Balance has been a big theme this month. And not just because it saw the 66th birthday anniversary of Philippe Petit, the French high-wire artist who gained fame in 1974 for his high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Centre, popularised in the 2008 British feature film 'Man on Wire'.
Intellectual property (IP) tax policy is one area in which governments are trying to successfully navigate a tightrope. The taxation of intangibles and IP continues to be a focus as the final deadline for BEPS deliverables approaches. Governments are trying to find a balance between providing incentives attractive enough to bring R&D and IP investment to their shores, while also ensuring the right level of associated tax is being paid. In the US, an innovation box regime has been recommended by Congressional tax reform working groups (for the first time in earnest). Of course, you can read all about this on internationaltaxreview.com, while you will also find an overview of the new Italian Patent Box regime on page 32 of this issue.
|
|
"Taxation of intangibles and intellectual property continues to be a focus as the final deadline for BEPS deliverables approaches" |
|
|
This month will also see the launch of ITR's inaugural Women in Tax Leaders guide, recognising the leading lights in the tax advisory world. For the first time, ITR has given readers the chance to recognise the standout tax advisory work done by women in the past year. While it is clear that progress has been made in addressing gender inequality in the tax world, there is still much work to be done. According to research from Tax Talent, men represented 79% of Big 4 accounting firm partnerships in 2014. On entry to senior staff, the gender mix is roughly 50-50. Statistics like this show that while the glass ceiling may be higher than ever before, it still exists. Companies are increasingly looking to smash through this barrier, as evidenced by the volume of submissions and nominations we received for the first edition of this guide, which we hope will shine a spotlight on the women making strides in a field that is traditionally viewed as male-dominated.
We hope that you will join us in celebrating this work, and support the guide as it grows in the coming years. Watch this space for a new event we will also be launching to build on this endeavour.
Matthew Gilleard
Editor, International Tax Review
mgilleard@euromoneyplc.com
