline, boost revenue generation, and ease economic
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Spain issues resolution on VAT rates for bread
The Spanish Directorate General of Taxes issued a resolution (BOE-A-2025-3950) regarding the VAT rates applied to bread on 24 February 2025. The resolution, which was published in the Official Gazette on 27 February 2025, clarifies the VAT
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Slovak Republic: Parliament considers restoring 20% VAT rate
The Slovak Parliament is reviewing four proposed amendments to the VAT Act. The first bill expands the 5% reduced VAT rate to include certain mixes and doughs for baked goods. The second bill extends the 5% rate to menstrual hygiene products like
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Norway publishes overview of tax changes for 2025
Norway’s government has released an overview outlining key tax changes which took effect on 1 January 2025. Some of the main changes include: Natural resource tax for hydropower The natural resource tax for hydropower plants has been
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Indonesia to implement planned 12% VAT rate increase in 2025Â
Indonesia's Finance Minister, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, has confirmed that the country will increase its standard VAT rate from 11% to 12%, effective 1 January 2025. The VAT adjustment aligns with the nation's Tax Regulation Harmonization Law,
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Egypt implements new VAT rules for exported services
Egypt’s tax authorities issued Instruction No. 78 of 2024, which amends the criteria for applying the 0% value-added tax (VAT) on exported services under Circulars (5) and (6) of 2019. Instruction No. 78 repeals Circulars 5 and 6 of 2019, where
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Philippines proposes VAT rules for digital services
The Philippines Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has released draft revenue regulations on 8 November 2024 to implement the Republic Act No. 12023. This act introduces a 12% VAT on all digital services used in the Philippines, including those
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Slovak Republic gazettes bill amending corporate tax and VAT, and bill introducing financial transaction tax
The Slovak Republic has gazetted the bill that amends various tax laws, including corporate tax and VAT rate changes, and the bill enacting the financial transaction tax. The bills are aimed at improving the country’s public finances. The
See MorePhilippines imposes 12% VAT on non-resident digital service providers, includes Netflix, HBO, Disney
Philippines' Department of Finance announced that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. Â enacted Republic Act (RA) 12023 on 2 October 2024, imposing a 12% value-added tax (VAT) on non-resident digital service providers (DSPs), including streaming
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Philippines backs 12% VAT on foreign digital service providers
The Philippines’ Ministry of Finance announced that Finance Secretary Ralph Recto had met with senior Netflix officials on 20 August 2024, to discuss the bill on value-added tax for foreign digital service providers, which is currently pending
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Tax Authority Approach to Business Fragmentation: Lessons from a Recent Russian Case
Traditionally, countries like Russia, Kazakhstan, and others in their vicinity have created highly advantageous conditions for small businesses by setting a substantially high ceiling for qualifying for reduced tax rates. For instance, in Russia, a
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Saudi Arabia mandates E-Invoicing for high-revenue taxpayers by December 2024
The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) Saudi Arabia announced on 24 May, 2024, the criteria for the 12th group of taxpayers will be required to comply during the implementation of the second phase of the electronic invoicing (e-invoicing)
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IMF Report Comments on Finland’s Economic Position
On 23 January 2024 the IMF issued a report following discussions with Finland under Article IV of the IMF’s articles of agreement. The report notes that although Finland’s economy recovered quickly from the pandemic, the war in Ukraine has
See MoreIreland: Finance Ministry delivers the Budget 2022
On 12 October 2021, the Finance Ministry presented Budget 2022, which covers the following tax measures: The new minimum effective corporation tax rate will be 15%. However, Ireland will continue to offer the 12.5% rate for businesses with
See MoreSouth Africa: SARS publishes 2021 tax guide
On 30 August 2021, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) published 2021 Tax Guide or Budget 2021 Tax Guide, which provides a synopsis of the most important tax, duty and levy related information for 2021/22. The guide includes the Tax
See MoreAustria: Parliament approves winter package due to COVID-19 pandemic
On 17 December 2020, the Parliament approved the COVID-19 Tax Measures Act. Recently, the Ministry of Finance has announced the draft winter package on tax measures for the coronavirus outbreak. The package includes the measures to introduce the
See MoreHungary: Parliament approves a bill abolishing the development tax reserve
On 17 November 2020, the parliament approved a bill introducing amendments to the corporate income tax. The bill includes the following tax measures: The small business tax rate will be reduced from 12% to 11% effective from 1 January 2021. In
See MoreIreland: Finance Minister delivers 2021 Budget Statement
On 13 October 2020, the Finance Minister, Paschal Donohoe, presented the 2021 Budget Statement. The Budget basically underpins the Government’s support for the economy in the face of Covid-19 pandemic. Some of the tax measures included in the
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