On September 5, 2019, the Government of the Czech Republic received from the Ministry of Finance draft legislation for the introduction of a temporary digital services tax, which was first announced in April 2019.

On September 19, 2019, the lower house of the Austrian parliament approved the first part of a package of tax reforms that will introduce a digital tax as well as bring about changes to certain value-added tax rules.

On November 18, 2019, the Government of the Czech Republic announced that it has agreed on a draft law to introduce a tax on digital services, which will now be submitted to parliament.

The United States may impose additional duties of up to 100 percent on certain French products in retaliation for France's digital services tax, which a newly published report by the US Trade Representative has concluded discriminates against certain US companies.

The Austrian Ministry of Finance has published guidance in English regarding the Digital Tax Act 2020, which was approved by the upper house of the Austrian parliament on October 10, 2019, and which applies to the provision of digital advertising services from 2020.

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).

Norway's Minister of Finance, Siv Jensen, has said that Norway will adopt a national digital services tax if negotiations towards an international digital tax framework fail to materialize this year.

On January 8, 2020, a bill was introduced in the Senate of the US state of Maryland that would impose a tax on revenues associated with digital advertising derived in the state.

The Turkish tax authority has published a draft communique on the application of the digital sales tax, which is set to come into effect on March 1, 2020.

The finance ministers of France, Germany, Italy, and Spain have put their names to a statement calling for countries to reach an agreement on solving the tax challenges of the digital economy by the end of 2020.

On March 1, 2020, Turkey's recently approved tax on certain digital services went into effect.

The Spanish Government has published the draft bill to introduce a digital services tax in Spain, beginning the formal parliamentary process needed to introduce the measure.

On February 19, 2020, German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz issued a statement to say that he remains "committed" to the introduction of a financial transactions tax at European Union level along the same lines as that proposed by the German Government last month, despite opposition from within the EU, notably from Austria.

Hong Kong's Inland Revenue Department on March 5 launched its new Country-by-Country Reporting Portal.

Switzerland and Italy are to amend the customs status of the Italian enclave of Campione d'Italia.

According to French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, France and the United States will in the next two weeks attempt to reach a compromise over their ongoing dispute regarding France's new digital services tax.

On January 22, 2020, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire confirmed that France will suspend collection of its digital services tax this year to prevent the United States from applying retaliatory tariffs on a range of French goods.

The UAE's Cabinet has announced that wholesale trading in gold and diamonds will be made exempt from value-added tax.

Highlights: A sensor based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been developed The sensor can inst

The Conservative Party in the UK has won an outright majority in elections held on December 12, 2019.

The UK Government has announced that it will delay ramping up its Making Tax Digital project, in light of COVID-19.

On January 8, 2020, a bill was introduced in the Senate of the US state of Maryland that would impose a tax on revenues associated with digital advertising derived in the state.

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.

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.

On November 15, 2019, the European Commission announced the launch of an in-depth state aid investigation into tax exemptions provided to Italian ports, but welcomed commitments from Spain to abolish similar exemptions for Spanish ports from next year.

The Spanish Government has published the draft bill to introduce a digital services tax in Spain, beginning the formal parliamentary process needed to introduce the measure.

The Irish Finance Department has launched a consultation on potential changes to the capital gains tax revised entrepreneur relief.

As a small open economy, Ireland may be affected significantly by the OECD's proposals to modify how taxing rights are allocated among countries, Irish business association Ibec has said.

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.

On November 18, 2019, the Government of the Czech Republic announced that it has agreed on a draft law to introduce a tax on digital services, which will now be submitted to parliament.

In a letter to United States Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the European Council has expressed concern at the lack of action by the US Government to alleviate the compliance burdens of EU nationals and financial institutions with regards to the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.

The Austrian Ministry of Finance has published guidance in English regarding the Digital Tax Act 2020, which was approved by the upper house of the Austrian parliament on October 10, 2019, and which applies to the provision of digital advertising services from 2020.

The European Commission has taken the first step toward negotiating a new relationship with the UK by issuing a recommendation to the European Council that the talks should commence.

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.

The Chartered Institute of Taxation has called on the UK Government to clarify questions remaining about the UK's Digital Services Tax, which became effective this month.

On July 11, 2019, France's proposed digital services tax received parliamentary approval, following approval also from the Senate.

G7 finance ministers have said that there is an urgent need to address the tax challenges posed by the digitalization of the economy.

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.

According to a recent comment by United States Vice President Mike Pence, the Polish Government has decided not to proceed with a national digital services tax.

The United States may impose additional duties of up to 100 percent on certain French products in retaliation for France's digital services tax, which a newly published report by the US Trade Representative has concluded discriminates against certain US companies.

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).

According to French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, France and the United States will in the next two weeks attempt to reach a compromise over their ongoing dispute regarding France's new digital services tax.

Norway's Minister of Finance, Siv Jensen, has said that Norway will adopt a national digital services tax if negotiations towards an international digital tax framework fail to materialize this year.

The UK Chancellor, Sajid Javid, has said the UK intends to push ahead with the introduction of a digital services tax from April 2020, despite warnings from the US that it would consider tariffs on UK-made goods.

On January 22, 2020, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire confirmed that France will suspend collection of its digital services tax this year to prevent the United States from applying retaliatory tariffs on a range of French goods.

On February 19, 2020, German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz issued a statement to say that he remains "committed" to the introduction of a financial transactions tax at European Union level along the same lines as that proposed by the German Government last month, despite opposition from within the EU, notably from Austria.

The finance ministers of France, Germany, Italy, and Spain have put their names to a statement calling for countries to reach an agreement on solving the tax challenges of the digital economy by the end of 2020.

The OECD has said that it is continuing to forge ahead with the development of new international tax rules for the digitalized economy.

High-fat and low-protein diets lead to metabolic disorders in their offspring, revealed researchers at the RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR).