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Tax Rates Inch Up In EU27 5/25/2012 In its 2012 edition of the publication 'Taxation trends in the European
Union', Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, highlights
the observed increase in value-added tax rates, corporate tax rates and top personal
income tax rates in 2012, among the twenty-seven European Union member states.
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Belgium Warned Of Further Austerity Ahead 5/18/2012 Belgium’s Federal Planning Bureau, providing economic analyses and forecasts
for the government, has recently announced that if Belgium is to limit its public
deficit to 2.15% of gross domestic product in 2013 and to re-establish
a balanced budget in 2015, in line with its targets, new measures totalling
around EUR11bn (USD14bn) will be necessary, of which EUR3bn from next year.
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Belgian Residents Stifled By Hollande's Tax Plans 5/15/2012 Over 100,000 Belgians will be affected by French President-elect François
Hollande’s plans to increase the taxation of secondary residences in France,
according to Belgian newspaper La Libre.
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Funds In Line For French Tax Refunds 5/14/2012 France is facing tax refund claims of EUR4bn (USD5bn) from savers and institutional investors after the European Court of Justice ruled in favour of investments funds from Belgium, Germany, Spain and the United States in a tax case - a ruling which could have ramifications for other European Union member states.
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ECJ Rules Against Dutch Tax On Cross-Border Car Use 5/2/2012 The European Court of Justice has disagreed with the Dutch government's tax treatment of vehicles registered in other European Union states that are loaned free of charge and used on a non-permanent basis on Dutch roads.
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Belgian Media Owe Millions In Unpaid Gambling Tax 4/24/2012 Belgium’s special inspectorate for taxation has recently demanded tens of millions of euros from the Belgian
media in respect of unpaid gambling taxes, according to Francis Adyns, a spokesman
from the country’s finance ministry.
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World Economic Forum Issues Global ICT Report 4/6/2012 The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with INSEAD, has issued the Global
Information Technology Report for 2012, which is said to be the most comprehensive
assessment of the preparedness of global economies to leverage the networked economy.
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Belgium Told To Revise Taxation Of Property Income 3/26/2012 The European Commission has officially asked Belgium to revise its taxation
of property income from sources outside Belgium.
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EU Divided Over FTT 3/15/2012 Despite months of ongoing discussions, Europe remains divided and seemingly
no further forward on the controversial issue of a financial transactions tax.
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Belgium Unites On Fiscal Consolidation Measures 3/13/2012 The Belgian government has finally united on further fiscal consolidation measures
totalling almost EUR2.5bn (USD3.3bn), in addition to the EUR11.3bn already provided
for in the country’s original 2012 budget agreed by coalition parties back
in December.
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Belgium Urged To Extend Venture Capital Tax Break 3/5/2012 The European Commission has officially asked Belgium to amend its legislation
on tax credits for investing in venture capital.
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Belgium Seeks EUR2bn To Limit Budget Deficit 2/28/2012 Belgium’s select ministerial committee has recently confirmed that the additional
fiscal effort needed to limit the country’s deficit to 2.8% of gross domestic
product in 2012 will be in the region of EUR2bn (USD2.67bn).
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Belgium Tax Man Targets Internet Sales Sites 2/22/2012 The Belgian tax authorities have recently announced that they are now closely monitoring
Internet sales websites, including eBay, in a bid to clamp down on Internet
traders failing to meet their tax obligations.
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The Netherlands Ups Tax Treaty Negotiations In 2012 2/21/2012 Underlining the government’s commitment to negotiating new tax treaties
with other countries, the Dutch finance ministry has recently outlined details
of its specific plans for 2012.
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EU 'Core' Presses For FTT 2/9/2012 French Finance Minister François Baroin has announced that nine European
countries have recently addressed a joint letter to the Danish Presidency of the
European Union calling for work to be accelerated on European plans for a
tax on financial transactions.
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FTT Will Hit UK Revenues Even With Opt Out 2/8/2012 David Cameron's refusal to sign a new European Union deal will not shield the UK from the impact of a financial transaction tax, Ernst and Young has said.
