Malta has announced its decision to defer reporting under the EU's sixth Directive on Administrative Cooperation, on tax schemes, for six months.

The Russian Government has disclosed that both Luxembourg and Malta have agreed to change their double tax agreement with Russia to increase withholding tax rates on cross-border dividends and interest income.

Russia's double tax agreements with Hong Kong and Switzerland are next on the radar for authorities in Russia, who are seeking to ensure the country can subject to at least 15 percent withholding tax outbound dividends and interest payments.

Malta's Commissioner for Revenue has announced an extension to the corporate tax filing deadline for businesses whose tax year is the calendar year.

The Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department has announced a further reduction to the interest rate payable on Tax Reserve Certificates.

The EFTA Surveillance Authority has closed its investigations into the tax ruling practices of Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, without finding any evidence of state aid infringements.

Hong Kong's Inland Revenue Department has explained COVID-19 tax concessions available for taxpayers struggling to pay their tax dues and has highlighted upcoming property tax obligations.

The Colombian Government has issued Decree 939 of August 19, 2021, which enables the tax agency to revise an assessment for potentially viable companies that are facing insolvency, where doing so may save the company and jobs.

The Singaporean Government has announced it will amend provisions on transfer pricing adjustments in the draft Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2021, which includes measures announced in the 2021 Budget, following a consultation.

The French Government has announced proposals to cut taxes on production by EUR20bn (USD23.7bn) in 2021 and 2022.

France has extended the October 15 property tax payment deadline for businesses affected by measures to contain COVID-19.

France's Senate is considering the country's 2021 Finance Bill, following approval in late November by the National Assembly.

The Dutch Senate has approved the 2021 Tax Plan package, which introduces a lower rate of corporate tax for small- and medium-sized businesses.

At its December 22 plenum, Russia's lower house of parliament approved revisions to the country's double tax agreements with Cyprus and Luxembourg.

The Hong Kong Government has gazetted legislation to provide tax concessions for carried interest distributed by eligible private equity funds operating in Hong Kong.

At a plenary session on February 11, 2021, Belgium's parliament adopted a draft law for a new annual tax on securities accounts.

Singapore announced the extension of a number of support measures for businesses in its 2021 Budget, released on February 16, 2021.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore has released guidance for companies on filing a corporate income tax return this year.

On September 28, 2021, the European Commission launched a consultation on a proposed Directive that would obligate member states to introduce the same rules regarding withholding tax on dividend and interest payments.

The Philippines Department of Finance has issued a statement warning against the introduction of a new tax on the super wealthy.

The European Commission has approved a Cypriot scheme involving the grant of tax breaks to private investors – both natural persons and corporate investors – who invest into early-stage, innovative SMEs.

The OECD has released its Taxing Wages 2020 report, which highlights that taxes on labor across the OECD countries fell for the sixth consecutive year in 2019.

On July 10, 2020, the Italian tax authority issued a ruling to explain the rules concerning tax credits for expenditure on adapting workplaces to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Hong Kong's Legislative Council has passed a bill to reduce the profits tax for certain insurance businesses.

The Hong Kong Government has gazetted legislation to provide tax concessions for carried interest distributed by eligible private equity funds operating in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong will grant taxpayers a waiver of up to HKD10,000 (USD1,290) of profits tax, salaries tax, and tax under personal assessment, the territory announced in its 2021-22 Budget.

Hong Kong has passed legislation to abolish the doubled ad valorem stamp duty rates applicable to non-residential property transactions with effect from November 26, 2020.

Hong Kong tabled the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021 in parliament on March 24.

On April 1, 2021, the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department began issuing profits tax, property tax, and employer's returns for the year of assessment 2020-21.

On May 3, 2021, the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department issued over 2.62 million tax returns for individuals for the year of assessment 2020-21.

Hong Kong's Legislative Council has passed a bill to implement a series of amendments to the Inland Revenue Ordinance.

The Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department has announced a further reduction to the interest rate payable on Tax Reserve Certificates.

The Hong Kong Government has announced that the comprehensive double tax agreement it signed with Georgia last year will enter into force on July 1.

Hong Kong's Inland Revenue Department has explained COVID-19 tax concessions available for taxpayers struggling to pay their tax dues and has highlighted upcoming property tax obligations.

Hong Kong's Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Christopher Hui Ching-yu, has set out how the territory intends to respond to the OECD's proposed new international tax framework.

The Hong Kong Government has said it is looking at potential measures to support the shipping industry following the decision by the US Government to terminate the two territories' agreement that exempted shipping industry income from tax.

The Hong Kong Government has issued a statement committing to amend its tax law with regards the tax exemption for foreign source passive income from 2023, to ensure the territory does not end up placed on the EU's tax blacklist of non-cooperative territories.

Authorities in Hong Kong have launched a review into two tax-deductible retirement savings products: Qualifying Deferred Annuity Policies (QDAP) and Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) Tax-Deductible Voluntary Contributions (TVC).

The Australian Taxation Office has issued a Taxpayer Alert on mischaracterized arrangements and schemes connected with direct foreign investment into Australian businesses.

The Australian Government has confirmed that it will amend its offshore banking unit regime after it was designated a harmful tax regime by the OECD and the European Union.

The Swiss Federal Council intends to end the obligation to sign electronic tax returns and to introduce new e-filing requirements for certain documents.

The Swiss Finance Department has said that changes to tax law are not currently needed in response to developments in distributed ledger technology and blockchain.

The Swiss Federal Council has launched a consultation on the amendments to the VAT law, with a focus on the tax treatment of mail order businesses and the administrative burden on SMEs.

Switzerland has proposed introducing the value-added tax reverse charge mechanism for domestic transactions in emission allowances.

On July 20, 2020, the French Government published in the Official Gazette a decree to expand the list of jurisdictions exempt from local filing reporting requirements under the country's country-by-country reporting regime.

Russia's double tax agreements with Hong Kong and Switzerland are next on the radar for authorities in Russia, who are seeking to ensure the country can subject to at least 15 percent withholding tax outbound dividends and interest payments.

The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released the text of an arbitration agreement between the US and Switzerland, in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2020-35, published August 24.

The Swiss Government has confirmed it will extend a tax exemption for surface disinfectants in light of COVID-19.

In an October 15, 2020, statement, the Swiss Government announced it will not pay interest on federal taxes paid early.

The Swiss Federal Council has approved proposed legislative changes to alter how the country interprets double tax agreement provisions.