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The European Parliament Will Undertake “Paradise Papers”

Published: 15/02/2018 | news

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The European Parliament plans to create a new committee on financial crimes, tax evasion and tax planning. This decision was taken by the Chairmen of the factions of the European Parliament on February 8 and it is awaiting approval in the plenary vote. The main goal of the committee, which will last 12 months, will be the completion of work done by the members of the pre-existing TAXE 1, TAXE 2 and PANA committees, as well as focusing on the so-called “Paradise Papers” - recent information leaks. Thus, the co-chairman of the Greens / European Free Alliance (Greens / EFA) fraction, Philippe Lamberts, noted: “Paradise Papers demonstrated the existence of clear objectives and serious volume of work that we must do if we want to ensure fiscal justice throughout the European Union. We want to be sure that the national treasuries are able to collect funds which are necessary to maintain the common prosperity of the EU”. According to the official, the EU Parliament’s Panama Papers Committee has already developed a well-prepared plan of measures to reduce the cases of tax evasion. The new committee will ensure the maintenance of the progress achieved and the implementation of...

Cyprus Imposes 19% VAT on Building Land

Published: 19/01/2018 | news

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#Cyprus #Taxes #VAT

From January 2, 2018 in Cyprus, the new VAT Law has entered into force, providing for changes in the main VAT Law No.95(I)/2000. The document introduces VAT at a standard rate for the sale of building land, as well as leasing/rental of business premises on the conditions specified in the law. It also introduces the reverse charge mechanism for VAT-subject supplies of land and property under a loan restructuring/force-sale arrangement, which will mostly influence financial institutions. Imposition of VAT at the standard rate of 19% on building land The standard VAT rate of 19% will be applied in the following cases: transfer of ownership; transfer of indivisible land portion; transfer of ownership via contract or sale agreement or agreement which specifies that the ownership will be transferred in the future or leasing agreement with buyout option. The above shall apply to non-developed building land which is meant for the construction of one or more structures in the course of carrying out a business activity. More clarifications are still needed for the application of the law, such as the circumstances whereby a transfer is not considered to be a part of a person’s...

OECD Has Published Comments Regarding Taxation of Offshore Indirect Transfers

Published: 11/12/2017 | news

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#Offshore accounts #Offshore schemes #Offshores #Офшори

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has published the comments that were received during the consultation on the draft of a new tool regarding the taxation of the so-called Offshore Indirect Transfers. We remind that the last ones constitute transactions for the sale of a legal entity located in one country and owning any immovable asset located in another country, by a non-resident of the country where the asset is located. The developed tool is part of the OECD program to assist developing countries in creating their own tax policies for Offshore Indirect Transfers. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has justified its actions by the concern that such countries may have difficulties in administration of tax systems because of a lack of appropriate competencies and resources. Thus, the attempts to minimize the tax burden have become more frequent among the multinational corporations, and there is no single principle for considering these transactions. In addition, the issue is not regulated by the BEPS (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting), the action plan of the OECD on the counteract of the tax base erosion and profit shifting from...

Ministry of Finance Reforms Institution of Financial Liability for Tax Violations

Published: 30/11/2017 | news

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#Cyprus #VAT

Recently the Ministry of Finances of Ukraine, together with the experts from the interactive tax platform TaxLink, has developed a bill “On Amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine regarding the improvement of the prosecution system for violation of tax laws”. The essence of the document is to reform the liability for tax violations provided by the current legislation. First of all, the bill introduces more effective mechanisms for the settlement of tax disputes in cases when the violation of tax law happened not due to the fault of the payer. In addition, it is proposed to introduce the principle of fault liability of taxpayers which is inherent in all branches of Ukrainian legislation, in contrast to the current liability of the payer without fault. Therefore, the last one will be considered guilty if found guilty that he was able to comply with the relevant rules and regulations, but did not take the necessary measures for this. In this regard, when considering the verification materials by the supervisory authority, the documents of the taxpayer may be subject to the examination that show his due diligence. Another significant innovation is the introduction of the system of...

Undistributed profit in Latvia is exempt from CIT

Published: 01/09/2017 | news

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#CIT #CIT #Dividends

On the 4th and 11th of July, 2017 the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia approved a number of draft laws providing for the significant changes in the tax legislation of the country which will enter into force on January 1, 2018. The most significant of them will be the application of the CIT 0% rate for the reinvested profits. In other words, the enterprise will be subject to the corporate income tax only if it pays dividends or other payments for the purpose of actual distribution of the profits (conditionally distributed profit). Therefore since 2018, the company's profits are exempted from CIT, but it has to pay 20% of the income tax from the amount of dividends. At the same time, the shareholders will not have to pay personal income tax (PIT). Although, according to the bill, the CIT rate is 20%, and the tax base should be divided by a factor of 0.8, the effective tax rate actually equals 25%. It is notably that CIT will be applied not only to the dividends in the traditional sense, but also to the "deemed dividends", which are considered a new concept in Latvian tax legislation, and comparable with the dividends to the costs. Here it is important to note that the last ones...

