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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...

Singapore Has Launched Automatic Exchange of Tax Information with 61 Jurisdictions

Published: 16/01/2018 | news

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#Singapore #Tax reporting #Taxation

The government of Singapore stated that the process of automatic exchange of tax information with 61 states has been launched within the framework of the program to avoid tax evasion and financial crimes in the territory of the country. Data exchange will take place in accordance with the CRS - Common Reporting Standard of the OECD for the exchange of tax information. This standard assumes that an automatic exchange of information occurs between the territories that have agreed on the exchange of data in the automatic mode. The use of appropriate mechanisms and systems for collecting information on financial accounts is regulated by the Common Reporting Standard of the OECD for the exchange of tax information (CRS Regulations), which came into effect at the beginning of this year. The process of exchange of information with most states started on January 1. The government has approved the exchange of tax and financial information with the following jurisdictions: Australia Argentina Barbados Belgium Bermuda Bulgaria Brazil United Kingdom Germany Guernsey Greece Denmark Jersey India Indonesia Ireland Iceland Spain Italy Cayman...

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...

Global IT tariff cuts

Published: 06/07/2016 | news

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#EU #Singapore #USA

On July 1 the first tariff cuts were implemented under the expanded Information Technology Agreement (ITA), which was agreed at the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Nairobi in December 2015. The original ITA was concluded in 1996. The new agreement will eliminate tariffs on an additional 201 technology products. Products covered by the new ITA include video games consoles, GPS navigation systems, magnetic resonance imaging machines, telecommunications satellites, touch screens, and video cameras. It has been estimated that the products involved have a global export value of some USD1.3 trillion per year. Negotiations were conducted by over 50 WTO signatory members, but all members will benefit from the agreement as they will all enjoy duty-free access to the markets of the members eliminating tariffs on these products. It has been said that the tariff cuts will increase annual global gross domestic product by around USD190bn. The first tariff cuts were implemented on July 1, 2016, with successive reductions due to follow in up to seven years. Some countries, such as Singapore, have immediately eliminated all tariffs, but others, including...

Singapore and France, double taxation avoidance agreement enters into force

Published: 08/06/2016 | news

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#Double taxation #France #Singapore

Ddouble taxation avoidance agreement between this countries entered into force on June 1,2016 Under this agreement tax withholding capped 15 percent in general and 5 percent where the beneficial owners is a companies owned at least 10 percent from all capital of company. Withholding will arise rate of 10 percent. Then, agreement provides that royalties arising in beneficial company will be taxable only in that country.However royalties had getting like award for using or taking rights for using any copyrights of literary or artistic work, including cinematograph films and tapes for television or broadcasting, or for information concerning commercial experience may be taxed in accordance with the law of the country in which they arise. Treaty also includes provisions to prevent treaty abuse. Also exchange tax information between tax administration of both countries. The new provisions of this agreements will be enter into force from January 1, 2017. Author: Olena Kutova senior lawyer of the Finance Business Service company ...

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...

Singapore-Cambodia, an agreement on the double taxation avoidance

Published: 25/05/2016 | news

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#Double taxation #Singapore

Singapore and Cambodia signed an agreement on avoidance of double taxation with a view to increasing cross-border trade and investment between the two countries. The agreement clarifies the rights in relation to tax in both countries on all forms of income streams arising from cross-border business activity but also ensures that the income will not be taxed twice. Under the deal tax on dividends, interest and royalties will depend on the maximum rate of 10 percent. Some of the interest payment would be released. The agreement also includes provisions for the resolution of contractual disputes through the process of mutual agreement and provides for the exchange of information in tax matters. The Treaty will enter into force after the completion of the domestic ratification procedures in both countries. Author: Olena Kutova senior lawyer of the Finance Business Service company ...

2016 Singapore budget announced

Published: 11/04/2016 | news

Tags:

#Financial statements #Singapore

Singapore’s Minister for Finance delivered the 2016 budget statement on 24 March 2016. The budget’s goals include transformation of the economy through enterprise and innovation. A number of measures would benefit small and medium-sized enterprises, including an enhancement of the corporate income tax rebate. The relevant tax proposals that would affect businesses also include changes to tax incentives (including the expansion and extension of several incentives) and measures affecting intellectual property rights. An automation support package would be introduced to support companies’ efforts to automate, increase productivity, scale up and expand overseas. It would offer a 100% investment allowance for qualifying capital expenditure of up to SGD 10 million per project, and grants of up to SGD 1 million and enhanced financing support also would be available. It is unclear if all the proposed benefits could be applied at the same time, and the effective date for the measures is yet to be announced. No changes are proposed to the corporate income tax rate (17% with a partial tax exemption on a company’s first SGD 300,000 of normal chargeable income), but the...

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