Book Description
The international aspects of income taxation have become increasingly important as countries worldwide have become more economically integrated. International Tax Primer provides an introduction to the policies that countries seek to advance with their international tax rules, with numerous examples drawn from the practices of both developed and developing countries. It grew out of the authors' work with the OECD in conducting seminars on international tax for tax officials in countries emerging from the collapse of the Soviet Union. The book emphasizes tax treaties and other cooperative arrangements that countries employ to coordinate their income tax systems with the tax systems of their trading partners. International Tax Primer strikes a balance between the specific and the general by illustrating the fundamental principles and structure of international tax with frequent reference to actual practice in a variety of countries. Coverage includes: + the role of the tax adviser; + tax planning techniques; + international double taxation; transfer pricing; + anti-avoidance rules; + tax treaties, including discussion of the OECD and UN Model Treaties; + emerging issues, such as e-commerce and harmful tax competition. The work also offers such practical features as: + an extensive glossary of international tax terms; and + a selected bibliography of international tax reference materials, including a list of periodicals devoted to international tax. Students, government officials, and tax practitioners who may be confronting international tax issues for the first time, as well as experienced international tax practitioners, will find International Tax Primer a helpful articulation of the fundamental principles that arise again and again in this field. The book works as both an introduction and a refresher in an area where issues often prove more complex than they seem and where a return to the basics is often the most helpful means of untangling a multi-layered problem. The second edition provides updates for recent developments and expands the coverage by providing many new examples. A chapter dealing with harmful tax competition, hybrid entities, and the taxation of e-commerce has been added to the book.