The law of Scotland on the tax reform of the Council

Published: 13/09/2016 | news

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#Offshore schemes #Reforms #Scotland

The Scottish Government has introduced tax legislation Council reform groups and rates from April 2017. The legislation will implement the proposals announced by the SNP government in March. Properties that fall under high tax board strips (E, F, G and H) would pay more as a result of these bands coefficient increases in relation to the middle band (D) properties. The government estimates that this will lead to annual average increase of about GBP100 (USD132) for Zone E properties, GBP200 for F, GBP335 for band G and GBP517 range for range H. The circuit board of reducing the tax would apply to families with low income, having children, and the government will introduce an exemption for families with low income living in conditions with high added value. Frozen council tax, which has been in place since 2007, will be removed from April 2017. Local authorities will be able to increase the tax up to a maximum of three per cent per year. The government expects to raise an additional reforms GBP100m a year in income or GBP500m, during the term of the current parliament. This money will be invested in the school education system in Scotland. Finance Minister Derek...

Changes in order payment of dividends by joint stock companies

Published: 03/06/2016 | news

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#Dividends #Ukraine

May 27, 2016 came into force The order payment of dividends by joint stock company, which is approved by the National Commission on securities and stock market from 12.04.2016 number 391. In particular, on the relevant general meeting of shareholders is defined by a specific method of payment of dividends concerning the entire issue of shares - through the depository system of Ukraine or directly to shareholders. Implementation of dividend payments by joint stock company is going through the payment of the entire amount in full or in part, certainly if it is provided by the general meeting of shareholders or the supervisory board of the company. At the same time, in the case of decision-making by the joint stock company to pay dividends to shares, the payment could made proportionally and simultaneously to all persons who are entitled to receive dividends. Regarding the payment of dividends directly to shareholders. Payment of dividends to shareholders who are entitled, namely the transfer of the amounts of funds to all shareholders shall be effected by the transfer of funds to the shareholders during the relevant time and date that does not exceed six...

Puerto Rico’s VAT plans was declined by lawmakers

Published: 31/05/2016 | news

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#Puerto-Rico

Puerto Rico will no longer accept the value added tax, after lawmakers in the Senate voted in favor of the overthrow of the attempts of the governor of Puerto Rico, Alejandro Garcia Padilla, to veto the previously adopted law on the abolition. Puerto Rico was to introduce value added tax at the point of sales and use tax from 1 of June The Senate of Puerto Rico, May 5, 2016, unanimously supported the earlier legislation with the support of the lower house of Parliament on 2 May to prevent value-added tax from being introduced.. The governor then vetoed the legislation. However, the legislation is only necessary to collect two-thirds support to override this veto. May 26, 2016, the Senate voted to abandon plans for VAT 21 votes to 1. Author: Sergey Panovmanaging partner Finance Business...

Sweden, plan to combat tax evasion

Published: 16/05/2016 | news

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#Offshore schemes #Sweden

Sweden announced that tax consultants should be obliged to inform the Swedish tax authority for tax planning schemes in the framework of the action plan to combat tax evasion, it also urges companies to preserve their own taxation policies at the board level. According to the Government, the introduction of the obligation for tax advisors can help the tax authorities to respond more quickly and close the scheme of tax evasion. This idea is part of the plan to combat tax evasion which encourages companies to tax issues on the agenda of board meetings. "Corporations should make tax policy and the system of internal control to ensure that the actions taken by corporate management,consistent with the opinion of the board on tax policy directors," according to the plan. The plan also calls for a review of the value added tax (VAT), as well as more effectively patrol the VAT system. Sweden also intends to launch an investigation into the effectiveness of penalties for incorrect tax returns. In addition, in order to counter the "informal" economy and the use of temporary labor the Government intends to seek the introduction of registers of staff in several...

The agreement on the avoidance of double taxation changes, Ukraine – Cyprus

Published: 06/04/2016 | news

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#Cyprus #Double taxation #Ukraine

The Ukrainian government has announced a change to the existing agreements on avoidance of double taxation signed with Cyprus. The revised text will close a loophole that led to the fact that the income from immovable property situated in Ukraine avoid taxation in Ukraine. Income derived by a Cyprus resident from the sale of shares or other corporate rights will be subject to taxation in Ukraine if more than 50 percent of this revenue is directly or indirectly related to income immovable property situated on the territory of Ukraine. The minimum rate on dividends is increased from two percent to five percent. This low rate is used when the recipient owns 20 or more percent of the company distributing dividends and investment at least EUR 100,000 to obtain holding. The tax rate of ten percent is used otherwise. The revised section on dividends will come into effect not earlier than 1 January 2019. Other changes proposed to bring in agreement with the latest international tax standards developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The amendment has been sent to the Ukrainian legislators for approval. Author: Sergey...

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