News & Events

OECD survey shows that more than 80% of businesses cannot recover all of their foreign VAT

05-Feb-2010

On 5 February 2010, the OECD’s Committee on Fiscal Affairs released a report focusing on VAT/GST relief for foreign businesses.  The report highlights the difficulties businesses face when they try to recover VAT incurred abroad. The report is based on a survey of more than 300 businesses. It revealed that refund procedures are considered difficult for 72% of businesses and that nearly 21% of the respondents are unable to recover any of their foreign VAT.

Public comments on the revised draft of the new Article 7 of the OECD Model Tax Convention

28-Jan-2010

On 24 November 2009, the OECD Committee on Fiscal Affairs released for public comment a proposed draft of the new Article 7 of the Model Tax Convention. The OECD has now published the comments received on this consultation draft.

OECD establishes tax and development task force

28-Jan-2010

On 27 January, tax and development experts decided to set up an Informal Task Force on Tax and Development. With developing countries and other key stakeholders – including NGOs and business – as members, the Task Force will develop clear and effective mechanisms to make progress in the field of tax and development. With a mapping out of existing international efforts as its first assignment, participants agreed on a general set of principles to guide followup action and recognized the importance of working together and with other relevant international institutions. See the full Statement.

Public comments on the proposed revision of Chapters I-III of the Transfer Pricing Guidelines

14-Jan-2010

On 9 September 2009, the OECD Committee on Fiscal Affairs released for public comment a proposed revision of Chapters I-III of the Transfer Pricing Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Tax Administrations. The OECD has now published the comments received on this document.

Explaining the sub-national tax-grants balance in OECD countries

06-Jan-2010

Normative principles provide a relatively clear set of rules for the balance between grants and taxes in the composition of SCGs’ revenues, but in practice, a variety of types of tax-grant systems are observed in OECD countries, which do not all follow these rules.  This paper documents the tax-grants balance in OECD countries. It classifies countries into four different SCG finance types according to the relative share of tax-sharing, autonomous taxes and transfers in SCGs revenues.

Chile enacts law on access to bank information, implements tax standard

14-Dec-2009

A new law on access to bank information will enable Chile to exchange banking information under existing tax treaties, thereby complying with the internationally agreed tax standard for exchange of information.

OECD process will help identify and resolve potential tax impediments to emissions trading

10-Dec-2009

After the climate conference in Copenhagen it will be essential to ensure effective policy instruments. Emission trading is a powerful tool that can spur low-cost reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. But to work well in practice, some tax issues may need to be addressed. The OECD and its Committee of Fiscal Affairs has put itself at the service of the international community with a policy process bringing together tax and environment experts, including from business.

OECD releases report on Granting of Treaty Benefits with respect to the Income of Collective Investment Vehicles

09-Dec-2009

From 9 December 2009 to 31 January 2010

The OECD Committee on Fiscal Affairs has released as a discussion draft a Report which contains proposed changes to the Commentary on the OECD Model Tax Convention dealing with the question of the extent to which either collective investment vehicles (CIVs) or their investors are entitled to treaty benefits on income received by the CIVs. Comments should be sent before 31 January 2010 to Jeffrey Owens, Director, CTPA (jeffrey.owens@oecd.org).

OECD issues updated Bribery Awareness Handbook for Tax Examiners

09-Dec-2009

To mark the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention,  the Bribery Awareness Handbook for Tax Examiners has been updated to include the Recommendation on Tax Measures for Further Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions. This requires countries to explicitly prohibit the tax deductibility of bribes to foreign public officials and promotes enhanced co-operation between tax authorities and law enforcement agencies both at home and abroad to counter corruption. 

OECD releases revised discussion draft of a new Article 7 (Business Profits) of its Model Tax Convention

25-Nov-2009

24-Nov-2009 to 21-Jan-2010

On 24 November 2009, the OECD Committee on Fiscal Affairs approved the release, for public comment, of a revised draft of a new Article 7 (Business Profits) of the OECD Model Tax Convention and of related Commentary changes.  The new Article 7 is aimed at ensuring the full application of the Report on Attribution of Profits to Permanent Establishments that the OECD adopted in 2008. Comments on the revised draft should be sent before 21 January 2010 to Jeffrey Owens, Director, CTPA (jeffrey.owens@oecd.org).