On November 5, 2019, the UK Government released the synthesized text of the Luxembourg-UK double tax agreement, as modified by the BEPS multilateral instrument.

The UK Government on January 10, 2020, released the synthesized text of the 1987 Belgium-UK double tax agreement, as modified by the BEPS multilateral instrument.

The Federal Association of German Industry, the BDI, has urged the German government to forge ahead with corporate tax reforms, warning that Germany's corporate tax regime is becoming increasingly out of step with the country's competitors.

The UK's 2020 Budget, released on March 11, 2020, includes proposals to waive business rates on small retailers, to introduce a new tax on plastics, and to remove value-added tax on electronic publications.

On March 13, 2020, the German Ministry of Finance announced the relaxation of certain tax payment requirements as part of a package of measures designed to ease the economic impact of the COVID-19 virus.

The German Ministry of Finance has adopted a circular including various tax relief measures for businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

The Argentine Government has announced a number of tax-related measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis and Minister of Finance, Timothy Harris, delivered a "tax-free Budget" on December 12, 2019.

On December 17, 2019, the United States House of Representatives passed a year-end spending package, which includes legislation extending numerous expired and expiring tax provisions, and repealing certain taxes introduced to help fund the Obamacare health care reforms.

Democrats in the United States Senate have introduced a bill that would block proposals to introduce a "high-tax exemption" to the Global Intangible Low-Tax Income regime.

On March 25, 2020, the United States Senate overwhelmingly approved the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, which represents the third package of financial aid measures to businesses and individuals affected by the coronavirus crisis and which includes numerous tax provisions to support businesses.

In a recent update, the Internal Revenue Service has announced that it has agreed a bilateral competent authority agreement with authorities in Spain to exchange country-by-country reports.

The OECD has recently launched a new program – the International Compliance Assurance Programme – being spearhead by the Forum on Tax Administration that is aimed at providing assurance to multinationals with regards to their transfer pricing affairs.

The UK tax agency has confirmed that it is investigating around 170 professional soccer players' tax affairs and around 20 football clubs, focusing on the taxation of image rights.

In a letter published on April 29, 2019, the United States National Foreign Trade Council urged the Senate to approve several pending double tax avoidance treaties.

The United States Senate has approved protocols to four existing bilateral double tax avoidance treaties that have been pending in the chamber for as much as a decade.

The Isle of Man Government has committed to enhancing the effectiveness of arrangements to share "beneficial ownership" information with the United Kingdom.

More than 20 jurisdictions have signed up to a pilot project to exchange data held on beneficial ownership registers and registers of trusts, according to UK Chancellor George Osborne.

The Isle of Man's 2018 Budget maintains the zero percent company tax rate, and announces a banking tax review, which will look at taxing all banking profits at the 10 percent rate from next year.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has highlighted the significant impact that recent accounting standard changes will have for financial reports that must be prepared for the year to December 31, 2018, and second quarter reports.

The Australian Taxation Office has issued an e-brief on how companies can assess if they are required to submit a reportable tax position schedule.

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has announced that the Government will bring forward the start date for its package of income tax cuts.

The International Chamber of Commerce has warned that micro-, small-, and medium-sized businesses' growth prospects are being stymied by complex indirect tax regimes. It has released an issues brief that is intended to contribute towards international reform talks being led by the World Trade Organization.

Australia has enacted new integrity measures included in the Treasury Laws Amendment (2018 Superannuation Measures No. 1) Bill 2019 affecting self-managed super funds.

The Australian Taxation Office has announced changes to its CbC reporting system following feedback from multinational groups.

The Irish Revenue has published guidance on the tax compliance obligations that arise from mergers and divisions.

Ireland has released a responses document on an ongoing consultation on an update to the country's transfer pricing rules.

The Irish Government is arguing that favorable tax treatment was not granted to Apple under two rulings deemed by the EU to have constituted illegal state aid to the company.

Tax agencies from 31 countries discussed the ways they are using data analysis tools to improve tax enforcement and administration, at the first meeting of the IOTA Forum on Tax Debt Management, held in Prague, Czech Republic, On October 1-3, 2019.

Ireland's governing party Fine Gael has published its election manifesto, which includes proposals to reduce the income tax burden and reform the taxation of SMEs.

The Swiss Federal Council has launched a consultation on a proposed new Ordinance on the International Automatic Exchange of Information in Tax Matters.

Pakistan's Finance Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, has directed the Federal Board of Revenue to approach the tax authorities of nine territories about information in the Panama and Bahamas leaks.

Researchers at the University of Amsterdam have looked at how corporations make use of particular countries and jurisdictions to minimize their tax liabilities.

The UK tax agency HM Revenue and Customs has released guidance for taxpayers affected by the Loan Charge.

On December 19, 2019, Luxembourg's Chamber of Deputies approved the Government's Budget for 2020, which among other measures includes important changes to the validity of advanced tax rulings.

The German Ministry of Finance has outlined a number of tax changes that are due to take effect in 2020 and 2021.

Germany's IT systems are not ready for the VAT "quick fix" simplifications that entered into force on January 1, 2020, according to the European Commission.

Hong Kong's 2020 Budget includes plans for a one-off reduction of profits tax, salaries tax, and tax under personal assessment.

On March 2, 2020, the German Ministry of Finance released a draft discussion document on new rules implementing the sixth European Union Directive on Administrative Cooperation, under which intermediaries are obligated to report certain tax planning schemes.

The African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) has published a new report titled "Suggested COVID-19 Measures for Revenue Authorities."

On April 4, 2020, Malta released payroll tax-related guidance for employers on the Government's responses to the COVID-19 epidemic.

The Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has announced a number of tax relief measures for businesses and individuals impacted by COVID-19.

The Irish Revenue has announced that it will allow access to the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme for certain employers who missed the March 15 payroll deadline.

On April 25, 2020, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Germany would attempt to seek agreement on a financial transaction tax and a minimum corporate tax when it assumes the presidency of the European Union in July 2020.

On April 23, 2020, the German Ministry of Finance confirmed that taxpayers suffering from liquidity problems due to COVID-19 can apply for a refund of advance tax payments made in 2019.

On August 19, 2019, the Office of the United States Trade Representative held an off-camera public hearing on France's recently introduced digital services tax, attended by three major technology firms.

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz has presented a final proposal for a European Union financial transactions tax to the 10 member states participating in the initiative.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has said that Austria does not agree with new German proposals for a European financial transactions tax.

In a set of frequently asked questions and answers clarifying recent changes to tax obligations as a result of the COVID-19 virus, the French tax authority stressed that tax payment relief does not extend to value-added tax.

For people when making healthy food choices - overriding fat and salt, sugar content is the key factor, revealed researchers. A team from the