Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

World leaders are making progress on a huge global tax overhaul

World leaders are making progress on a huge global tax overhaul

For years, world leaders have been trying to launch a historic overhaul of global tax rules, aiming to tackle an unwieldy system rife with loopholes long exploited by big business. That goal may finally be in sight.

The Biden administration's decision to back a global minimum corporate tax rate while it pushes a massive $2 trillion infrastructure package in the United States has ignited hopes that a long-elusive agreement can be reached this summer.

"What we see this year is an acceleration in the process," Italian Finance Minister Daniele Franco told reporters following a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors on Wednesday. He said the group is working to come to an agreement by July.

Earlier this week, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said "an agreement on international taxation is now within reach."

But experts question whether a deal between the roughly 140 countries participating in discussions led by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development would be strong enough to force multinational companies to pay more taxes.

"I don't know whether they're going to be able to pull it off," said Michael Moore, a professor of economics at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs. "It's hard to do things like this."

Yellen changes course


Talks have gained fresh momentum after US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called for a global minimum corporate tax rate in a speech earlier this week, citing the need to avoid a "race to the bottom."

"Together, we can use global minimum tax to make sure that the global economy thrives, based on a more level playing field in the taxation of multinational corporations," Yellen told the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Establishing a minimum corporate tax to discourage companies from filing taxes in countries with the lowest rates has been a key pillar of OECD discussions.

Previously, the United States was lukewarm in advocating for such a policy shift. But Washington is strengthening its stance as it tries to rally support for raising corporate taxes at home to help pay for the renewal of American infrastructure.

President Joe Biden has proposed increasing the corporate tax rate in the United States to 28% from 21%, as well as setting a minimum tax of 21% on US companies' foreign earnings. That would help cover the cost of spending projects outlined in the American Jobs Plan, such as $621 billion on roads, bridges and public transit.

Yet the administration needs to ensure companies don't try to game the system, employing teams of lawyers that can figure out how to shelter profits in international tax havens. That's where a global agreement would come into play.

"It's part of a broader political campaign to get the tax component of the next piece of spending legislation enacted," said Gary Hufbauer, nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

Countries including France and Germany have hailed the new US stance.

"The support of the United States of America is a very decisive push," German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Ireland, which has successfully recruited global companies including big US tech firms by offering a corporate tax rate of just 12.5%, was more muted in its response, while expressing its commitment to ongoing discussions.

Can it work?


US support does not guarantee that negotiations will progress smoothly.

A minimum corporate tax rate around 21% would be well above the 12.5% figure that has been under discussion at the OECD level, said Elke Asen, a policy analyst at the Tax Foundation's Center for Global Tax Policy.

Countries also need to reach an agreement on the other main pillar of tax talks, which aims to address where companies book their profits. In a digital world, many countries argue that it makes sense for firms to be taxed where they generate income, instead of where they're based.

The United States has pushed back on such changes, which would require the government to cede potential revenue from large tech companies like Facebook (FB) and Amazon (AMZN) to other jurisdictions.

In the absence of an agreement, countries such as France and the United Kingdom have started introducing their own digital sales taxes, provoking retaliation and the threat of tariffs by Washington.

Hufbauer is also skeptical that efforts to develop an international minimum corporate tax will result in meaningful changes to the system. He predicts there will be a "symbolic" agreement, but that in practice, countries will keep offering tax breaks and subsidies to prop up national champions and bolster competitive industries, keeping their tax burdens depressed.

"If there's a global minimum rate and Canada thinks that's not right for them, they'll just invent a new credit or deduction," he said.

But after the discord of the Trump era, when America took a step back from the global stage, there's a real desire for countries to cooperate and show solidarity on thorny issues, according to Moore.

"The idea of at least superficial cooperation is very important because it was just so fraught for so long," he said. "I think they're going to make nice as long as possible."

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×