VAT in the Digital Age: EU Commission welcomes EU Council agreement
The Council today reached an agreement on new measures that will bring the EU’s value added tax (VAT) rules into…
EU Council background on digital taxation
The digital economy has brought many benefits to citizens and companies. At the same time, the rise of certain digital…
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Background on the EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council on 5 November 2024
The EU Ecofin Council will seek an agreement on value added tax (VAT) in the digital age (VIDA): The package…
Eurostat: EU and euro area tax-to-GDP ratio down in 2023
The overall tax-to-GDP ratio, as the sum of taxes and net social contributions as a percentage of gross domestic product…
“Apple tax” state aid judgment: MEPs discussed implications with Margrethe Vestager
MEPs of the tax subcommittee discussed with Commissioner Vestager the Apple tax state aid case in Ireland and its implications…
EP Think Tank on tax compliance costs in the EU: Striking the right balance
Brussels, 15 October 2024 Written by Pieter Baert. For her second mandate, European Commission President-elect Ursula von...
Non-cooperative jurisdictions: Antigua and Barbuda removed from EU blacklist
With these updates, the list consists of the following 11 jurisdictions: American Samoa, Anguilla, Fiji, Guam, Palau, Panama, Russia, Samoa,…
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October infringements package: Key decisions by the EU Commission
In its regular package of infringement decisions, the European Commission pursues legal action against Member States for failing to comply…
New treaty advances tax rules designed to protect tax bases in developing countries
The international community took another concrete step today towards ensuring fairer and better international tax arrangements, in particular for developing…
EU Court: EU Commission erred in cases concerning UK profit taxation of controlled foreign companies
The EU Court of Justice annuls the Commission decision finding certain United Kingdom rules on the taxation of controlled foreign…
EU Court confirms: Ireland is required to recover unlawful aid to Apple
Tax rulings: The EU Court of Justice sets aside the judgment of the EU General Court concerning tax rulings issued…
Swiss Federal Council finds interim solution for withholding tax on too-big-to-fail tools
During its meeting on 21 August 2024, the Federal Council approved a temporary extension of the special rules on withholding…
EU taxation: Looking back, and ahead – EU Parliament background
As the new parliamentary mandate begins, this note looks back at notable achievements of the previous legislative term in the…
OECD statement on the G20 Declaration on International Tax Cooperation
For the first time in its history, G20 Members have agreed a comprehensive stand-alone Tax Declaration, reflecting the transformational achievements…
Aggressive tax planning: EU Court in Case C-623/22 Belgian Association of Tax Lawyers
Combating aggressive tax planning: The EU Court upholds the validity of various provisions of the EU directive. The EU directive provides…
Excessive deficits: EU Council launches procedures against seven member states
The EU Council adopted decisions establishing the existence of excessive deficits for Belgium, France, Italy, Hungary, Malta, Poland and Slovakia.…
WTO issues new edition of World Tariff Profiles
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) issued today (25 July) the 2024 edition of World Tariff Profiles, a joint publication of…
Pasquale Tridico elected Chair of the EP Subcommittee on Tax Matters (FISC)
A committee bureau (Chair and up to four Vice-chairs) is elected for a two and a half year mandate. Committees…
Johan Van Overtveldt re-elected Chair of the EP Committee on Budgets (BUDG)
In their constitutive meeting, members of the Committee on Budgets have elected their bureau consisting of the Chair and four…
2025 EU annual budget: EU Council agrees its position on draft
Today, the EU Council reached an agreement on its position on the 2025 EU draft budget. In total, the Council's…
Policy guidance: EU Commission publishes its European Semester spring package
The 2024 European Semester Spring Package provides guidance how to build a robust and future-proof economy that secures competitiveness, resilience…
OECD Secretary-General on the Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS)
This week’s Inclusive Framework plenary meeting has clarified the outstanding issues in its ongoing effort to reach agreement on a…
Withholding tax: EU Council agrees on new FASTER rules
The so-called FASTER initiative aims to make withholding tax procedures in the EU safer and more efficient for cross-border investors,…
Taxation and the witch-hunt against the self-employed – EU Commission answer
Member States are free to design their direct tax systems, including how to determine the tax base and tax rates…
EP Think tank: Harmonising transfer pricing rules within the EU
On 12 September 2023, the EU Commission tabled a proposal on harmonising transfer pricing rules within the EU. The main objective…
