Matt Thompson on Muck Rack

Matt Thompson

Brussels
As seen in: Law360, Global Data Review, Red Pepper (UK), International Tax Review, Law360 UK
Covers:  Tax, trade, politics, international relations, mergers, competition, European Union, UK Politics, Brexit, European Politics.
Senior Brussels correspondent at @Law360 covering European politics, economics, and tax. Tip? DM me in confidence.
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Articles by Matt Thompson

Hungarian Amendment To Environment Law Shouldn't Fly

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Hungarian Amendment To Environment Law Shouldn't Fly By Matt Thompson · September 13, 2024, 7:10 AM EDT Hungarian proposals to exempt maritime and aviation fuel from an update of the European Union's energy tax directive for the next 20 years risk locking some sectors of the economy into... To view the full article, register now.
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Hungarian Amendment To Environment Law Shouldn't Fly

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 UK Verified
ADVERTISEMENT Don't want ads? Subscribe or login now. By Matt Thompson (September 13, 2024, 7:10 AM EDT) -- Hungarian proposals to exempt maritime and aviation fuel from an update of the European Union's energy tax directive for the next 20 years risk locking some sectors of the economy into fossil fuel dependency, a think tank has said.... A Law360 subscription puts you at the center of fast-moving legal issues, trends and developments so you can act with speed and confidence.
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Danish Pharma Co. Is Entitled To VAT Reduction

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson (September 12, 2024, 11:14 AM BST) -- A Danish pharmaceutical company's mandatory payments for value added tax should lower the company's taxable base, the European Court of Justice ruled on Thursday.... Law360 is on it, so you are, too. A Law360 subscription puts you at the center of fast-moving legal issues, trends and developments so you can act with speed and confidence.
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Danish Pharma Co. Is Entitled To VAT Reduction

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Danish Pharma Co. Is Entitled To VAT Reduction By Matt Thompson · September 12, 2024, 6:14 AM EDT A Danish pharmaceutical company's mandatory payments for value added tax should lower the company's taxable base, the European Court of Justice ruled on Thursday.... To view the full article, register now.
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Apple Illegally Obtained €13B State Aid, Top EU Court Rules

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By Josh White, Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Josh White and Matt Thompson (September 10, 2024, 9:36 AM BST) -- The European Union's highest court ruled on Tuesday that Ireland illegally granted Apple state aid in past tax rulings, requiring the U.S. technology giant to repay €13 billion ($14.3 billion) in back taxes as well as interest.... Law360 is on it, so you are, too. A Law360 subscription puts you at the center of fast-moving legal issues, trends and developments so you can act with speed and confidence.
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UK's Capital Gains Tax Should Mirror Labor Rate, Report Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson · September 10, 2024, 11:21 AM EDT Capital gains tax changes should be a key part of the United Kingdom government's October budget statement, a leading British think tank said Tuesday, recommending that the government equalize capital gains... To view the full article, register now.
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Tax Compliance Costs Keeps EU Firms Small, Report Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson · September 9, 2024, 6:40 AM EDT The high cost of tax compliance and the challenges presented by differing regulatory environments encourage European companies to stay small, potentially harming the European Union's competitiveness, according to a report by... To view the full article, register now.
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EU Should Align Disclosure Standards, Industry Group Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson · September 6, 2024, 7:08 AM EDT The European Union should align its forthcoming public tax reporting rules with the same systems in use under the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's non-public reporting system, the American Chamber... To view the full article, register now.
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Min. Tax Will Soon Hit 90% Of Large Cos., OECD Official Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson (June 20, 2023, 1:47 PM EDT) -- With the Swiss electorate approving the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's tax overhaul, within the next two years 90% of large multinationals are expected to be subject to new minimum tax rules, the OECD's tax chief told Law360.... Stay ahead of the curve In the legal profession, information is the key to success. You have to know what's happening with clients, competitors, practice areas, and industries.
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5 Countries Still Open To Tax Abuse, EU Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson (May 24, 2023, 7:35 PM EDT) -- Five European Union member countries still have tax systems liable to be abused by those engaging in aggressive tax avoidance, despite the significant strides the bloc has made to tighten its tax systems, the European Commission said Wednesday.... Stay ahead of the curve In the legal profession, information is the key to success. You have to know what's happening with clients, competitors, practice areas, and industries.
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Apple's Favorable Tax Treatment In Ireland Is Fiction, ECJ Told

