International Tax Review received a record number
of nominations this year for the sixth edition of the
Indirect Tax Leaders guide. Advisers from several new
jurisdictions have been added to this year’s
bumper edition of indirect tax experts.
Indirect tax continues to be a key consideration for
countries around the world, as more and more countries roll out
national VAT and GST regimes. Many nations see it as a
'cure’ for boosting budgets to allow for extra
spending or tax cuts elsewhere. India – with its 1.3
billion inhabitants making it the world’s
second-largest country – will join the list of
countries with a national indirect tax on July 1.
Six months later, in January 2018, the countries which make
up the Gulf Cooperation Council – Bahrain, Kuwait,
Oman, Qatar,
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – are
due to implement VAT. International Tax Review has
regularly reported on how
businesses are unprepared for the change.
Beyond the headline introductions of GST in India and VAT in
the GCC, another key theme has been the shift towards
destination-based indirect tax systems.
Russia introduced its system on January 1 2017, which was
similar to systems already in place in Japan, South Africa and
South Korea.
Meanwhile the EU and its member states, pioneers in
destination-based taxation for e-services, are planning to
further develop legislation to tax business-to-business
supplies of goods under the destination principle.
A key case in the
Court of Justice of the European Union on the VAT status of
e-books also reached its climax, allowing new questions to
arise on the VATability of new technology. Should 3D printed
goods be taxed where they are printed? Or are designs sent from
abroad intellectual property, making 3D printed items a
service? More and more, VAT systems will need to be
adaptable.
To an even greater extent, companies need to be proactive as
well as reactive, making top-quality advice on indirect tax
issues more important than ever.
Therefore, International Tax Review is pleased to
present the sixth edition of the
Indirect Tax Leaders guide.