ICIJ reports:

In the three years after that conference call, its after-tax profits would jump by an astounding 55 percent, to $1.88 billion, thanks in substantial part to a drop in its worldwide effective tax rate from 34.9 percent to 24.8 percent – on its way to 13.2 percent last year.

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The European Commission is launching a new EU agenda to ensure that the digital economy is taxed in a fair and growth-friendly way. The Communication adopted by the Commission sets out the challenges Member States currently face when it comes to acting on this pressing issue and outlines possible solutions to be explored.

The aim is to ensure a coherent EU approach to taxing the digital economy that supports the Commission’s key priorities of completing the Digital Single Market and ensuring the fair land effective taxation of all companies. Today’s Communication paves the way for a legislative proposal on EU rules for the taxation of profits in the digital economy, as confirmed by President Juncker in the 2017 State of the Union. Those rules could be set out as early as spring 2018. Today’s paper should also feed into international work in this area, notably in the G20 and the OECD. Read More

The Italian Government designed a new flat tax, under the new Article 24 bis of TUIR (consolidated law on income tax) introduced by the new Italian Budget Law 2017. The aim of this law is to revive the economic fortunes of Italy by making the country competitive with countries such as England and Spain, which have faired better in terms of cost savings and tax benefits. The Flat Tax law is designed to attract foreign persons and wealthy taxpayers that have never resided in Italy to invest in the country by not only giving incentives by way of tax rebates, but also with the splendour of Italian culture and food. Read More

William Byrnes

Under the Spanish Presidency of Mr. Juan Manuel Vega-Serrano, the second Plenary meeting of Plenary year FATF-XXVIII was held.

Mr. Michel Sapin, French Minister of Finance and Public Accounts, addressed the Plenary to emphasize FATF’s important role in ensuring the integrity of the international global system from threats such as terrorist financing, and his country’s commitment to increase the traction capacity of the FATF even further.

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Marco Rossi

In its ruling n. 21614 of October 26, 2016 Italy’s Supreme Court considered the issue of the application of the gift tax upon the transfer of property to a trust. The issue arises under the provisions of Law n. 262 of October 3, 2006, which reinstated the gift tax. Article 2 of Law 262, at paragraph 45 and 49, while providing on the scope of the newly reinstated gift tax, refers to “legal arrangements having the effect of creating constraints or limitation on the use, enjoyment and disposition of property”, for the final benefit of a person of for a specified purpose.

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MileIQ

If you drive a personal vehicle for business purposes, the business mileage deduction is a great way to save money on your tax bill. But the HMRC won’t just take your word for it, it needs proof. Here’s what the HMRC will want in your mileage log.

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MileIQ

Our mission is to make dreaded tasks like mileage tracking easier, even delightful, so you can focus on what matters. That’s why we’re happy to say we’ve launched MileIQ for the United Kingdom. U.K. residents can now rely on MileIQ to automatically track, log and calculate the value of drives for tax or business purposes.

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William Byrnes

The European Commission expects to have in place by next year an interconnected, pan-European system of beneficial ownership registers, as part of the fight against money laundering and tax evasion, the European Commissioner, Věra Jourová, tells MEPs of the Inquiry committee into the Panama Papers scandal.

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William Byrnes

This consultation aims to gather views on whether there is a need for EU action aimed at introducing more effective disincentives for intermediaries engaged in operations that facilitate tax evasion and tax avoidance and in case there is, how it should be designed.

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William Byrnes

In 2006, the German secret service (Bundesnachrichtendienst) bought a data carrier from a certain K. for a considerable amount of money. The data carrier contained financial data from the Liechtenstein L. Bank relating to 800 people. K., who had formerly been an employee of the L. Bank, had illegally copied the data. The data carrier was submitted to the German tax investigation authorities, which subsequently instigated proceedings against, inter alia, the applicants, in relation to tax evasion crimes.

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