business and finance

OECD welcomes the European Commission Initiative on Tax Transparency

The OECD Secretary-General Gurría welcomed the announcement and congratulated the Commission for the work done. "The European Commission’s initiative is another major step to tackle corporate tax avoidance.




business and finance

Public consultation on transfer pricing matters (19-20 March 2015)

The OECD will hold a public consultation event on transfer pricing matters on 19-20 March 2015 at the OECD Conference Centre in Paris, France.




business and finance

Developing countries participate in global meetings to counter BEPS

Delegates from over 90 jurisdictions have gathered at the OECD Conference Centre in Paris in two meetings devoted to discussing solutions to base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS).




business and finance

Release of a discussion draft on BEPS Action 12 (Mandatory Disclosure Rules)

Public comments are invited on a discussion draft which deals with action 12 (Mandatory Disclosure Rules) of the BEPS Action Plan.




business and finance

OECD tax burdens on wages rising without tax rate increases

Taxes on wages have risen by about 1 percentage point for the average worker in OECD countries between 2010 and 2014 even though the majority of governments did not increase statutory income tax rates, according to a new OECD report.




business and finance

Release of a discussion draft on BEPS Action 11 (Data Analysis)

Public Comments are invited on a discussion draft which deals with Action 11 (Improving the analysis of BEPS) of the BEPS Action Plan.




business and finance

Release of a discussion draft on BEPS Action 8 (Cost contribution arrangements)

Public comments are invited on this discussion draft which deals with work in relation to Action 8 of the BEPS Action Plan.




business and finance

Public comments received on discussion draft on Action 12 (Mandatory Disclosure Rules) of the BEPS Action Plan

On 31 March 2015, interested parties were invited to comment on the discussion draft on Action 12 (Mandatory Disclosure Rules) of the BEPS Action Plan. The OECD is grateful to the commentators for their input and now publishes the comments received.




business and finance

Public comments received on discussion draft on Action 3 (Strengthening CFC Rules) of the BEPS Action Plan

On 3 April 2015, interested parties were invited to comment on the discussion draft on Action 3 (Strengthening CFC Rules) of the BEPS Action Plan. The OECD is grateful to the commentators for their input and now publishes the comments received.




business and finance

Public comments received on discussion draft on BEPS Action 11 (Data Analysis)

On 16 April 2015, interested parties were invited to comment on the discussion draft on Action 11 (Data Analysis) of the BEPS Action Plan. The OECD is grateful to the commentators for their input and is now publishing the comments received.




business and finance

Release of a new discussion draft on BEPS Action 7 (Prevent the Artificial Avoidance of PE Status)

Public comments are invited on a new discussion draft which includes proposals resulting from the work on Action 7 (Prevent the Artificial Avoidance of PE Status) of the Action Plan on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS).




business and finance

Release of a revised discussion draft on BEPS Action 6 (Prevent Treaty Abuse)

Public comments are invited on a new discussion draft which includes proposals on how to deal with the follow-up work on Action 6 (Prevent Treaty Abuse) of the Action Plan on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS).




business and finance

The Global Forum released new compliance ratings on tax transparency

The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes published today new peer review reports for the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan and Morocco.




business and finance

Business brief: The OECD and the G20 are moving in the right direction

Governments are working together in order to try to address a lot of issues that need to be addressed. There is a real and coordinated effort in order to obtain a better level of transparency. Its objectives are quite ambitious. Greater transparency can be a move in a positive direction.




business and finance

Work underway for the development of the BEPS Multilateral Instrument

Work on the development of the Multilateral‎ Instrument to implement the tax treaty-related Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Action Plan began on 27 May 2015 in Paris. As per the OECD/G20 mandate, the ad hoc Group that will complete the work under Action 15 has been established, with over 80 countries participating.




business and finance

El Salvador joins international efforts to fight offshore tax evasion

El Salvador signed today the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, becoming the 86th signatory to the most comprehensive instrument for boosting international co-operation against offshore tax evasion.




business and finance

OECD Ministers reinforce importance of investment for strong, green and inclusive growth

The OECD’s Annual Meeting at Ministerial Level reinforced member governments’ support across a broad range of key OECD work.




business and finance

Release of a discussion draft on BEPS Action 8 (Hard-to-value intangibles)

Public comments are invited on a discussion draft which deals with work in relation to Action 8 of the Action Plan on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting




business and finance

Strengthening the international community’s fight against offshore tax evasion: Australia, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, India, Indonesia and New Zealand join multilateral agreement to automatically exchange information

