Public Input on Taxing the Digital Economy

United Kingdom

The OECD has opened a consultation on taxing the digital economy (here). The deadline for comments from the public is 13 October 2017 and all comments received will be made publicly available. A public consultation meeting will be held on 1 November 2017 at the University of California, Berkeley.

Action 1 of the BEPS programme (here) considered three options for: (i) an equalisation levy/turnover tax taxing digital businesses, (ii) a withholding tax on digital transactions, and (iii) a new tax nexus/permanent establishment concept of “significant economic presence”. The OECD is due to publish a report on this topic in 2018.

For information in respect of the EU developments in this area please see our article Europe Taxing the Digital Economy: could a turnover tax be on the horizon? (here).