In-depth discussions took place this week as the international community continues to make progress on the international tax agenda. Officials from more than 100 countries drawing from tax authorities, ministries of finance, development agencies, as well as regional and international organisations, business and civil society came together in a series of meetings hosted by the OECD.

Governments have taken an important step towards ensuring that consumption taxes on cross-border transactions are effectively paid in the jurisdiction where products are consumed, while minimizing the risks that uncoordinated tax rules distort international trade.

Israel signed today the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, making it the 91st jurisdiction to join the world’s leading instrument for boosting transparency and combating offshore tax evasion.

As part of continuing efforts to boost transparency by multinational enterprises (MNEs), 31 countries signed today the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) for the automatic exchange of Country-by-Country reports. The signing ceremony marks an important milestone towards implementation of the OECD/G20 BEPS Project and a significant increase in cross-border cooperation on tax matters.

The OECD today agreed a new framework that would allow all interested countries and jurisdictions to join in efforts to update international tax rules for the 21st Century. The proposal for broadening participation in the OECD/G20 Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Project will be presented to G20 Finance Ministers at their next meeting on 26-27 February in Shanghai, China.

The main international organisations working on taxation – the IMF, OECD, UN and WBG – have announced today further details on how they will act together through a Platform for Collaboration on Tax as a response to the growing importance of taxation in the international financing for development debate to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The OECD and the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes announced today that Bahrain, Lebanon, Nauru, Panama and Vanuatu have now committed to share financial account information automatically with other countries.

As part of continuing efforts to boost transparency by multinational enterprises (MNEs), Canada, Iceland, India, Israel, New Zealand and the People’s Republic of China signed today the Multilateral Competent Authority agreement for the automatic exchange of Country-by-Country reports (“CbC MCAA”), bringing the total number of signatories to 39 countries. The signing ceremony took place in Beijing, China.

Jamaica and Uruguay today signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters and Brazil deposited its instrument of ratification of the Convention on the occasion of the launch of the OECD’s Latin American and Caribbean Regional Programme and the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting.

On 23 May 2016, the OECD Council approved the amendments to the Transfer Pricing Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Tax Administrations ("Transfer Pricing Guidelines"), as set out in the 2015 BEPS Report on Actions 8-10 "Aligning Transfer Pricing Outcomes with Value Creation" and the 2015 BEPS Report on Action 13 "Transfer Pricing Documentation and Country-by-Country Reporting".

Today the OECD has taken a new step in its continuing efforts to boost transparency in international tax matters with the release of guidance on the implementation of country-by-country (CbC) reporting.

Representatives of more than 80 countries and jurisdictions have gathered in Kyoto, Japan to push forward ongoing efforts to update international tax rules for the 21st century, the latest step in the OECD/G20 Project to tackle Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS).

The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes (the Global Forum) published today 10 new peer review reports demonstrating continuing progress toward implementation of the international standard for exchange of information on request.

Liechtenstein today deposited its instrument of ratification for the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters ("the Convention"). By doing so, Liechtenstein underlines its commitment to fighting tax evasion and avoidance and takes another important step in implementing the Standard for Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information in Tax Matters developed by the OECD and G20 countries.

As part of continuing efforts to boost transparency by multinational enterprises (MNEs), Brazil, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man and Latvia signed today the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) for the automatic exchange of Country-by-Country reports, bringing the total number of signatories to 49.

Panama signed today the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, making it the 105th jurisdiction to join the world’s leading instrument for boosting transparency and combating cross-border tax evasion. The signing shows that Panama is now implementing its commitment to fully cooperate with the international community on transparency.

Today at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, Mr. Andrew Haigh, Collector of Inland Revenue of the Cook Islands, signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters.

The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes held its annual meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia on November 2-4, bringing together 220 delegates from 84 jurisdictions and 12 International organisations to further their shared goal of improving tax transparency and achieving a level playing field.

Saint Lucia today signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. Saint Lucia became the 107th jurisdiction to join the Convention.

More than 100 jurisdictions have concluded negotiations on a multilateral instrument that will swiftly implement a series of tax treaty measures to update international tax rules and lessen the opportunity for tax avoidance by multinational enterprises.

Monaco today deposited its instrument of ratification for the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters ("the Convention"). By doing so, Monaco underlines its commitment to fighting tax evasion and avoidance and takes another important step in implementing the Standard for Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information in Tax Matters developed by the OECD and G20 countries.

Today, the OECD released an updated version of the BEPS Action 4 Report (Limiting Base Erosion Involving Interest Deductions and Other Financial Payments), which includes further guidance on two areas: the design and operation of the group ratio rule, and approaches to deal with risks posed by the banking and insurance sectors.

Six treaty partners of Hong Kong (China) signed a competent authority agreement with Hong Kong (China) bringing the total number of CAAs to nine. Panama deposited its instrument of ratification for the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters.

Today, at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, H. E. Sami Mohammad Alsulaiman, Ambassador of Kuwait to France, signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters in the presence of OECD Deputy Secretary-General, Mrs. Mari Kiviniemi, therewith becoming the 110th jurisdiction to join the Convention.

Thailand has become the 98th jurisdiction to join the Inclusive Framework on BEPS (“IF”) and will participate on an equal footing with all other IF members at the next plenary meeting of the IF that will be held on 21-22 June 2017 in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.

