Expert Analysis

The OECD is seeking a global consensus to tax online companies like Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Amazon, but the European Commission (EC) wants a quick fix while negotiations for a global plan take place. How do these digital tax plans compare?

The OECD’s David O’Sullivan opened ITR’s Indirect Tax Forum by talking about the role which web companies can play in collecting VAT and GST. Subscribers and delegates can download his presentation – and those of other speakers, including the EU’s Maria Teresea Fábregas – here.

Businesses love certainty. It allows them to plan and act on short, medium, and long-term strategies. The unexpected brings operational complexities they do not need. Recently, as taxation of the digital economy gathers pace it is a case of ‘expect the unexpected’ for digital businesses operating globally. Taxamo’s Iman Deschâtres and JP McCarthy explore the topic.

José Maria Cabral Sacadura and Vicente Pirrone of Cuatrecasas analyse the Sofina line of CJEU case law and assess when Portuguese withholding tax rules entitle foreign loss‑making companies to reimbursement

Olebogeng Ramatlhodi, Africa indirect tax leader, Deloitte Africa

Interview with Marjolijn van der Wal, partner, indirect tax, Deloitte Netherlands

Antonio Ruiz and Alejandra Arguedas of EY Central America, Panama and Dominican Republic explain how tax, geopolitical factors, and trade agreements shape foreign investment in Central America, offering guidance for companies navigating the region

David Hamzah Damian of DDTC Consulting examines recent procedural changes in Indonesia’s tax disputes process and the Supreme Court’s stance on tax evidence, highlighting key implications for taxpayers facing audits, objections, and appeals

Eddie Morris, Josep Serrano Torres, and Jen Breeze of Deloitte compare transfer pricing controversies in the pharmaceutical and automotive sectors, highlighting how DEMPE functions, regulation, and intangibles drive both common themes and sector-specific challenges

Kathya Capote Peimbert of Vertex examines how continuous transaction controls expose under‑addressed intercompany transaction risks, and outlines the approach multinationals should take to ensure consistent VAT treatment and improve audit defensibility

Aditya Wicaksono and Reza Farhan of GNV Consulting outline new Indonesian tax provisions concerning penalty waivers, filing extensions, and compliance protections introduced under recent regulations supporting the roll-out of the Coretax system

Diana Lupu and Ana-Maria Nițu of EY Romania explain when entities subject to the global minimum tax can transition to IFRS, the key benefits and challenges, and the implications for financial reporting and compliance