Switzerland's Federal Tax Administration has announced the exchange of information on millions of financial accounts with 75 partner countries.

On November 18, 2019, the German Ministry of Finance published a question and answer section on its website to clarify the role of a new special unit within the tax authority designed to detect cases of tax fraud more quickly.

The upper house of the German parliament, the Bundesrat, has rejected certain tax elements of the Government's climate protection plan, including a reduction in value-added tax on long-distance rail travel.

On December 18, 2019, the mediation committee of the lower and upper houses of the German parliament (Bundestag and Bundesrat) announced an agreement on the Government's climate legislation, which includes several tax measures.

The Swiss Government has said that from January 31, individuals and legal entitles domiciled in Germany will be able to use an online Swiss application to request a refund of Swiss withholding tax.

The sedentary nature of modern life has had a noticeably detrimental effect on both physical and mental health. An EU-funded project has highlighted how to boost the wellbeing of Europeans by linking transport and health policies.

TRA2020 conference in April 2020 has been cancelled

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Singapore's Ministry of Finance has announced that about 880,000 Singaporean Housing and Development Board (HDB) households will receive the next installment of the GST Voucher – Utilities-Save (U-Save) rebate in January 2018.

Singapore's tax agency has announced that the territory's new double tax avoidance agreement with Cambodia entered into force on December 29, 2017, capping cross-border withholding taxes on trade and investment.

Ernst and Young Solutions LLP, Singapore, has released its wish list for the Singapore Budget 2018, calling for reforms to sharpen the territory's competitiveness.

During a January 7, 2018, debate in the UK House of Commons, UK lawmakers discussed the country's plans to leave the EU, its customs union, and value-added tax area.

Singapore has announced that it has activated automatic exchange of information relationships with a total of 61 territories, as part of global efforts to tackle tax evasion and fiscal crime.

Sri Lanka signed its first ever comprehensive free trade agreement on January 23, with Singapore.

Singapore is engaging businesses on tweaking the design of its new carbon tax, which is proposed to be in place by 2019.

Singapore's tax agency has made two announcements recently concerning the automatic exchange of information on foreign taxpayers' affairs, on the Common Reporting Standard and the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.

Singapore will hike its seven percent goods and services tax rate to nine percent some time between 2021 and 2025, Singapore's Finance Minister, Heng Swee Keat, announced in the territory's new Budget.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore on February 23, 2018, released the fifth edition of its Transfer Pricing Guidelines for income tax.

Financial institutions in Singapore are required to file information required under the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act starting April 16 by May 31, 2018.

Singapore has gazetted a law to repeal the income tax concession for intellectual property income derived by companies benefiting from the Pioneer Service Companies Incentive or the Development and Expansion Incentive schemes.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore has issued a reminder to companies that the corporate income tax return filing deadline is either November 30, 2018, for paper returns, or December 15, 2018, for electronically filed returns.

Singapore's recently released 2019 Budget included few significant tax announcements except confirmation that Singapore's carbon tax will be levied this year and the goods and services tax will be hiked in the medium term.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore is now accepting FATCA returns for the 2018 reporting year and has newly released the FATCA paper nil return for 2018.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore has released new transfer pricing guidance on determining the economic value of taxpayers' commodity marketing and trading activities in Singapore.

On July 5, 2019, Singapore's tax agency released a draft guide that includes proposals for more favorable GST rules for virtual currencies.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) has released new guidance for GST-registered persons on the completion of new boxes in the GST F5 return from next year.

Switzerland's agreements for the automatic exchange of financial account information with Hong Kong and Singapore have entered into force.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore has updated its guidance on the introduction from January 1, 2020, of an obligation on Singaporean taxpayers to collect GST on imported services under a reverse charge.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) has reported that revenues increased by 4.4 percent in the 2018-2019 fiscal year, in its annual report for the year.

Singapore is to add provisions to draft legislation to enhance the new GST regime for imported services and clarify new rules for virtual currencies.

Singapore and Germany have signed a protocol to their double taxation agreement, which brings the treaty into line with international standards and amends the maximum withholding tax rates that may be charged.

The remaining eleven signatories to the Trans Pacific Partnership pact have agreed to seek an accord without the United States.

China has made a number of announcements on anti-dumping duty orders, including to launch an investigation into US, Korean, and Taiwanese exports of styrene, which is used to manufacture plastics and resins.

Malaysia's controversial tourism tax looks set to be introduced on August 1, according to reports.

Following agreement reached by the remaining signatories to the Trans-Pacific Partnership earlier this year to push ahead following US President Donald Trump's withdrawal of the United States from the pact, Japan has taken the lead with regard to formulating a plan B for the agreement.

The European Free Trade Association, which comprises Liechtenstein, Iceland, Switzerland, and Norway, intends to take forward free trade negotiations with India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Ecuador this year.

Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai revealed on July 19 that the Government is considering introducing a more modern, innovative way of levying road tax.

Malaysia is to use targeted tax breaks to support certain industries in this year's budget and in particular small and medium sized businesses, according to a government minister.

Malaysia has decided to keep the crude palm oil export duty at 5.5 percent next month, despite higher Indian taxes on imports, which are expected to dent demand.

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has called on the Malaysian Government to reintroduce inheritance tax in the Budget 2018.

Canada and representatives from the ASEAN member states have agreed to launch exploratory discussions to determine the potential for a free trade agreement.

Canada's Revenue Minister has provided an update on the progress made by the Government in addressing tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.

Hong Kong has announced the conclusion of free trade agreement negotiations with the Association of South East Asian Nations.

Malaysian authorities are developing draft legislation to level the tax playing field between online retailers and domestic bricks and mortar retailers.

Malaysia's Inland Revenue Board has denied allegations that it is more aggressively pursuing taxpayers affiliated with opposition political parties or their supporters.

The Malaysian Government in its Budget 2018 announced numerous tax changes, including an income tax cut, incentives for women to return to work, and tax relief for property investors and venture capital firms.

Muhammad bin Ibrahim, the Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia, has stressed the need for Labuan to review its international tax framework in light of the OECD's work on Action 5 of the base erosion and profit shifting project, on harmful tax practices.

The Australian Government has said that it intends to extend its network of free trade agreements, as part of its new foreign policy agenda.

Prime Minister Najib Razak has defended the Government's decision to introduce a goods and services tax, claiming that the levy "saved" Malaysia from the fall in oil prices.

The Malaysian tax agency on December 1 released guidance on whether gifts provided for no consideration can be excluded from the goods and services tax net.