The President of the Republic of Guatemala, Jimmy Morales, today deposited Guatemala’s instrument of ratification for the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters ("the Convention").

Viet Nam has become the 100th jurisdiction to join the Inclusive Framework on BEPS ("IF") on an equal footing with all other IF members, as announced by Mr. DANG NGOC Minh (Deputy General Director of the General Department of Taxation - GDT) at the third plenary meeting of the IF held on 21-22 June 2017 in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.

Tax evasion continues to challenge governments in developing and developed countries alike, depriving them of resources that would otherwise be available to support sustainable development through investments in infrastructure, health and other common goods.

Today, at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, H.E. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance of Bahrain signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters and the CRS Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement‎ (CRS MCAA).

Today at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, Mahess Rawoteea of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development of Mauritius, signed the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (the MLI) in the presence of Douglas Frantz, OECD Deputy Secretary-General.

Countries are making major progress towards the goal of creating a fairer and more effective international tax system, including increasing efforts to close down loopholes, improve transparency and ensure that multinational enterprises pay tax where they carry out their activities, according to a new OECD report.

The OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines provide guidance on the application of the “arm’s length principle”, which represents the international consensus on the valuation, for income tax purposes, of cross-border transactions between associated enterprises.

Today at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, Alamine Ousmane Mey, Minister of Finances of Cameroon, signed the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (the MLI) in the presence of Pascal Saint-Amans, Director of the OECD Centre for Tax for Tax Policy and Administration.

Today at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, Nigeria signed two major multilateral instruments: the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (the MLI) and the CRS Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement‎ (the CRS MCAA). Nigeria becomes the 71st jurisdiction to sign the MLI and the 94th jurisdiction to join the CRS MCAA.

Today, at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, Her Excellency Datin Paduka Malai Halimah Malai Yussof, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Brunei Darussalam to France, signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters in the presence of OECD Deputy Secretary-General, Mr. Masamichi Kono.

The visit launched a joint induction programme to assist Ukraine in the implementation of the new international standards, namely the BEPS package, and the standards for exchange of information on request and for the automatic exchange of financial account information (the “Common Reporting Standard”).

Governments have dismantled, or are in the process of amending, nearly 100 preferential tax regimes as part of the OECD/G20 BEPS standards to improve the international tax framework, according to a progress report released today.

On 16 October 2017, an OECD delegation met in Tbilisi the Georgian First Deputy Minister and Head of Georgia Revenue Service Giorgi Tabuashvili and Deputy Minister Lasha Khutsishvili to discuss the progress of the country in implementing the new international standards to combat tax avoidance and tax evasion.

Today, in Lima (Peru), Claudia María Amelia Teresa Cooper Fort, Minister of Economy and Finance of Peru, signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters in the presence of the Deputy Director of the OECD's Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, Grace Perez-Navarro. The Republic of Peru is the 114th jurisdiction to join the Convention, and the 12th Latin American jurisdiction to do so.

Today, in at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, His Excellency Khalid Bin Rashid Al-Mansouri, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to France, signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters in the presence of the Deputy Secretary-General Masamichi Kono.

On 16 November 2017, an OECD delegation met Cameroon’s Minister of Finance Alamine Ousmane Mey in Yaounde to discuss progress being made in implementing the new international standards to combat tax avoidance and tax evasion.

On 28 November 2017, an OECD delegation met Bakhyt Sultanov, the Kazakhstan Minister of Finance, in Astana to launch an initiative to assist Kazakhstan in the implementation of the measures to tackle Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS).

Over the last 50 years, the OECD led the way on tax issues and has been at the forefront of promoting transparency and co-operation in tax matters. Discover the international state of play with an interactive map presenting key indicators and outcomes of the OECD work on international tax matters, with close to 150 countries and jurisdictions.

Today, at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, The Hon. Kevin Peter Turnquest, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Bahamas signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (“the Convention”) in the presence of OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria.

Today, at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, the Director-General of Revenue and the delegated Competent Authority of Panama, Publio Ricardo Cortés, has signed the CRS Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement‎ (CRS MCAA), in presence of OECD Deputy Secretary-General Masamichi Kono.

Ministers and high-level officials from Barbados, Côte d’Ivoire, Jamaica, Malaysia, Panama and Tunisia have today signed the BEPS Multilateral Convention bringing the total number of signatories to 78. This Convention updates the existing network of bilateral tax treaties and reduces opportunities for tax avoidance by multinational enterprises.

Paraguay signed today the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, making it the 119th jurisdiction to join the world’s leading instrument for boosting transparency and combating cross-border tax evasion.

Today, in Ouagadougou, an OECD delegation met the Minister of Economy, Finance and Development of Burkina Faso, Mrs. Hadizatou Rosine Coulibaly, to discuss the progress made in the implementation of new international tax standards.

Peru today signed a landmark treaty to improve the international tax system. The signing of the BEPS Multilateral Convention came during the fifth plenary meeting of the Inclusive Framework on BEPS held in the Lima on 27-28 June 2018.

On 4 July 2018, in Abidjan, an OECD delegation met with the State Secretariat to the Prime Minister in charge of Budget and State Portfolio to discuss the progress made in the implementation of new international standards to combat tax fraud and tax evasion.