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Taxation of Multinational Businesses

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Thin-capitalization rules, Thin-cap rules in Europe

Thin-Cap Rules in Europe

To discourage a certain form of international debt shifting, many countries have implemented so-called thin-capitalization rules (thin-cap rules), which limit the amount of interest a multinational business can deduct for tax purposes.

4 min read
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act offshoring OECD BEPS project, OECD consultation document, OECD multinationals, Consumption tax policies in OECD countries, Consumption taxes in OECD countries

Summary of the OECD’s Impact Assessment on Pillar 1 and Pillar 2

The OECD presented its preliminary impact assessment on the Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 proposals. The impact assessment includes estimated revenue and investment effects presented at a country group level (low-, middle- and high-income countries and investment hubs). The OECD estimates global corporate income tax revenues to increase by 4 percent if both pillars get implemented, equaling $100 billion annually.

4 min read
International Rankings of Germany's Tax System. Learn more about Germany tax system.

How Controlled Foreign Corporation Rules Look Around the World: Germany

Germany has had a Controlled Foreign Corporation (CFC) regime since 1972, when the German Foreign Transactions Tax Act was enacted. Under the German regime, a CFC is a foreign company where its capital or voting rights are either directly or indirectly majority-owned by German residents at the end of its fiscal year.

6 min read
controlled foreign corporation rules

Bracing for Impact

Though they are limited by both data and assumptions, the OECD will face similar limitations. As policymakers work to fine-tune the proposals under both Pillar 1 and 2 the impact assessment should be a critical part of that discussion.

6 min read
Spain digital services tax Spain falling behind on digitalization, Spain Digital Tax, Digital Services Tax

How Controlled Foreign Corporation Rules Look Around the World: Spain

The CFC legislation in Spain is not as complicated as it is in some other countries, and it is aligned with the standards recommended by the OECD. The Spanish rules have evolved in a way that the rules are designed to comply with the EU principles not to interrupt the functioning of the Union and its single market.

4 min read
China CFC rules, China Controlled Foreign Corporation rules, Chinese controlled foreign corporation rules, Chinese multinationals

How Controlled Foreign Corporation Rules Look Around the World: China

The Chinese approach to base erosion and profit shifting is more focused on the application of transfer pricing rules and not on the application of CFC rules. Even with the rules in place, the Chinese tax authorities have not enforced the rules as much as other countries have.

3 min read
OECD Pillar 1 Amount A proposal OECD Secretariat, OECD unified approach pillar 1, OECD pillar 1, OECD international tax, OECD unified approach digital tax, OECD multinational businesses, OECD digital tax

The OECD’s Pillar 2 Proposal Raises Serious Questions

Addressing tax avoidance is a key political issue for many countries, but these policies should not be discussed without accounting for the size of the current problem, how recent policy changes have addressed it, and what potential impacts might come from this new approach.

4 min read
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act offshoring OECD BEPS project, OECD consultation document, OECD multinationals, Consumption tax policies in OECD countries, Consumption taxes in OECD countries

Next Steps from the OECD on BEPS 2.0

The continuation of this work is important, but the OECD and policymakers around the world should carefully consider whether these proposals will lead to more certainty, or if they will undermine that goal by simply be a step toward more unilateralism. The impact on cross-border investment will also be a critical issue to consider, and the ongoing impact assessment by the OECD is an important part of the work.

6 min read