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson (May 23, 2023, 1:53 PM EDT) -- The European Commission's contention that Apple received favorable tax treatment in Ireland, in defiance of the European Union's anti-state-aid laws, is based on a fiction, the company and Irish government told the European Court of Justice in oral arguments Tuesday.... Stay ahead of the curve In the legal profession, information is the key to success. You have to know what's happening with clients, competitors, practice areas, and industries.
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EU Court Takes On Gibraltar Dispute Of Post-Brexit State Aid

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 UK Verified
Get instant access to the one-stop news source for business lawyers Register Now! Sign up now for free access to this content Enter your details below and select your area(s) of interest to stay ahead of the curve and receive Law360's daily newsletters Email (NOTE: Free email domains not supported) First Name Last Name Phone PLEASE NOTE: A verification email will be sent to your address before you can access your trial.
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EU Court Takes On Gibraltar Dispute Of Post-Brexit State Aid

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson (May 22, 2023, 6:25 PM EDT) -- The European Union's second-highest court accepted a case Monday challenging a European Commission ruling that the U.K. illegally extended state aid to companies through tax breaks offered in Gibraltar, after the court threw out the commission's ruling in part last year.... Stay ahead of the curve In the legal profession, information is the key to success. You have to know what's happening with clients, competitors, practice areas, and industries.
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EU To Suspend Sanctions For Cos. Leaving Russia

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 UK Verified
Get instant access to the one-stop news source for business lawyers Register Now! Sign up now for free access to this content Enter your details below and select your area(s) of interest to stay ahead of the curve and receive Law360's daily newsletters Email (NOTE: Free email domains not supported) First Name Last Name Phone PLEASE NOTE: A verification email will be sent to your address before you can access your trial.
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EU To Suspend Sanctions For Cos. Leaving Russia

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson (May 17, 2023, 2:15 PM EDT) -- The European Union will waive sanctions obligations for entities and individuals leaving Russia due to the Ukraine conflict amid growing fear of a so-called exit tax of up to 10%, according to documents obtained by Law360 on Wednesday.... Stay ahead of the curve In the legal profession, information is the key to success. You have to know what's happening with clients, competitors, practice areas, and industries.
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HMRC Gets OK To Take GE Fraud Fight To UK's Top Court

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360 (July 12, 2021, 10:50 PM EDT) -- The U.K.'s Supreme Court has granted HM Revenue & Customs the right to appeal a lower court's judgment that it was out of time to pursue U.S. conglomerate General Electric for alleged tax fraud. The U.K. Supreme Court has ruled that HMRC can appeal a lower court's ruling that its bid to recover roughly £650 million ($900 million) from General Electric isn't subject to any statutory time bar.
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Targeted Fuel Tax Reductions OK To Protect EU Biz, Doc Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Targeted Fuel Tax Reductions OK To Protect EU Biz, Doc Says By Matt Thompson · July 6, 2021, 11:42 AM EDT Targeted reductions in the level of tax on fuels will be allowed in order to tackle potential loss of business competitiveness or to address social needs, according to a draft European... To view the full article, register now.
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EU To Model Carbon Border Fee On Previous System, Docs Say

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson · July 7, 2021, 4:10 PM EDT The European Union's so-called carbon border tax will be modeled on the existing European emissions trading system, according to documents seen by Law360 on Wednesday. The carbon border adjustment mechanism, or... To view the full article, register now.
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130 Countries Sign Off On OECD's 15% Minimum Corp. Tax

