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Seven years after the introduction of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the debate about whether audit firms should provide tax services to companies they already audit has sprung back into life. Jack Grocott finds out how regulation is forcing taxpayers to think twice about who they hire for their tax work and what the future holds for international audit firms that offer tax services to their clients.

Bob van der Made The stalled Lisbon Treaty, intended to make the enlarged EU more democratic and efficient, was adopted by the Irish people on October 2 2009 by 67.1% yes versus 32.9% no. The turn-out was 58%.The yes turn around amazed many in Ireland. A yes vote was expected but not this high. The focus subsequently switched to the presidents of Poland and the Czech Republic, who still needed to sign the treaty after their parliaments had ratified it already. The signing by the presidents was the last hurdle before the reform treaty could finally enter into force, at the latest on January 1 2010.

Rajendra Nayak Ganesh Pai The Delhi Income-tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) has recently, in the case of Saraswati Holding Corporation (2009-TIOL-529-ITAT-DEL), adjudicated on the issue pertaining to the eligibility of the taxpayer, to claim the benefit of the capital gains tax provision under the India-Mauritius tax treaty.

Karen Truyers Stéphanie Draulans Companies which develop their business in an international environment often bear costs in other EU member states on which they have to pay local VAT. To ensure that VAT remains a neutral tax, these companies are able to reclaim the local VAT paid on expenditures incurred for the purpose of their taxable operations.

The Danish tax authorities have recently issued new administrative guidelines on valuation and documentation of intellectual property (IP) transactions. Asger Kelstrup, Kasper Toftemark, and Benedicte von Haffner of Deloitte explain the valuation principles as well as the underlying documentation requirements.

By Jack Grocott in Madrid

By David Stevenson

Boston firm Caturano and Company has added transfer pricing expertise to the firm's tax practice. Gavin Martin joins the firm as a manager.

A former international tax partner of Ernst & Young has joined NERA Economic Consulting. Takashi Asayama is a tax and transfer pricing specialist and an experienced economic analyst of international tax issues for multinational Japanese companies. As well as working for Ernst & Young, he also was a partner of KPMG in Tokyo.

Ole Morten Huseby has joined Norwegian law firm Haavind as head of the firm's tax group. He joins the firm from DLA Piper's local practice. He covers all aspects of corporate tax but has specific focus and expertise in M&A, pensions and employee benefits. He is also the chairman of the Norwegian Bar Association's Permanent Tax Law Committee.