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Belgium Urged To Cut Labour Taxes 2/3/2012 The International Monetary Fund has welcomed spending cuts implemented by Belgium
to bring the nation's deficit to below 3% of Gross Domestic Product by 2012, but
has urged authorities to undertake comprehensive tax reform to boost employment and
growth prospects.
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Luxembourg, Belgium Champion Fiscal Discipline 1/25/2012 During a recent working visit to Luxembourg, Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di
Rupo held talks with his Luxembourg counterpart Jean-Claude Juncker, with the
talks focussing on fiscal issues currently under discussion in the European
Union.
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Merkel Champions Eurozone Fiscal Pact 1/26/2012 German Chancellor Angela Merkel has recently held talks in Berlin with Belgian
Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, with the talks focussing on the European agenda,
and with both leaders underlining their commitment to further developing the planned
fiscal pact.
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EU Tax Burdens Stabilize 1/17/2012 Following three years of decline, European Union nations' tax-to-GDP ratios remained broadly level in 2010, the latest year for which detailed tax revenue statistics are available for all member states, as governments begin to consolidate their fiscal positions. In the euro area the downward trend in tax revenues continued, but decelerated in 2010, with a slight drop to 40.2% of GDP.
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The Seychelles Adds Guernsey TIEA 1/3/2012 The Seychelles has noted the signing of a Tax Information Exchange Agreement with
Guernsey as a significant step in boosting bilateral relations between the two
territories.
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Belgium Eyes EUR550m Nuclear Tax In 2013 12/16/2011 Belgium’s Energy Minister Melchior Wathelet has recently announced that
the tax imposed by Belgium on the nuclear power industry will without doubt be
extended to 2013.
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Belgium's Company Car Tax Reform Plans Criticized 12/13/2011 Government plans to reform the existing tax regime pertaining to company cars
in Belgium, agreed within the framework of intense negotiations on the country’s
2012 budget, are expected to significantly increase the tax burden on individuals.
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Belgium Upbraided Over 'Discriminatory' Taxation 12/1/2011 The European Commission has officially asked Belgium to abolish additional
taxation of certain types of income from capital deriving from outside the European
Economic Area and not received or collected by an intermediary established
in Belgium.
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Belgium Unites On 2012 Budget 11/30/2011 At the eleventh hour and following intensive talks, negotiators in Belgium, led by Elio Di Rupo, tasked by the King with forming a viable coalition government, have finally united on plans for the country’s 2012 budget, providing for savings of EUR11.3bn (USD15.1bn) and for a public deficit of 2.8% of gross domestic product.
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Belgian Budget Talks At Breaking Point 11/22/2011 Fresh talks on Belgium’s 2012 budget are once again at breaking point, with
the six leading parties failing to agree on new proposals put forward by chief
negotiator Elio Di Rupo, with divisions arising primarily on the key issue of taxation.
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Talks Stall On Belgian Budget 11/15/2011 Despite intensive talks, negotiators from Belgium’s six leading parties,
expected to form a new coalition government shortly, have failed to unite on plans
for the country’s federal 2012 budget.
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Belgian Executives Challenge Nuclear Tax Plans 11/3/2011 The Belgian Confederation of Executives and Managerial Staff, representing executives from Belgium’s
nuclear electricity producer Electrabel, subsidiary of French giant GDF Suez,
has opposed plans to increase the tax on the sector.
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Dutch Cities Oppose Changes To Expat Tax 10/18/2011 Amid wider concerns of a negative impact on international businesses, Amsterdam
city council has submitted a letter to Dutch State Secretary of Finance Frans
Weekers urging him to reconsider plans to amend the country’s popular
30% tax ruling for expatriate workers.
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Belgium Unites On Special Financing Law 9/28/2011 Belgian negotiators have finally reached an agreement on the country’s financing law, designed to appease both Flemish- and French-speaking communities by granting a large, albeit limited, degree of fiscal autonomy to the regions.
