Companies around the world are beginning to understand the importance of transparency about their tax affairs and the reputational benefits of eschewing aggressive tax planning. They will have the opportunity to debate these crucial issues with administrators, activists and practitioners at International Tax Review's first Tax & Transparency Forum on May 2.
As the Channel Islands prepare to fight the scrapping of the UK’s low value consignment relief (LVCR) in a judicial review next month, Simon Fox, CEO of music retail company, HMV, argues that it may cause companies like his to relocate to Switzerland. Both, however, are likely to be shouting at the wind.
Manfred Bergmann, director for Indirect Taxation and Tax Administration at the European Commission, nicknamed Mr FTT in EU circles, is the man behind the EU’s proposed financial transactions tax. In part two of an exclusive interview, he discusses France’s decision to implement the tax unilaterally, looks at the problem of banks passing it on to customers and outlines the Commission’s timetable.
Companies importing or exporting to Mexico must use an electronic reporting system to file customs information from March 1 2012, but despite the long-term benefits, there may be short-term headaches.
HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC) decision to extend the Liechtenstein Disclosure Facility (LDF) by a year is a sign that it has been successful. However rumours of a conversation between Dave Hartnett and tax justice campaigner Richard Murphy, denied by HMRC, suggest the UK tax authorities’ other strategies might not working.
