The OECD has updated Article 26 of the OECD Model Tax Convention, which sets out the international standard on exchange of information. The standard provides for information exchange on request, where the information is “foreseeably relevant” for the administration of the taxes of the requesting party, regardless of bank secrecy and a domestic tax interest.

The Global Forum Secretariat enters into a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Arab Emirates, confirming UAE’s commitment to the Global Forum’s work on transparency and exchange of information.

Furthering its efforts to strengthen international tax co-operation, the OECD has issued two new reports on automatic exchange and tax confidentiality. The report on automatic exchange of information describes what it is, how it works, where it stands and what challenges remain. The report on confidentiality of information exchanged examines all aspects of ensuring the protection of information exchanged for tax purposes.

Today Argentina has deposited its instrument of ratification making Argentina the first country from South America to become a Party to the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters and allowing it to benefit from cross border tax co-operation and information sharing.

This paper considers the influence of taxes on the financial incentive to invest in human capital and explores the tax treatment of private investment by individuals and employers in post-compulsory education and lifelong learning in 31 OECD countries, India and South Africa.

Pakistan has joined the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes. As the 111th member of the Global Forum, it will participate in the peer review process which encourages all countries to adopt effective exchange of information in tax matters.

The OECD Committee on Fiscal Affairs invites public comments on a revised discussion draft on the meaning of “beneficial owner”, a term that is used in Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the OECD Model Tax Convention.

The OECD Committee on Fiscal Affairs invites public comments on a revised discussion draft on the definition of “permanent establishment” that is included in Article 5 of the OECD Model Tax Convention.

The OECD Committee on Fiscal Affairs invites public comments on a revised discussion draft on tax treaty issues related to emissions permits/credits, which addresses the application of the provisions of the OECD Model Tax Convention to the cross-border granting and trading of emissions permits and credits.

On 6 June 2012, the OECD released an invitation to comment on a discussion draft on the Transfer Pricing Aspects of Intangibles. The comments received in response to this invitation have been published. This edition replaces the previous edition released on 28 September 2012.

On 6 June 2012, the OECD released an invitation to comment on a discussion draft on the revision of the Safe Harbours Section in Chapter IV of the Transfer Pricing Guidelines. The comments received in response to this invitation have been published. This edition replaces the previous edition released on 28 September 2012.

On 6 June 2012, the OECD released an invitation to comment on a discussion draft on timing issues relating to transfer pricing. The comments received in response to this invitation have been published. This edition replaces the previous edition released on 28 September 2012.

Secretary-General Angel Gurría provided closing remarks at the first meeting of the OECD Global Forum on Value Added Tax (VAT) held in Paris. The meeting focused on designing efficient and equitable VAT systems and analyzing their impacts on international trade.

The OECD is currently developing International VAT/GST Guidelines to address issues of double taxation and unintended double non-taxation, and this work provides a unique basis for the creation of the future international standard for applying VAT to cross-border trade. This was the conclusion of delegates who participated in the inaugural meeting of the OECD Global Forum on VAT, in Paris on 7-8 November.

Tax revenues in Latin American countries are lower as a proportion of their national incomes than in most OECD countries, but are rising slowly. Revenue Statistics in Latin America shows that the average tax revenue to GDP ratio in the 15 Latin American countries covered by the report increased from 19% in 2009 to 19.4% in 2010, after falling from a high point of 19.7% in 2008.

On 12-14 November 2012, transfer pricing experts from governments met with private sector representatives to discuss the transfer pricing discussion drafts released on 6 June 2012. The agenda for the meeting, presentation material submitted by private sector participants, and a list of participants have now been published.

News items following the meeting of the Forum on Tax Administration's Offshore Compliance Network in Tokyo

Guatemala has signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters allowing it to be removed from the list of countries that have not yet substantially implemented the internationally agreed tax standard.

In several OECD countries, ongoing fiscal consolidation might have a negative impact on the static income distribution. However, this conclusion should be treated only as an approximate first step in the analysis.

Invitation to attend the OECD-BIAC public briefing session on TRACE and FATCA

On 19 October 2012, the OECD Committee on Fiscal Affairs released for public comment revised proposals concerning the meaning of “beneficial owner” in Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the OECD Model Tax Convention. The OECD has now published the comments received on this revised discussion draft.

On 19 October 2012, the OECD Committee on Fiscal Affairs released for public comment a revised discussion draft on tax treaty issues related to emissions permits and credits. The OECD has now published the comments received on this revised discussion draft.

On 19 October 2012, the OECD Committee on Fiscal Affairs released for public comment a revised discussion draft on the definition of “permanent establishment” (Article 5) of the OECD Model Tax Convention. The OECD has now published the comments received on this revised discussion draft.

Global solutions are needed to ensure that tax systems do not unduly profit multinational enterprises, leaving citizens and small businesses with bigger tax bills.