In a boost for international efforts to strengthen co-operation against offshore tax evasion, seven new countries have joined the agreement to exchange information automatically under the OECD/G20 standard.




business and finance

OECD releases Implementation Package for BEPS country-by-country reporting

Pushing forward efforts to boost transparency in international tax matters, the OECD today released a package of measures for the implementation of a new Country-by-Country Reporting plan developed under the OECD/G20 BEPS Project.




business and finance

Public comments received on revised discussion draft on Action 7 (Prevent the Artificial Avoidance of PE Status) of the BEPS Action Plan

On 15 May 2015, interested parties were invited to comment on a revised discussion draft on Action 7 (Prevent the Artificial Avoidance of PE Status) of the BEPS Action Plan.




business and finance

OECD Secretary-General welcomes release of EU plan to curb corporate tax avoidance

The European Commission presented today an Action Plan to fundamentally reform corporate taxation in the EU. The Action Plan sets out a series of initiatives to tackle tax avoidance, secure sustainable revenues and strengthen the Single Market for businesses.




business and finance

Public comments received on revised discussion draft on follow-up work on BEPS Action 6 (Prevent treaty abuse)

On 22 May 2015, interested parties were invited to comment on a revised discussion draft which includes proposals on how to deal with the follow-up work on Action 6 (Prevent treaty abuse) of the BEPS Action Plan.




business and finance

Public comments received on discussion draft on BEPS Action 8 (Hard-to-value intangibles)

On 4 June 2015, interested parties were invited to comment on a discussion draft on Action 8 (Hard-to-value intangibles) of the BEPS Action Plan.




business and finance

Competitiveness Impacts of the German Electricity Tax - Environment Working Paper

Proposals to increase environmentally related taxes are often challenged on competitiveness grounds. The concern is that value creation in certain sectors might decline domestically if a country introduces environmentally related taxes unilaterally. This paper provides evidence on the short-term competitiveness impacts of the German electricity tax introduced unilaterally in 1999.




business and finance

Mauritius deepens its commitment to fight international tax avoidance and evasion

In line with the international movement towards more transparency and exchange of information, Mauritius has taken a significant step to enhance its exchange of information legal framework and has signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters.




business and finance

Energy taxes misaligned with environmental impacts of energy use

Governments are under-utilising taxation as a tool to curb the environmental consequences of energy use, foregoing revenue and weakening their attack on the principal source of greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change and air pollution, according to new OECD analysis.




business and finance

6th ITD Global Conference

The International Tax Dialogue (ITD) is organising its 6th global conference at the OECD. This year’s conference will focus on Tax and the Environment, an issue of growing importance and of direct relevance in the lead up to the COP21 meeting taking place later in the year. The ITD is a joint initiative of the EC, IDB, IMF, OECD, World Bank and CIAT.




business and finance

Competitiveness Impacts of the German Electricity Tax

Proposals to increase environmentally related taxes are often challenged on competitiveness grounds. The concern is that value creation in certain sectors might decline domestically if a country introduces environmentally related taxes unilaterally. This paper provides evidence on the short-term competitiveness impacts of the German electricity tax introduced unilaterally in 1999.




business and finance

Impacts of Carbon Prices on Indicators of Competitiveness

Concerns around potential losses of competitiveness as a result of unilateral action on carbon pricing are often central for policy makers contemplating the introduction of such instruments. This paper is a review of literature on ex post empirical evaluations of the impacts of carbon prices on indicators of competitiveness as employed in the literature, including employment, output or exports, at different levels of aggregation.




business and finance

Much better use can and must be made of taxes to help reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, concluded the participants of the 6th Global International Tax Dialogue conference

Taxes are potentially among the most effective ways of cutting pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, but they are currently – with very few exceptions – underused; and even where used, they are frequently designed in a sub-optimal way.




business and finance

Governments should target prudent debt levels and fiscal rules will help get there

Governments should set prudent debt targets to ensure that public finances serve to promote economic growth and stability, according to new OECD research.




business and finance

Revenue statistics: Counting better to count more

Meeting budgetary targets is hard enough in any country, but for developing countries struggling to lift their economies, it can seem a near impossible task. However, governments and local authorities everywhere in the world have a duty to provide public and social services for their citizens, and infrastructure that will attract investors. Tax revenues are therefore vital for meeting public demands as well as development aspirations.