MEPs adopt position on simplyfied fraud-proof withholding tax refunds
The simplifications are expected to save investors around EUR 5 billion per year and, at the same time, provide tax authorities with…
EU removes four jurisdictions from tax non-cooperation list
Concerning Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands, ever since October 2022, deficiencies in the enforcement of economic substance requirements had been…
EP Tax Subcommittee debates taxes in the single market and tax avoidance
The co-existence of 27 different national tax systems in the European Union brings about significant obstacles to cross-border business activity…
OECD and Saudi Arabia sign MoU to deepen co-operation and support reforms
The OECD and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen…
New rules to combat fraud on cross-border payments in the EU came into force on 1 January
New transparency rules that will help EU Member States to crack down on Value-Added Tax (VAT) fraud came into force…
G20 Brazil: President Lula reinforces Brazil’s priorities
The combat against hunger, poverty and inequality, sustainable development and the reform of global governance are the three dimensions that…
Switzerland and Italy agree permanent tax treatment for home working
On 10 November 2023 in the course of a videoconference, Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter and Italian Minister of Economy and…
Finland requests payment of €273m from EU under RRP
This is the first of six payment requests under Finland’s RRP. In order for the payment to be made, Finland…
Eurojust backs global operation on tax evasion via sham contracts
Eurojust has supported the competent authorities in Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland in a coordinated action against a group…
MEPs adopt recommendations on using tax policy to address current difficulties
MEPs on Tuesday called for a systemic review of tax policy generally and corporate tax rules more specifically. Adopting two…
VAT compliance: EU Member States made progress in 2021
Most EU Member States made progress in the enforcement of Value-Added Tax (VAT) compliance in 2021, according to a new…
Switzerland launches tax programme for developing countries
Governments use revenues, especially funds obtained from taxation, to invest in social and economic development, alleviate poverty, provide public services…
Fair taxation: Member States update EU list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions
EU Member States today added three jurisdictions – Antigua and Barbuda, Belize and Seychelles – to the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions…
Main results: Economic and Financial Affairs Council, 17 October 2023
The Council took stock of the progress on the review of the economic governance framework and stressed the need to…
EU Council adopts directive for tax authority cooperation (DAC8)
Today, the Council adopted a directive amending EU rules on administrative cooperation in the area of taxation. The amendments mainly…
Insight EU Climate Monitoring 4 October 2023
SUSTAINABLE FINANCE: Opening remarks by Commissioner McGuinness at the European Parliament plenary debate on the European Green Bond Standard +++…
Boosting recovery: EU Commission releases €2.76bn to Romania
Today's payment of €2.76 billion in grants and loans was made possible by Romania's fulfilment of 49 milestones and targets linked to the second instalment. They…
EU Code of Conduct Group on business taxation commemorates 25th anniversary
The group was established in 1998 to assess tax measures that may fall within the scope of the Code of…
Taxation: The EU Code of Conduct Group on business taxation commemorates its 25th anniversary
The group works under the political guidance of EU finance ministers (ECOFIN). It also cooperates with third-country jurisdictions to promote and strengthen…
Judgment of the EU General Court in Case T-131/16 RENV – Belgium v EU Commission
Since 2005, Belgium has applied a tax scheme that exempts certain ‘excess’ profits of Belgian entities which form part of…
BEFIT: New rules to reduce tax costs for cross-border businesses up to 65%
Today's proposal, called “Business in Europe: Framework for Income Taxation” (BEFIT), will make life easier for both businesses and tax…
Switzerland: First insights into the impact of adopting OECD minimum tax
The Federal Department of Finance FDF has published the first report on the expected effects of the implementation of the…
Switzerland: e-vignette off to a successful start
The motorway tax ticket for the calendar year 2023 can now be purchased electronically at www.e-vignette.ch using the Via portal…
ECI: EU Commission decides to register initiative on taxing great wealth in the EU
Following today's registration, the organisers have six months to open the signature collection. If a European Citizens' Initiative receives one…
EU Parliament Tax Subcommittee concludes visit to London
The delegation met with members of the Public Accounts Committee, the Treasury Committee and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Anti-Corruption…