This book deals with two issues. The first concerns the various measurement of fiscal decentralization in general and their usefulness for policy analysis. The second and more specific issue concerns the taxonomy of intergovernmental grants and the limits of the current classifications.

Azerbaijan and the Kingdom of Lesotho have joined the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes. As the 119th and 120th members of the Global Forum, they will participate in the peer review process which encourages all countries to adopt effective exchange of information in tax matters.

Albania has become the 43rd country to sign the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters.

The fiscal and taxation reforms will be more than ever necessary in China to ensure that growth becomes more inclusive. So far, China has had a major success in reducing the poverty. But additional tax reforms will be needed to reduce further inequality in disposable income and across regions, as well as to help reduce the rural-urban divide.

New data show that across OECD countries the average tax and social security burden on employment incomes increased by 0.1 of a percentage point to 35.6 per cent in 2012. It increased in 19 out of 34 countries, fell in 14, and remained unchanged in 1.

The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes (referred to as "the Global Forum"), has released its peer review reports for Belize, Finland, Iceland, Nauru, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and Turkey.

All of the world’s financial centres, under the impetus of the G20, and adopting the standards developed by the OECD, made a commitment in 2009 to putting an end to tax-motivated bank secrecy. Most of the countries have kept their word but major progress must still be made, said OECD Secretary-General.

OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria has presented a report to G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors that highlights measures to ensure that all taxpayers pay their fair share.

The Global Forum is looking for a Tax Policy Analyst

The Steering Committee of the OECD Global Forum on Transfer Pricing publishes a Draft Handbook on Transfer Pricing Risk Assessment. This Handbook is intended to provide practical guidance to tax administrations in both OECD and non-OECD economies regarding the process of conducting transfer pricing risk assessments. Interested parties are invited to provide comments by 13 September 2013.

This fifth edition describes institutional setups, organisational arrangements and reforms, aspects of strategic management and human resource management, resources for tax administration, important areas of operational performance, the use of technology, and elements of the legislative and administrative framework for tax administration across the 52 economies covered by the series.

The Forum on Tax Administration - Tax Commissioners from 45 countries - has been meeting in Moscow for the past two days. And released this comuniqué.

The OECD Council has approved the revision of Section E on safe harbours in Chapter IV of the Transfer Pricing Guidelines. New guidance provides opportunities for countries to relieve some compliance burdens and to provide greater certainty for cases involving smaller taxpayers or less complex transactions. It encourages the use of bilateral or multilateral safe harbours and provides sample MOUs to establish bilateral safe harbours.

Morocco has signed the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, a multilateral agreement developed jointly by the Council of Europe and the OECD. Morocco is the 45th country to sign the Multilateral Convention since it was updated to meet the international standard on transparency and exchange of information and opened for signature to all countries in June 2011.

As a further sign of international efforts to crack down on tax offenders, 12 more countries have signed, or committed to sign, the OECD’s Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. In addition, another 6 countries have ratified the Convention.

OECD governments have committed to stepping up their efforts to tackle base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) by endorsing the OECD's BEPS Declaration at the Organisation’s annual Ministerial Meeting in Paris.

Mr. Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD, attended the Working Lunch of the G8 Summit and delivered the OECD report “A Step Change in Tax Transparency - Delivering a standardised, secure and cost effective model of bilateral automatic exchange for the multilateral context” and remarks on Trade, Tax, Transparency which are the key priorities of the UK G8 Presidency for the Summit.

The OECD has presented to G8 leaders the steps needed to create a fairer and more transparent global tax system.

The OECD Committee on Fiscal Affairs invites public comments on a discussion draft on the tax treaty treatment of various payments, such as non-competition payments, that may be made following the termination of an employment.

This study proposes a structured approach to selecting instruments of fiscal consolidation that are consistent with growth, equity and global-rebalancing objectives, which is then illustrated with a particular application.

National tax laws have not kept pace with the globalisation of corporations and the digital economy, leaving gaps that can be exploited by multi-national corporations to artificially reduce their taxes.

The OECD today presented to G20 finance ministers plans for a two-pronged attack on tax avoidance and evasion from both companies and individuals.

As part of its project on transfer pricing simplification, the OECD has released a White Paper on Transfer Pricing Documentation. Comments of interested persons are requested by 1 October 2013.

The OECD released for public comment a Revised Discussion Draft on Transfer Pricing Aspects of Intangibles. The Revised Discussion Draft updates and expands an earlier discussion draft released in June 2012 to reflect comments received and further discussions of country delegates to Working Party No. 6 of the Committee on Fiscal Affairs. Comments of interested persons are requested by 1 October 2013.

The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes has released peer review reports assessing the tax systems of 13 jurisdictions for information exchange.

Following the recent invitations for public comment on four new draft elements of the OECD International VAT/GST Guidelines, the OECD has now published the comments received which will be used to inform the OECD’s work in this area.