The OECD has launched a review of dispute resolution mechanisms in place in Aruba, Bahrain, Barbados, Gibraltar, Greenland, Kazakhstan, Oman, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, as part of follow-up work under BEPS Action Plan Action 14.

Canada, Mexico, and the US have signed an agreement on amendments to their proposed new trade pact.

On January 16, 2020, the US Senate voted to approve the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which will replace the existing North American Free Trade Agreement.

The OECD on March 12 released a third round of peer reviews of countries' efforts to implement the BEPS minimum standard on improving tax dispute resolution mechanisms.

A new tax treaty between Finland and Spain, which will broaden the Finnish Government's taxing rights with respect to pension income, will be effective from 2019, according to the Finnish Ministry of Finance.

The Spanish Government will proceed with a proposal to introduce a digital services tax along similar lines to the European Commission's proposed interim digital tax.

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.

On June 25, 2019, the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved amendments to four double tax avoidance agreements which have been pending in the Senate for several years.

The United States Senate could soon approve ratification of four long-pending double tax avoidance treaty protocols.

Spain's acting Economy Minister, Nadia Calvino, said the Government will seek approval of legislation to introduce a digital services tax at the earliest opportunity.

The Canadian Government has announced the establishment of an independent advisory committee on offshore tax evasion and aggressive tax planning.

French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation has issued a statement on its tax arrangements in response to media coverage of the so-called "Paradise Papers."

The Australian Taxation Office said that it has noticed a number of common errors being made in activity statements since the "goods and services tax at settlement" system was introduced for the real estate industry in July 2018.

The Australian Taxation Office has explained how its Early Intervention Strategy helps it to identify tax agents at risk of non-compliance.

The Australian Taxation Office has issued guidance on how employers can prepare for end-of-year reporting under the new Single Touch Payroll system.

The Australian Taxation Office has welcomed a significant ruling from Australia's High Court, which enables the tax agency to use information obtained from data leaks, even if leaked from a law firm.

On January 20, 2020, the Dutch Ministry of Finance announced the list of countries with which the Netherlands intends to negotiate new or amended double tax treaties in 2020.

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.

Ireland's Comptroller and Auditor General has released a new report on the Irish Revenue's compliance activities during 2018, and its efforts to improve how it interacts with taxpayers since a review in 2012.

Namibia's Minister of Finance, Calle Schlettwein, has tabled a legislative amendment in parliament that will repeal certain tax incentives attached to Export Processing Zones as well as those aimed at the manufacturing sector.

Switzerland and South Korea have signed a joint declaration on the automatic exchange of tax information from 2018.

The Swiss Federal Council has adopted a dispatch on the introduction of the automatic exchange of financial account information with eight jurisdictions.

Recently released statistics by Jersey's Government show a steady or improving picture for the financial services sector in 2015.

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.

South Africa, Jersey, and Belgium are among a handful of territories that have recently announced an extension to the due date for country-by-country reports under the new frameworks being introduced under Action 13 of the OECD's base erosion and profit shifting Action Plan.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore has announced that the BEPS multilateral instrument entered into force for several of its double tax treaties on April 1, 2019.

Revenue Jersey has sought to reassure taxpayers over fears that they will be charged the default effective rate of tax from next January.

On November 12, 2019, a law was published in the official gazette of Costa Rica which ratifies the updated Tax Information Exchange Agreement with the United States.

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

The European Commission has requested that both Austria and Ireland take action to transpose EU-wide interest limitation rules into their respective national laws.

The Swiss Government has released new legislation governing Switzerland's application of provisions in its network of double tax agreements.

The provisions of the EU's second Anti Tax Avoidance Directive will become effective in all member states from January 1, 2020.

Caribbean territory Aruba has released instructions on the completion of transfer pricing documentation and released model templates for completion.

The European Commission has again asked Malta to amend its method for calculating VAT on yacht leasing.

Members of the European Parliament want the EU and UK to reach an ambitious new free trade agreement, but have stressed that there must be a "level playing field."

The OECD has released guidance for national policymakers on the impact of COVID-19 on the treatment of cross-border workers and the interpretation of international tax treaty rules.

Highlights: On behalf of ISPEN 2019, Medindia interviewed Dr. Usha Sriram on her talk on Metabolic syndrome D

Highlights: Unique surgery leaves a 100kg man with two beating hearts by a technique called the 'Piggyba

On April 6, 2020, Italy's Council of Ministers announced further measures to support taxpayers affected by the COVID-19 virus, including the postponement of value-added tax, social security, and wage withholding payment deadlines.

On April 9, 2020, the OECD released an update to a spreadsheet hosted on its website that maps out all the various tax policy responses countries have taken to support individual and corporate taxpayers following the outbreak of COVID-19.

On April 17, 2020, the President of Poland signed legislation into law to extend transfer pricing documentation deadlines, as part of a package of additional COVID-19 economic support measures.

Hong Kong has updated its guidance on advance rulings, to reflect changes to Hong Kong's practices as a result of its efforts to comply with the OECD's minimum standards proposed as part of the base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) Action Plan.

On April 23, 2020, the National Treasury of South Africa provided further details of the additional COVID-19 tax support measures first announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on April 21.

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.

The United Arab Emirates' Federal Tax Authority has announced changes to value-added tax filing and payment deadlines, for tax periods that ended on March 31.

The OECD has scheduled a new Tax Talks webcast to update stakeholders on its work on the reform of international tax rules for the digitalized economy.

On April 29, 2020, the Belgian tax authority announced changes to the deadline for the submission of annual corporate tax declarations due to the COVID-19 crisis.

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.

The Governments of France and the United States are reportedly close to settling a dispute surrounding France's digital services tax.

On January 6, 2020, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that an on-the-record but off-camera public hearing would be held on January 7 on proposed action against France's digital services tax (DST).