ITICnet.org Weekly Round-Up 8 June

UNCTAD Releases World Investment Report 2018

Earlier this week, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released its  World Investment Report 2018 - Investment and New Industrial Policies .  With "global flows of foreign direct investment [falling] by 23 per cent in 2017," the  Report  focuses on "the importance of a conducive global investment environment, characterized by open, transparent and non-discriminatory investment policies" and "presents options for investment policy tools in this new environment." [ More Information ]

ITIC Hosts Eurasian Officials

Earlier this week in Washington, DC, ITIC hosted a luncheon discussion with a delegation of nine deputy ministers from the countries of the former Soviet Union. The event was held in cooperation with Strategeast and the Open World Leadership Program of the U.S. Library of Congress, and the featured speaker was Rajul Awasthi from the World Bank’s Europe and Central Asia division.

ITIC Attends 20th Anniversary Astana Conference

ITIC President Dan Witt traveled to Kazakhstan this week to participate in "Astana: The City of Peace International Conference," celebrating the 20th anniversary of the capital city of Astana. During his conference remarks, Mr. Witt presented a congratulatory letter from the Mayor of Washington, DC, Muriel Bowser, on the occasion of the city's 20th anniversary.

Global Illicit Trade Environment Index Launched

Yesterday, at three events in Hong Kong, Brussels, and Panama City, the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT) and The Economist Intelligence Unit released  The Global Illicit Trade Environment Index . The  Global Index  "evaluates 84 countries on their structural capability to guard against illicit trade, highlighting specific strengths and weaknesses" with the objective "to improve the knowledge and understanding of the regulatory environment and economic circumstances that enable illicit trade." [ More Information ]

IMF Concludes Article IV Consultation with Thailand

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently concluded the Article IV consultation with Thailand. While the GDP "growth momentum is expected to continue in 2018 and 2019," the "Directors called for a comprehensive package of reforms to boost potential growth and improve inclusiveness." [ More Information ]

WCO and EAC Launch New Capacity Development Project

With the assistance of the World Customs Organization (WCO), the five states of the East African Community (EAC) launched the "Project on Capacity Development for Trade Facilitation and Border Control in East Africa" with a meeting in Zanzibar, Tanzania at the end of May. Revenue Authorities from the five EAC states (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda) all attended the meeting, where they agreed to work together on "improving the efficiency of border procedures and enhancing border control in East Africa." [ Continue reading ]

Germany and France to Cooperate on CCTB

MNEtax.com  recently reported that the governments of Germany and France continue to make progress on the development of a common corporate tax base (CCTB) for Europe, and that Germany still "intends to issue a joint position paper with France on a CCTB proposal by the end of 2018." [ Continue reading ]

Brazil and Singapore Sign Double Taxation Treaty

Early last month, Brazil and Singapore signed a treaty providing for “the elimination of double taxation with respect to income taxes and the prevention of tax evasion and avoidance." The treaty will come into force once it is ratified by both countries. More information, including a summary of the treaty's key provisions, is available in EY's recent  Global Tax Alert  (4 June 2018).

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