Taxation of international workers during the Covid 19 pandemic
René Matteotti, Peter Vogt and Natalja Ezzaini examine how the Swiss authorities dealt with the tax issues that arose as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic, which involved international employees and their work in home offices.
Tax aspects of pension assets of internationally mobile employees
Employees are more mobile than ever. As a result, they often have occupational and private pension assets in several countries. The tax situation becomes confusing at the latest when a cross-border transfer or payment of these pension assets to the beneficiaries is to take place. This article first introduces the basics and presents the respective tax consequences in Switzerland with regard to the payout from the foreign pension forms on the basis of two cross-border practical examples.
STAF transitional rules from an international perspective
Developments in international tax law have increased rapidly in recent years. The BEPS project to combat base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS), initiated by the OECD and the G20 countries, was the main trigger for this unprecedented dynamic. With a comprehensive package of measures consisting of 15 action points, the aim is to take international action against harmful tax competition and aggressive tax structuring and thus prevent undesirable profit reduction and profit shifting.
One Uber as a digital business location?
Based on the concrete example of Uber , the aim of this paper is to find answers to the following questions: Can users play a decisive role in the value creation of a company in the digital economy? And if so, how can they be used to address the challenges of taxation in the digital economy?
Federal Council repeals the transitional provision in the Ordinance on the International Automatic Exchange of Information in Tax Matters
At its meeting on 7 November 2018, the Federal Council decided to repeal the transitional provision on the term "participating states" in the Ordinance on the International Automatic Exchange of Information in Tax Matters as of 1 January 2019. This will implement an international requirement.
Commission suspends consultation on double taxation agreement with Saudi Arabia
Following the murder of the journalist Khashoggi, the Commission has decided to suspend discussion of this agreement until the Federal Council has thoroughly reviewed Switzerland's relations with Saudi Arabia.
First exchange of information on around 2 million financial accounts
The Federal Tax Administration (FTA) has exchanged information on financial accounts for the first time. The exchange takes place within the framework of the global standard for automatic information exchange (AIA).
Federal Council adopts dispatch on double taxation agreement with Brazil
On 5 September 2018 the Federal Council adopted the dispatch on the double taxation agreement (DTA) in the area of income taxes with Brazil. This is the first DTA between Switzerland and Brazil. The agreement was signed in Brasilia on 3 May 2018 and will come into force following approval by the parliaments of both countries.
No extension of mutual assistance for fiscal offences
Following its decision not to revise the law on fiscal offences, the Federal Council has also decided not to extend mutual assistance in fiscal offences. In particular, it would put the Swiss tax authorities at a disadvantage compared to foreign tax authorities. The Federal Council took this decision at its meeting on 29 August 2018.
Federal Council adopts dispatch on the BEPS Convention
On 22 August 2018, the Federal Council adopted the dispatch on the multilateral agreement on the implementation of measures to prevent base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS). The message was referred to the Federal Councils.
FTA sends country-specific reports from multinational corporations for the first time (June 2018)
At the end of June, the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) will for the first time send country-specific reports from multinational corporations to 35 partner states. The reports are sent as part of the so-called country-by-country reporting. By the end of June, the FTA will have sent a total of 109 reports to 35 countries. The country-specific reports contain, among other things, information on the worldwide distribution of income, the taxes paid and the most important economic activities of the Group in various countries. The content is confidential and subject to the principle of speciality.
Regulation on international administrative assistance (9 May 2018)
At its meeting on 9 May 2018, the Federal Council adopted the dispatch on the approval of the agreements on the automatic exchange of information on financial accounts (AIA) with Singapore and Hong Kong. With the same dispatch, the Federal Council is proposing to parliament the introduction of the AIA with other financial centres. In October 2017, the Federal Council decided to apply the agreements with Singapore and Hong Kong provisionally as of 1 January 2018 and to exchange account information with these countries for the first time in autumn 2019. This was the only way to ensure that the timetable could be adhered to. With the current proposal, the Federal Council is now asking the Federal Assembly for authorisation to ratify the two agreements. At the same time, the Federal Council is proposing as an option to implement the AIA with Singapore and Hong Kong based on the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) on the automatic exchange of information on financial accounts. This solution takes into account the latest developments in Singapore and Hong Kong and would allow the AIA to be implemented on a multilateral basis.
Current cases on intercantonal and international corporate tax law
Workshop from the ISIS) seminar on 2/3 March 2020 entitled "Corporate Tax Law 2020
Structuring of real estate assets with a view to estate planning
Workshop on the occasion of the ISIS) seminar of 28 November 2019 entitled "Tax Aspects of Estate Planning for Real Estate".
Possibilities and limits of tax planning for inheritances and gifts - national and international
Workshop on the occasion of the ISIS seminar on 9/10 September 2019 entitled "Tax planning in the area of conflict between cost optimisation, tax compliance and Good citizenship - opportunities and risks".