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Belgium's 'Nuclear Tax' Contested Again 9/19/2011 Belgium’s nuclear electricity producer Electrabel has announced its decision
to submit an appeal to court, in the first instance, contesting the government’s
nuclear tax.
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EU Divisions Entrenched On European Tobin Tax 9/20/2011 During a recent meeting of European Union finance ministers and central bank
leaders in Breslau, deep divisions crystallized on the highly controversial idea
of Europe proceeding unilaterally with the introduction of a tax levied on all
financial market transactions.
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Taiwan Gives VAT Refund To Belgian Businesses 9/15/2011 Taiwan’s Ministry of Finance has announced that Belgian businesses,
with no permanent establishment in Taiwan, and that exhibit in a trade fair, are
now eligible for a value added tax refund on their purchases of products
and services in Taiwan.
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Reynders Backs Franco-German Tax Plans 9/15/2011 According to Belgian Finance Minister Didier Reynders, the Benelux countries should
join the Franco-German drive to create a common, harmonized corporate tax base.
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Four EU Countries Ban Short-Selling Of Bank Shares 8/15/2011 Given the volatility of European bank shares recently, the European Securities
and Markets Authority has announced harmonized action against short
selling by the national financial authorities of Belgium, France, Italy and Spain,
with effect from August 12, 2011.
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OECD Argues For Belgian Tax Reforms 7/13/2011 Belgium rebounded from economic crisis faster than most in the euro zone, but issues with its tax system, and with its environmental taxation in particular, remain, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has said.
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Belgium's NVA Rejects Di Rupo's Fiscal Model 7/11/2011 Provoking fierce criticism from other political parties, leader of Belgium’s
New Flemish Alliance, Bart De Wever, has refused to enter into discussions
on the detailed programme of fiscal and institutional reforms, drawn up by francophone
Socialist Elio Di Rupo, designed to redress the public finances.
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Belgium's Di Rupo Mulls Crisis Tax 7/8/2011 Tasked with forming a new coalition government, leader of Belgium’s Socialist
Party Elio Di Rupo recently unveiled details of a raft of fiscal measures and
reforms, designed to redress the public finances and to return the country’s
budget to balance by 2015.
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Eurostat Notes Rising Consumption Tax 7/7/2011 According to a recent study conducted by Eurostat, the statistical office of the
European Union, the global financial and economic crisis has changed the
fiscal shape of Europe.
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EC Opposes Belgium's Taxation Of Share Donations 5/26/2011 The European Commission has formally requested that Belgium amend its discriminatory
tax legislation on donations of shares.
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US Returns To Top Of World Competitiveness Rankings 5/20/2011 The Swiss business school, IMD, has announced the rankings from its 2011 World
Competitiveness Yearbook, which places the United States and Hong Kong as
the most competitive countries.
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Tax Burdens On The Increase, Says OECD 5/13/2011 Average tax burdens rose in 22 of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's 34 member countries in 2010, with France, Belgium, Germany and Italy among the highest-taxed countries.
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OECD Publishes Seven Country Reviews On Tax Transparency 4/28/2011 The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has published two new
reports in its assessments of countries’ frameworks for facilitating the
tackling of tax evasion through tax information exchange.
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EU Advocate General Backs ISP In Key IP Ruling 4/18/2011 According to the European Union Court of Justice’s Advocate General
Cruz Villalón, a governmental measure ordering an internet service provider to install a system for filtering and blocking electronic communications
in order to protect intellectual property rights in principle infringes
fundamental rights.
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Belgium Falls Foul Of EU Tax Rules 4/13/2011 Belgium has come under legal scrutiny over six tax provisions the European
Commission has deemed to be contrary to European Union laws, referring two such
matters to the European Court of Justice, and sending reasoned opinions requesting
a response in respect of the remaining four.