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson · July 1, 2021, 4:57 PM EDT A group of 130 jurisdictions have reached an agreement through the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development on a fundamental rewrite of international tax rules, including fixing a minimum corporate tax... To view the full article, register now.
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Spain Cuts VAT Rate On Electricity

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360 (June 24, 2021, 12:33 PM EDT) -- The Spanish government approved a plan Thursday to temporarily cut the value-added tax rate on domestic electricity bills from 21% to 10%, a government spokesperson confirmed. The rate cut will remain in place until the end of 2021 and is estimated to cost the government €560 million ($668 million). A spokesperson for the government told journalists that the reduction is designed to offer immediate financial relief to struggling consumers.
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EU Bodies Reach Deal On Corporate Tax Disclosure

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
EU Bodies Reach Deal On Corporate Tax Disclosure By Matt Thompson · June 1, 2021, 4:52 PM EDT European Union lawmakers struck a deal Tuesday night on the shape of the law that will require large multinational corporations in the bloc to reveal how much tax they pay in... To view the full article, register now.
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EU Monitoring Polish Ad Tax's Impact On Press Freedom

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson · May 20, 2021, 12:09 PM EDT The European Commission is closely monitoring the effect that a proposed Polish advertising tax will have on press freedom and media plurality, the European Union's tax commissioner said in response to... To view the full article, register now.
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EU Tax Chiefs Vow To Explore All Avenues For Tax Reform

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By Matt Thompson, Todd Buell Verified
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson and Todd Buell · May 18, 2021, 1:24 PM EDT The European Commission will explore all mechanisms available to ensure that a sweeping tax reform package is adopted, although it is unlikely to use a controversial treaty article to sidestep dissenting... To view the full article, register now.
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EU To Propose Adoption Of OECD Reforms, Leaked Doc Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson · May 17, 2021, 1:48 PM EDT The European Commission will propose a directive to force European Union member countries to adopt the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's tax reforms, and propose harmonizing the bloc's corporate tax... To view the full article, register now.
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LuxLeaks Whistleblower's Human Rights Not Violated By Conviction, ECHR Rules

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360 (May 11, 2021, 6:50 AM EDT) -- Europe's human rights court on Tuesday upheld the conviction of the former PwC employee who was convicted of breaching his professional duty by passing confidential documents that exposed widespread tax avoidance to journalists. The European Court of Human Rights ruled by five votes to two that there had been no breach of the whistleblower's right to freedom of expression when a Luxembourg court convicted him.
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LuxLeaks Whistleblower's Human Rights Not Violated By Conviction, ECHR Rules

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson · May 11, 2021, 6:50 AM EDT Europe's human rights court on Tuesday upheld the conviction of the former PwC employee who was convicted of breaching his professional duty by passing confidential documents that exposed widespread tax avoidance... To view the full article, register now.
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ECJ To Rule In Amazon, Engie Cases May 12

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360 (May 3, 2021, 3:59 PM EDT) -- The European Union's second-highest court is scheduled to rule May 12 on whether to overturn the European Commission's orders directing Amazon and Engie to repay hundreds of millions of euros gained through state aid the commission considers illegal. Amazon argues that the commission, the EU's executive branch, was wrong to void a 2003 agreement between Amazon and Luxembourg based on transfer pricing guidelines set 14 years later.
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ECJ To Rule In Amazon, Engie Cases May 12

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson · May 3, 2021, 3:59 PM EDT The European Union's second-highest court is scheduled to rule May 12 on whether to overturn the European Commission's orders directing Amazon and Engie to repay hundreds of millions of euros gained... To view the full article, register now.
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EU White Paper On Consolidated Tax Base Now Due In May

