More Trade News in Brief Week 6 (8 – 14 February 2016)

EU, Andorra Sign AEOI Agreement

The European Union (EU) and Andorra have signed a deal to automatically exchange tax information.

See more here.

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FTA Talks – China & GCC

FTA talks between China and the GCC – comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – originally began in 2004 but faltered in 2009. They resumed the talks this month and they are seeking to complete them by the end of 2016.

See more following the link.

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Canada, Taiwan Sign Double Tax Treaty

Canada and Taiwan have signed a double tax agreement (DTA) that will limit the withholding tax rates on income from dividends, interest, and royalties, and provide for the exchange of tax information.

Read more here.

 

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More Trade News in Brief Week 37 (7 – 13 September 2015)

New DTA Protocols

Switzerland has signed protocols to its double taxation agreements (DTAs) with Norway and Albania.

See more following the link.

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EFTA and Georgia Start FTA Talks

The member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Georgia held a first round of negotiations towards a free trade agreement (FTA).

Check for more here.

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New Zealand Seeks Signature of Gulf FTA

New Zealand is looking for a free trade agreement with the Gulf States.

Check for more here.

More Trade News in Brief Week 12 (16 – 22 March 2015)

* Switzerland, EU Ink New Savings Tax Pact

Switzerland and the European Union (EU) have initialled an agreement on the automatic exchange of tax information (AEOI). Account data will be collected from 2017, with the first exchange scheduled for 2018.

See more clicking here.

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* EU: Combatting Corporate Tax Avoidance

The European Commission presented a package of tax transparency measures as part of its ambitious agenda to tackle corporate tax avoidance and harmful tax competition in the EU. A key element of this Tax Transparency Package is a proposal to introduce the automatic exchange of information between Member States on their tax rulings

Read more here.

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* China and US Telecoms Giants Lead Global Patent Activity in 2014

According to the UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) annual review of international patent filings, a leading Chinese telecoms giant overtook a Japanese firm as the largest applicant last year, and China and the US together accounted for 87 per cent of the total growth in filings under WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

Under that system, some 215,000 applications were filed in 2014, a 4.5 per cent increase over the previous year, WIPO said in a news release.

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* WTO: Assistance in Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health

Five agencies and their partners operating a programme to help developing countries meet international standards on food safety and animal and plant health have approved plans for 2015–2019 designed to further strengthen safe trade.

The decision will allow the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) to continue to provide assistance to developing countries,

The STDF was set up in 2004 by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO) and World Trade Organization (WTO), and is run by the five partners together with donor countries and representatives of developing countries.

Check here and here for more.

 

More Trade News in Brief Week 42 (13 – 19 October 2014)

 

* Eurostat Regional Yearbook 2014

 

Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, published The Regional Yearbook 2014.

 

Check here.

 

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* International Tourism Up by 5% in the First Half of 2014

 

International tourist arrivals grew by 4.6% in the first half of 2014 according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Destinations worldwide received some 517 million international tourists between January and June 2014, 22 million more than in the same period of 2013.

 

Read more about here.

 

 

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* South Africa & Hong Kong – DTA

 

Hong Kong and South Africa signed a comprehensive double taxation agreement (CDTA).

 

See more here.

 

 

News from ICC

 

* Revised ICC Statement Advises Against Exit Taxes Regimes

 

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has issued a revised policy statement acknowledging recent developments in the international taxation landscape.

 

More about ‘Exit taxes: Serious obstacles for international business restructurings and movements of capital’ here.

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* New Global Innovation Index

 

ICC launched the 7th edition Global Innovation Index 2014 (GII).

 

New Global Innovation Index recognizes innovation as a driver of economic growth, read more here.

 

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* Guide on Effective Management of Arbitration

 

The ICC guide “Effective Management of Arbitration: A Guide for In-House Counsel and Other Party Representatives” provides a practical toolkit for in-house counsel all around the world.

 

Check here for more.

More Trade News in Brief Week 31 (28 July – 3 August 2014)

 

* OECD – Global Standard for Automatic Exchange of Information

 

The OECD released the full version of a new global standard for the exchange of information between jurisdictions.

 

Check the Standard for Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information in Tax Matters.

 

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* New WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility

 

A new WTO initiative will help developing countries and least-developed countries reap the benefits of the WTO’s new Trade Facilitation Agreement.

 

Find more about here.

 

More Trade News in Brief Week 19 (5 – 11 May 2014)

 

* ICC – Guide to International Franchising

 

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has published a practical guide to help business people understand why, how and when to use franchising to expand into new foreign markets.

 

Check the “Using Franchising to Take Your Business International: ICC Strategies and guidance for master franchising, area development and other arrangements”.

 

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* US & Singapore – FATCA Agreement

 

United States and Singapore have initialled the text of an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to implement the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).

 

Check here for more.

 

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* EU & Japan – FTA by 2015

 

The European Union (EU) and Japan agreed to a one-year review that should lead to the “early conclusion of a highly comprehensive and ambitious” free trade agreement (FTA).

 

Read more here.

 

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* US & Israel – Reach FATCA Agreement

 

United States and Israel have concluded the text of an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to implement the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).

 

See more following the link.

 

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* USTR Releases Annual Report on Intellectual Property Rights

 

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has released its annual “Special 301” Report on the adequacy and effectiveness of U.S. trading partners’ protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR). 

 

Find the Press Release here.

 

News from OECD

 

* OECD – Climate Deal for 2015

 

All the OECD’s member countries confirmed their desire to work towards a deal on combating climate change.

 

Full OECD Ministerial Statement on Climate Change here.

 

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* OECD – Single Global Tax Exchange Standard

 

The OECD’s 34 member countries endorsed the implementation of a new single global standard on automatic exchange of information.

 

Read the Declaration on Automatic Exchange of Information in Tax Matters.

 

 

More Trade News in Brief Week 17 (21 – 27 April 2014)

 

* G5 Agree Deadline for Automatic Info Exchange

 

The G5 has agreed to formally ink a new deal on a global standard for the automatic exchange of tax information.

 

Check here for more.

 

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* US and Australia Inked IGA

 

The United States and Australia signed an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to implement the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).

 

Find more following the link.

 

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* Bahrain Implements ATA Carnet System

 

Bahrain is the 74th country in the world to adopt the ATA system.

 

Read more here.

 

 

More Trade News in Brief Week 16 (14 – 20 April 2014)

* Trade developments in 2013-2015

 

WTO published a work paper on the state of the world economy and trade in 2013 and previsions for 2014-2015.

 

 Download this press release.

 

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* ISO’s 2013 Annual Report

 

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published its 2013 report including themes like: financial statements, ISO key figures for 2013, an updated interactive map featuring our members and their participation in technical work and a fold-out leaflet.

 

 

Discover ISO’s Annual Report 2013.

 

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* Malta & Moldova Sign DTA

 

Malta and Moldova sign a dual taxation treaty (DTT).

 

Click here more.

 

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* Belgium: FATCA Deal With US

 

Belgium and the US will sign an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) in Brussels on April 23 for the implementation of the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).

 

See more about following the link.