BRICS nations agree to create BRICS bank

16 July, 2014

Leaders of the BRICS group of emerging powers on Tuesday created a Shanghai-based new international development bank and multi-billion emergency lending pools. The development bank will have initial capital of $50 billion that could rise to $100

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Russia – The Central Bank issued FATCA guidance

14 July, 2014

The Central Bank of Russia has issued Bulletin No. 64 (1542) on July 10, 2014 regarding the rules for implementing the FATCA legislation. Central Bank’s guidance is given below: “Punitive withholding” within the Russian territory is not

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Russia: Declares tax treatment applicable to contractual penalties

11 July, 2014

The Russian Finance Ministry released Letter No. GD-4-3/12689 issued on July 3, 2014, whereby it declared the taxation of contractual penalties paid by a Russian company to a Cypriot company. The Ministry of Finance referred to article 309 of the

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Russia: Applicability of thin capitalization rules under certain conditions

07 July, 2014

The Ministry of Finance has issued Letter No. 03-08-05/9669 on May 6, 2014 that clarifies the application of thin capitalization rules to the interest paid by a Russian company (borrower) to another Russian company (lender) under a controlled loan

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Duty-Free export of petroleum products and gas from Russia

04 July, 2014

The President of Russia has signed into law a cooperation agreement with Armenia that approves duty-free export of petroleum products, natural gas and uncut diamonds from Russia. Last month, Russia has customized its duty-free oil arrangement with

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Russia: MoF clarifies tax agents’ obligations of the securities depositories

04 July, 2014

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has issued Letter No. 03-08-13/22654 on May 14, 2014 for clarifying the tax agents' responsibilities of the securities depositories making transfers to Russian and foreign companies further to dividend distributions.

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Russia: Relief from tax liability and non-payment of withholding tax due on dividends

03 July, 2014

The Federal Law No. 167-FZ that amended tax code has entered into force with effect from June 24, 2014. On the basis of Federal law, companies that failed to complete their withholding tax obligations subject to dividends paid to Russian companies

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Russia: Withholding tax for pensions has reimbursed under certain situations

03 July, 2014

The Federal Law that adopts the amending tax code has entered into force with effect from June 24, 2014. On the basis of Federal Law No. 166-FZ, pensions paid to individuals under non-state pension insurance agreements signed by their employers with

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Russia – Legislation needed for FATCA implementation

01 July, 2014

Legislation that is needed to implement the FATCA regime in Russia was signed into law on June 30, 2014. The legislation authorizes Russian financial organizations to give information on foreign tax authorities that is needed to collect taxes and

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Russia: MoF clarifies extra requirements that must be satisfied by tax resident certificate

01 July, 2014

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has issued Letter No. ОА-4-13/5288 on March 21, 2014. It describes the rules that US certificates of tax residence should complete with a view to claiming remuneration under the Russia - United States Income and

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Russia: Application on Participation exemption in case the subsidiary is reorganized

30 June, 2014

The Ministry of Finance has issued Letter No. 03-03-РЗ-15941 on April 8, 2014 clarifying the application of the participation exemptions in the case where the subsidiary is subject matter to reorganization. Pursuant to general rule, for qualifying

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Russian Parliament adopts Law to permit FATCA Disclosures

25 June, 2014

The Russian parliament has allowed a bill to permit financial institutions to observe with the United States’ Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). US Congress has passed FATCA in 2010, which will be effective on July 1, 2014 and it is

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Russian banks help IRS after new FATCA law passed

22 June, 2014

The State passes legislation allowing Russian banks to pass information on their U.S. clients to the IRS, as demanded by the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). FATCA will come into force on July 1, 2014, and by this time the law that

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Russia: Clarification of tax treatment of income derived from alienation of immovable property

06 June, 2014

The Ministry of Finance has issued Letter No. 03-08-05/13287 on March 26, 2014 describing the income tax treatment derived by an Israeli individual from alienation of an immovable property situated in Russia. Article 6 of the Israel - Russia Income

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Russia: Draft law on information exchange with foreign tax authorities

06 June, 2014

The Russian government has allowed a draft law initiating the process of information exchange with foreign tax authorities on May 14, 2014. The law introduces the responsibility of Russian credit organizations, brokers, depositaries, insurance

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New Russian CFC and anti-avoidance legislation

02 June, 2014

The amended draft law regarding controlled foreign companies and other anti-offshore measures has done most valuable changes in the field of foreign tax structures and tax avoidance. This law has publicly available on 27 May, 2014. It highlights

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Malta – Russia DTA

18 May, 2014

On May 22 2014 the double taxation agreement (DTA) between Malta and Russia is to enter into force. Under the agreement, withholding tax on dividends paid from Russia is restricted to 5% where the recipient company has a 25% shareholding in the

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US May Close Door on Russian FATCA IGA Talks

11 May, 2014

Talks with Russia on an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) in connection with the FATCA legislation have been suspended by the US. The aim of the agreement if reached would be to enable foreign financial institutions (FFIs) in Russia to comply with

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