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
EU White Paper On Consolidated Tax Base Now Due In May By Matt Thompson · April 27, 2021, 4:03 PM EDT The European Commission has pushed back the release date for a white paper on the future of taxation in the European Union, originally due Tuesday, until the second half of May, an... To view the full article, register now.
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Hungary Derides Global Minimum Tax As Violating Sovereignty

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360 (April 26, 2021, 1:51 PM EDT) -- Hungary will not contribute to any global tax reform deal that undermines its financial sovereignty or makes life more difficult for its companies, according to the country's state tax secretary in remarks published Monday. Hungary's state secretary for tax affairs said his government expects an "advocacy struggle" over a global minimum tax. The Hungarian flag is hoisted in front of the Parliament building in Budapest in October.
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Hungary Derides Global Minimum Tax As Violating Sovereignty

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson · April 26, 2021, 1:51 PM EDT Hungary will not contribute to any global tax reform deal that undermines its financial sovereignty or makes life more difficult for its companies, according to the country's state tax secretary in... To view the full article, register now.
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Biz Group Didn't Sway France On Tax Reporting, Official Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson · April 23, 2021, 1:28 PM EDT France's position paper on a European measure requiring multinational companies to publicly report tax payments mistakenly included examples submitted by a business lobbying group describing when companies should be exempt from... To view the full article, register now.
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European Commission Extends VAT Exemption For PPE

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson Law360 is providing free access to its coronavirus coverage to make sure all members of the legal community have accurate information in this time of uncertainty and change. Use the form below to sign up for any of our weekly newsletters. Signing up for any of our section newsletters will opt you in to the weekly Coronavirus briefing.
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Oxfam Backs IMF Call To Hold Off Austerity

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360 (April 2, 2021, 1:51 PM EDT) -- The International Monetary Fund should take its own advice when setting reform agendas for debt-stricken countries and not impose regressive tax increases and budget cuts, global development charity Oxfam said in a policy note.
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Top UK Court Rules Leaseback Tactic Merits VAT Zero Rating

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360, London (March 31, 2021, 12:02 PM BST) -- The sale and immediate leaseback of a property that benefited from zero rating for value-added tax does not mean the property was disposed of, preventing the tax authority from clawing back the tax break, the U.K. Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday. The court ruled that HM Revenue and Customs was wrong to trigger the claw-back of a tax-free supply of goods for the construction of a socially useful asset, in this case a care home.
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UK Tax Authority Seeks New Enforcement Powers

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360 (March 24, 2021, 1:11 PM EDT) -- The British tax authority — HM Revenue & Customs — is seeking new powers to clamp down on unscrupulous promoters of tax avoidance schemes, including the ability to shut down companies and name entities involved in the promotion of schemes. The proposals are contained in a report published Tuesday that asked for the public's views on the issue.
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EU Should Push Ahead Of OECD's Tax Work, Vestager Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360 (March 23, 2021, 4:42 PM EDT) -- The European Union should roll out its digital services levy ahead of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's international tax system reform, the bloc's digital chief, Margrethe Vestager, told the European Parliament's tax committee Tuesday. Vestager, who is also the bloc's antitrust enforcer, told the parliamentarians that work is going forward on the design of a digital services levy that will contribute to the EU budget.
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EU Should Push Ahead Of OECD's Tax Work, Vestager Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson · March 23, 2021, 4:42 PM EDT The European Union should roll out its digital services levy ahead of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's international tax system reform, the bloc's digital chief, Margrethe Vestager, told the... To view the full article, register now.
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Tax To Remain EU Priority After Global Deal, Official Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360 (March 22, 2021, 2:53 PM EDT) -- Taxation will remain a high priority for the European Union even after an international deal is reached — likely by July now that President Joe Biden's administration has committed to it, Portugal's finance minister said Monday. European Union tax proposals need unanimous approval from the bloc's 27 members and are notoriously difficult to achieve a consensus on.
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EU Must Stand Behind Digital Tax Plan, OECD Tax Chief Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
EU Must Stand Behind Digital Tax Plan, OECD Tax Chief Says By Matt Thompson · March 17, 2021, 2:28 PM EDT The European Union must stand behind its plan to impose a digital tax, but the EU proposal also has to align with the deal reached globally, Pascal Saint-Amans, the Organization for Economic... To view the full article, register now.
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UK's Northern Ireland Customs Policy Violates Pact, EU Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360 (March 15, 2021, 12:54 PM EDT) -- The European Union initiated legal proceedings against the United Kingdom on Monday, saying its decision not to require customs declarations for items sent to Northern Ireland breaches the agreement governing Britain's exit from the trading bloc.
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Eurozone Recommits To Activist Tax, Fiscal Policies Amid Virus