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French Consumers Associations Demand Fuel Tax Cuts 3/31/2011 Given the continuing rise in fuel prices, and in view of measures taken by other
countries in Europe recently, consumers associations in France and opposition
parties have called for the government to respond, and to either adjust or reduce
the tax levied on fuel.
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Belgian Business Eyes Opportunities In Qatar 2/24/2011 Officials from the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry have hosted a delegation of Belgian businessmen aimed at increasing business co-operation between the two countries.
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EC Investigates Code Share Agreements 2/17/2011 The European Commission has opened two own-initiative investigations, to verify
whether code-share agreements - a particular form of cooperation on ticket sales - are in breach
of European Union rules on anti-competitive agreements, under Article 101 of the Treaty on
the Functioning of the European Union.
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Lamy Urges On Doha Participants 2/7/2011 The World Trade Organization’s Director General, Pascal Lamy, as chairperson
of the Trade Negotiations Committee, urged WTO ambassadors on February 2 to
engage in bilateral and small group discussions on resolving key obstacles to
a near-global multilateral free trade agreement, through the Doha Round.
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EU Launches Multi-Year Review Of Cross-Border Taxation 12/23/2010 The European Commission has published a Consultation, which marks the commencement of a comprehensive multi-year review of the major cross-border issues faced by EU citizens, and proposes solutions for them.
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China, EU Discuss Untapped Trade Flow Potential 12/22/2010 The EU and China held the second, and final day of their third High Level Economic
and Trade Dialogue on December 21, at what was the first meeting between the two parties
since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty.
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OECD Notes Fall In Global Tax Burden 12/15/2010 The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has noted a decline
in revenues during 2009 among its member countries, in cash terms, which it
said was driven by declining economic activity, and tax cuts introduced
to cushion countries’ economies from the downturn.
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EC Targets 'Discriminatory' Belgian Pension Rules 12/1/2010 The European Commission has recently referred Belgium to the European Court of Justice for only allowing tax relief on pension savings paid to
Belgian institutions or, in the case of collective pension savings, only those
invested in Belgian funds.
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Belgian PM Seeks EU Financial Tax 11/11/2010 During a recent address to the European Banking Association in Brussels, Belgium’s
outgoing Prime Minister Yves Leterme announced his intention to ask parliament
to grant the country’s current government the necessary mandates
to finalize the reform of banking supervision in Belgium. Leterme also called for a European credit rating agency and for the introduction of a financial transactions tax.
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Merkel Rejects EU Tax 11/5/2010 Germany’s coalition government remains categorically opposed to the idea
of a European tax as proposed by the European Commission.
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EC Attacks Discriminatory Taxes 10/4/2010 The European Commission has sent formal requests to Germany, Greece and Belgium to change their tax rules as it considers them to be discriminatory.
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Belize Signs TIEAs With Nordic Countries 9/22/2010 Belize has signed tax information exchange agreements with seven Nordic countries, which will allow for the sharing of tax-related information in accordance with the standards established by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
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Panama Expands Tax Agreement Network 9/8/2010 Panamanian Vice President and Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Varela has flown to Europe to sign double taxation treaties with Portugal, Italy, Spain, France, and Luxembourg.
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ACTA Negotiations Progress, But No Draft Text 8/26/2010 The statement by the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement partners regarding
their recent round of negotiations, in Washington, D.C. from August 16-20, said
that discussions were further advanced in all sections of the agreement.
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Uruguay Stays On OECD Grey List 8/24/2010 Uruguay has reached agreement with India on an information exchange agreement, but for the present will stay on the grey list of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, since seven of its 12 agreements, including the one with India, still await signature.
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Panama Pushes For White List Placement 8/18/2010 Panama’s Deputy Economy Minister, Frank De Lima has said that by the beginning
of 2011 Panama should be placed on the OECD's
white list of territories that have substantially implemented the internationally
agreed standard for transparency and tax information exchange through the signing
of comprehensive Double Tax Agreements.
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Austria, Israel Sign Tax Treaty 7/29/2010 Austria and Israel have initialed a revised tax treaty for the avoidance of double taxation between the two countries.
