Press releases
The US and the EU should back a UN tax convention
NEW YORK, Nov 21, 2023 – This week will witness either a historic achievement in creating a more equitable global economy or a terrible failure. A vote at the United Nations decides whether the future of global decision-making on taxation will emerge from the negotiation of a genuinely inclusive framework convention, or if a group of rich countries successfully insist on maintaining the current ineffective and exclusionary arrangements.
The importance of Wednesday’s vote reflects the urgency of addressing the unfairness and inefficiency of the current system of corporate and wealth taxation. It is also a clarion call for the world to use multilateral principles to reach multilateral solutions. Success would demonstrate that the world can forge a different and better multilateralism …
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We are alarmed to be informed that the Sri Lankan Ministry of Finance is now under severe pressure from the IMF to drop their plans for a digital service tax and to sign on to the Two Pillar solution as a condition for receiving additional lending from the IMF.
It is unacceptable that a small and distressed country such as Sri Lanka is being pushed to give up its sovereign right to introduce a tax policy, digital taxation, at a time when it is most needed, and especially so before there is a ratified global agreement providing for alternatives. We urge the IMF to stop pressuring Sri Lanka to withdraw its digital services tax proposal.
On 30 December 2022, the General Assembly adopted a resolution on “Promotion of inclusive and effective tax cooperation at the United Nations” that reaffirms international commitments to scale up international tax cooperation, fight illicit financial flows and combat aggressive tax avoidance and evasion. The Secretary-General invited Member States and relevant stakeholders to send him written inputs. Here is ICRICT’s letter to Mr. António Guterres.
An Opinion piece by Magdalena Sepúlveda
Gender inequality exacerbates the impact of natural disasters, and the consequences of natural disasters compound gender inequality. States must introduce progressive taxation to finance the expansion of rights such as universal access to health care and education, and strengthen women's resilience to natural hazards, including climate change.
The Independent Commission for the Reform of International Corporate Taxation (ICRICT) welcomes the announcement by Colombia's Minister of Finance, and former ICRICT Chair, José Antonio Ocampo, to convene the first-ever Ministerial Tax Summit for the Latin American and Caribbean region in July 2023 in Cartagena (Colombia). Without coordination, it will not be possible to put an effective end to the abuse of tax havens or to curb tax evasion and avoidance. It’s time for Latin America and the Caribbean to work together to jointly build fairer taxation initiatives, a true fiscal pact.
ICRICT celebra el anuncio del ministro de Hacienda de Colombia, y anterior presidente de la ICRICT, José Antonio Ocampo, de convocar la primera Cumbre Ministerial para la región de América Latina y el Caribe “Hacia una tributación global incluyente, sostenible y equitativa” en julio de este año en Cartagena (Colombia). Sin coordinación, no será posible poner fin de manera efectiva al abuso de los paraísos fiscales, ni frenar la evasión y la elusión fiscal. América Latina y el Caribe se merece por fin mirar un espacio para construir iniciativas conjuntamente una fiscalidad más justa, un verdadero pacto fiscal.
ICRICT á as boas-vindas ao anúncio feito pelo Ministro da Fazenda da Colômbia e ex-Presidente do ICRICT, José Antonio Ocampo, de convocar a primeira Cúpula Ministerial para a região da América Latina e Caribe “ em julho deste ano em Cartagena. Sem coordenação, não será possível pôr um fim efetivo ao abuso dos paraísos fiscais, nem refrear a evasão e a fraude fiscal. A América Latina e o Caribe merecem finalmente ter um espaço para construir em conjunto iniciativas para uma tributação mais justa, um verdadeiro pacto fiscal.
ICRICT se réjouit de l'annonce faite par José Antonio Ocampo le Ministre des Finances de Colombie et ancien Président de l'ICRICT, de l’organisation du premier sommet ministériel pour la région Amérique Latine et Caraïbes en juillet 2023 à Carthagène (Colombie). Sans coordination, il ne sera pas possible de mettre efficacement fin à l'abus des paradis fiscaux, ni de freiner la fraude et l'évasion fiscales. L'Amérique latine et les Caraïbes méritent d’avoir enfin un espace pour construire conjointement des initiatives pour une fiscalité plus juste, un véritable pacte fiscal.
ICRICT welcomes the agreement reached by the EU member states to implement the 15% effective minimum taxation component - known as Pillar Two of the G20/OECD’s “global tax deal” - as a first step towards a comprehensive reform of international taxation of multinationals. However, ICRICT advocates for a 25% minimum tax rate, and we have legitimate concerns that the agreement on such a low global minimum rate will turn out to be the global standard and a reform that was intended to make sure multinationals pay their fair share will then end up doing just the opposite.
La ICRICT acoge con satisfacción el acuerdo alcanzado por los Estados miembros de la Unión Europea para aplicar el componente del 15% de imposición mínima efectiva. Sin embargo, ICRICT aboga por un tipo impositivo mínimo del 25%, y a la Comisión le preocupa que el acuerdo sobre un tipo mínimo mundial tan bajo se convierta en la norma mundial, y que una reforma que pretendía garantizar que las multinacionales paguen lo que les corresponde acabe haciendo justo lo contrario.