business and finance

Tax Inspectors Without Borders: OECD and UNDP to work with developing countries to make tax audits more effective

The OECD and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched a new initiative to help developing countries bolster domestic revenues by strengthening their tax audit capacities.




business and finance

OECD holds three tax events in Addis to promote domestic resource mobilisation

The OECD is holding three tax events on the side-lines of the 3rd International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.




business and finance

Tax literacy for school children and university students is key for fostering a culture of tax compliance

Taxpayer education is the bridge linking tax administration and citizens and a key tool to transform tax culture. Covering innovative strategies in 28 countries, this publication offers ideas and inspiration for taxpayer education, literacy and outreach. The presentation ceremony, which took place in Bolivia, was attended by representatives of EuropeAid, EUROsociAL, Bolivia's National Tax Service and the OECD.




business and finance

The Global Forum releases new compliance ratings on tax transparency

The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes published new peer review reports today for 12 countries or jurisdictions, moving further ahead with its goal to implement global standards on transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes.




business and finance

The OECD takes further steps to putting an end to offshore tax evasion

The OECD today releases three new reports to help jurisdictions and financial institutions implement the global Standard for automatic exchange of financial account information.




business and finance

New report compares performance, best practices and trends in 56 tax administrations

Tax administrations continue to face the challenges of improving their performance while reducing costs, decreasing compliance burdens for taxpayers tackling non-compliance. Improving taxpayer services, while making non-compliance harder, is helping revenue bodies increase their efficiency and allowing governments to finance important programmes that will further benefit their citizens.




business and finance

Increasing tax revenues is crucial to development in emerging Asian economies

Increasing tax revenues and ensuring sustainable domestic resource mobilisation will be critical as emerging Asian economies seek to boost the provision of public goods and services and improve economic growth and living standards.




business and finance

Tax systems to support creation and success of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)

SMEs form the vast majority of businesses in most countries and contribute strongly to employment and economic growth, but they face particular challenges, particularly as concerns access to finance. Governments have a range of policy levers, including tax policies, that can and should be used to support the growth and development of SMEs, according to a new OECD report.




business and finance

OECD launches report on greater co-operation and information sharing between government agencies to counter financial crimes

Vast amounts are lost to illicit financial flows, including tax evasion, money laundering, bribery and corruption. These crimes threaten the strategic, political and economic interests of both developed and developing countries. In a world of limited resources and increasing complexity, it is essential for government authorities to work closely together in a “whole of government” approach to best address these challenges.




business and finance

Healthcare costs unsustainable in advanced economies without reform

Healthcare costs are rising so fast in advanced economies that they will become unaffordable by mid-century without reforms, according to a new OECD report.




business and finance

OECD’s Gurría urges countries to act on UN Sustainable Development Goals

OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría today called on all countries to fully engage with the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and said advanced and emerging economies had a particular responsibility to translate the global goals into national policy and to support developing countries in doing the same.




business and finance

Fifth plenary meeting of the Task Force on Tax and Development

This event will review progress on tax and development made in 2015, including in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Financing for Development Conference, the Addis Tax Initiative, the OECD/G20 Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Project, Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes and Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB).




business and finance

OECD presents outputs of OECD/G20 BEPS Project for discussion at G20 Finance Ministers meeting

The OECD presented today the final package of measures for a comprehensive, coherent and co-ordinated reform of the international tax rules to be discussed by G20 Finance Ministers at their meeting on 8 October, in Lima, Peru.




business and finance

BEPS Webcast Series

Senior members of the OECD's Centre for Tax Policy and Administration (CTPA) commented on the launch of the 2015 OECD/G20 BEPS reports.




business and finance

G20 finance ministers endorse reforms to the international tax system for curbing avoidance by multinational enterprises

G20 finance ministers endorsed the final package of measures for a comprehensive, coherent and co-ordinated reform of the international tax rules during a meeting on 8 October, in Lima, Peru.




business and finance

OECD holds second regional Network Meeting on BEPS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

On 21-23 October 2015, the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Meeting and Governmental Workshop on BEPS discussed the outcomes of the BEPS project, and how countries can engage in the implementation and monitoring of the measures adopted on an equal footing.




business and finance

8th Meeting of the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes

Keeping tax transparency high on the agenda of Governments and taking steps to ensure a worldwide level playing field will top the agenda during the 8th meeting of the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes, in Bridgetown, Barbados on 29-30 October 2015.