Legislation Day delivered the long-awaited proposals for a patent box, but despite optimism from some companies, fears remain that it is too narrow and too complex to achieve its intended objectives.
Piet Battiau, head of consumption taxes at the OECD, and Karl-Heinz Haydl, chairman of the BIAC VAT Committee, discuss their hopes for a new set of VAT guidelines and a Global Forum on VAT.
The once-fringe financial transactions tax (FTT) has found a powerful new supporter in the founder of Microsoft, and Mario Monti's appointment as the new Italian Prime Minister may also bring it one step closer.
Next year will be challenging for the European Commission as it presses ahead with its plans to reform the EU’s VAT system, revise the Energy Tax Directive and implement a financial transactions tax. In an exclusive interview, Algirdas Šemeta, European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud explains how he will be keeping taxpayers busy in 2012.
Mario Monti last year made recommendations that were instrumental in the European Commission’s decision to reform the EU VAT system. Now, as Italy’s new prime minister, predictions are being made as to how he will reform the country’s indirect tax system.
