Taxand is committed to providing regular feedback to public discussion reports via our Taxand Response Programme. Due to our global footprint we are able to seek comments from our tax specialists worldwide developing responses to discussions that inform and provide insight into key issues. We are delighted to lead change through providing informed opinion and offer our expertise to benefit the continual improvement of international taxation in the business community.  

Below you will find links to Taxand's comments on recent OECD consultation papers:

LATEST COMMENTS:

• Issues Related to Emissions Permits/Credits
• Meaning of the Term "Beneficial Owner" - Part II
• Tax Obstacles to Cross-border Venture Capital Investment 
• VAT Neutrality Guidelines
• Safe Harbours in Transfer Pricing
• Timing Issues Relating to Transfer Pricing
• Revision of Chapter VI on Intangibles

REVIEW PREVIOUS COMMENTS:

• Definition of "Permanent Establishment"
• Meaning of the Term "Beneficial Owner"
• The Administrative Aspects of Transfer Pricing
• Scoping of Transfer Pricing Aspects of Intangibles
• Application of Article 17 - Artistes and Sportsmen
• Article 7 of the OECD model tax convention
• Granting of treaty benefits with respect to the income of collective investment vehicles
• Tax treaty issues related to common telecommunications transactions
• The application of tax treaties to state-owned entities, including sovereign wealth funds

Below you will find links to Taxand's comments on recent European Commission papers:

• Existing Legislation on VAT Reduced Rates
• Tax Obstacles to Cross-border Venture Capital Investment 
• Green Paper on the Future of VAT
• Taxation Problems that Arise when Dividends are Distributed Across Borders to Portfolio and
  Individual Investors and Possible Solutions
• Financial Sector Taxation
• Taxation of Cross Border Interest and Royalty Payments

Taxand also releases comments to the media where relevant to encourage industry change. These comments can be found here and exemplified here:

OECD LAUNCH OF COUNTRY PEER REVIEWS TO COMBAT CROSS BORDER TAX EVASION

“The launch marks another inevitable step towards true global realisation of tax harmonisation. However, as the world hurtles headlong towards global taxes, fuelled chiefly by Mr Brown, Mr Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel, we should take time to consider the true impact on the global economy and particularly the multinationals that drive it.

“Recently the OECD also hailed the successful onslaught of information exchange agreements, which have been signed across the globe, increasing transparency and limiting international tax avoidance. Many are starting to question both what this means for fledgling economies, such as those in Africa, as well as the complexity of these agreements for those developed economies on the ‘white list’.

“The OECD’s peer review and assessment process adds a further layer of scrutiny and therefore complexity for all jurisdictions, the cost of which will ultimately be shouldered largely by multinational companies in the form of compliance, at a time in the global recovery when they need it least.

“We can only hold our breath and hope that the OECD’s push for harmonisation and its associated systems prove feasible and effective for both the established and up and coming economies around the world. Otherwise we may end up with an expensive and ultimately flawed global tax system, where some countries appear to be cooperating, but all the time are allowing bad practices to continue."

Frédéric Donnedieu de Vabres, Chairman of Taxand 

Your Taxand contact for further queries is:
Global Head of Marketing
Lynne Sandland
T. +44 207 072 3251
E. lsandland@taxand.com