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
The finance ministers of countries that use the euro currency will continue to support their economies through activist tax and spending measures designed to mitigate the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the ministers said Monday. The officials from the 19 countries in the so-called eurozone met one day before a more formal gathering of all European Union finance ministers to coordinate the currency area's fiscal policy.
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3 European Countries High On Watchdog's Tax Haven List

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson · March 9, 2021, 4:29 PM EST Three European countries — the Netherlands, Switzerland and Luxembourg — along with three British overseas territories enable a vast majority of the world's tax avoidance, according to a study released Tuesday... To view the full article, register now.
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Patchwork EU Taxation Stunts Investment, Commission Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360 (March 5, 2021, 11:36 AM EST) -- A patchwork of different corporate tax regimes across the European Union creates barriers for cross-border investments and hamstrings the single market, the European Commission said in a document inviting views on business tax regime reform. The commission — the EU's executive branch — is seeking input on how it can facilitate change in the second quarter of 2021, according to the document released Thursday.
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UK's Digital Services Tax A Failure, MP Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson · March 8, 2021, 4:22 PM EST The United Kingdom's digital services tax has failed in its goal of fairly taxing large digital companies because it applies arbitrarily, the former head of the British public accounts committee said Monday.... To view the full article, register now.
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UK Corp. Tax To Rise To 25% From 19%, Chancellor Says

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360, London (March 3, 2021, 7:44 PM GMT) -- The United Kingdom will increase its top rate of corporation tax from 19% to 25% by 2023, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunk announced Wednesday in presenting a budget that included a raft of new tax measures. When the tax increase comes into force, businesses with profits of £50,000 ($70,000) or less will continue to be taxed at 19%.
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UK Report Backs Green Taxes, Supporting Europe's Push

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360 (February 18, 2021, 2:06 PM EST) -- A British parliamentary report recommending the government use the tax system to encourage green economic growth makes the U.K. the most recent voice in Europe to advocate tax policy as a mechanism for achieving net-zero carbon emissions. Included in the report released Wednesday were recommendations such as reducing value-added tax on repair services and items such as solar panels, as well as making the air passenger tax more targeted.
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New EU Tax Haven Blacklist Expected Next Week

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360 (February 16, 2021, 4:13 PM EST) -- European finance ministers Tuesday declined discussion of the European Union's tax haven blacklist, signaling support for the list as it stands and leaving the door open for foreign ministers to approve a new version Feb. 22, an EU spokesperson said.
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New EU Tax Haven Blacklist Expected Next Week

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
By Matt Thompson · February 16, 2021, 4:13 PM EST European finance ministers Tuesday declined discussion of the European Union's tax haven blacklist, signaling support for the list as it stands and leaving the door open for foreign ministers to approve a... To view the full article, register now.
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EU Claims Court Erred As It Pursues Apple Subsidy Appeal

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By Matt Thompson
| Law360 Verified
Law360 (February 1, 2021, 6:59 AM EST) -- The European Commission filed arguments with the European Court of Justice on Monday as it appeals a ruling that struck down its landmark decision ordering Ireland to recover €13 billion ($15.7 billion) in illegal subsidies granted to Apple, claiming that a lower court made errors of law.
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