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Belgium Steps Up Vehicle Tax Checks Belgium’s federal public finance service, SPF Finances, has announced plans to intensify its efforts to clamp down on the non-payment of vehicle tax in Belgium this year. |
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Hong Kong To Implement DTAs 7/8/2010 Orders made to implement double taxation agreements with Brunei, the Netherlands and Indonesia for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of tax evasion have been gazetted.
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Argenta Challenges Belgian Bank Tax 7/7/2010 On the basis of discrimination, the Belgian savings bank Argenta has decided to formally contest the manner in which contributions
from financial institutions in Belgium are calculated.
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EC To Begin Excessive Deficit Procedures With Three States 6/22/2010 The European Commission on June 15 decided on the existence of excessive
deficits in Cyprus, Denmark and Finland and recommended deadlines for their
correction to the Council. These steps, taken under Article 126(5-7) of the
Treaty, represent a follow-up to the reports under Article 126(3) that the
Commission presented on May 12.
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BNB Governor Advocates Tax Hikes In Belgium 6/17/2010 Presenting the country’s spring economic forecast, Guy Quaden, governor
of Belgium’s national bank put forward
the idea of an increase in taxation.
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EU Rules On Belgian VAT State Aid Case 5/31/2010 Following an in-depth investigation, the European
Commission has concluded that the arrangement agreed on between the Belgian
tax authorities and UMICORE in December 2000 does not constitute state aid.
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OECD 'Tax Wedge' Falls 5/11/2010 The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has published its annual report on 'Taxing Wages 2008-2009,' an overview of the share of tax and social security charges in the total cost of employment.
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EU Member States In Court 5/10/2010 The European Commission has referred Belgium, Finland and France to the European
Court of Justice following the States’ failure to implement the Commission’s
formal requests, which called for amendments to various tax provisions. Also on
May 5, the Commission formally requested that Spain amend its inheritance and
gift tax regime.
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Fewer European Patents Filed In 2009 4/28/2010 The number of European patent applications filed last year fell for the first time in 20 years, according to data released by the European Patent Office.
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Liechtenstein Parliament Approves Multiple TIEAs 4/27/2010 Liechtenstein’s parliament has, by a large
majority, approved 11 tax agreements submitted by the government and which are compliant with the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development’s standards on tax information
exchange.
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Multilateral Tax Cooperation Boosted 4/8/2010 The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Council of Europe have agreed on an update to an international treaty that aims to help governments enforce their tax laws, as part of the worldwide drive to combat cross-border tax evasion.
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OECD Promotes Multilateral TIEAs 3/31/2010 The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has developed a new approach to negotiating tax information exchange agreements involving multilateral negotiations, in order to assist developing countries with resource constraints.
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EC Outlaws Exit Taxes 3/24/2010 The European Commission has sent reasoned opinions to Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands, requesting that they change their exit tax rules on companies that transfer their seat or assets to other member states.
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Financial Crisis Hits Trademark Filings 3/19/2010 International trademark filings under the World Intellectual
Property Organization's Madrid System for the International
Registration of Marks dropped by 16% in 2009 as a result of the
global economic downturn, though increases were observed among some
major users of the system, WIPO has announced.
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Japan Probes Komatsu's Transfer Pricing 3/17/2010 Komatsu Ltd., an international leader in the field of construction and mining equipment, has announced that the Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau is conducting a tax investigation concerning transfer pricing issues over a six-year period.
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Belgium's Kilometer Tax Opposed 3/11/2010 The Humanist group cdH of the Walloon parliament in Belgium has rejected the
idea of a road tax levied per kilometre travelled, advocating instead the introduction
of an inclusive road tax disc, which could then be modified to take certain environmental
criteria into account.
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European Betting Companies Look To EC For Moves Towards A Single Market 2/15/2010 European Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier's recent commitment to address the situation of gaming and betting at EU level has been welcomed by the betting industry, despite increasing evidence that European countries are going their own ways.
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