EU waves through downloads tax reform
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Take that, Luxembourg! The European Commission's reform of VAT on internet-delivered services such as software, ringtones and music has been adopted and will take effect from 2015.â¦
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European Union regulators yesterday flexed their muscles by ordering an in-depth inquiry into plans by Microsoft and Time Warner to buy one of the world&#39;s leading providers of anti-piracy software.
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Proposals for EU-wide penalties for counterfeiting face a key vote in the European parliament.
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Just when lawmakers thought a thorny tax dispute was behind them, the European Union raised objections to parts of the corporate tax bill that was passed last month.
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The European Union is talking again with industry leaders about the across-the-board fees in copyright law.
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European editorials on Friday had a lot to say about the new European Commission which has now been approved by the EU parliament.
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The European Commission has received a  formal complaint that a levy on electronic gadgets to  compensate for private copying of music distorts the EU's  internal market, a top Commission official said on Wednesday.
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European business travellers and holidaymakers can look forward to lower rates on mobile phone calls while abroad in the EU once new price caps go into effect across the bloc starting on Saturday.
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Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c51881)  has announced the addition of Video Downloads in Europe - A Slowly  Emerging Market to their offering.
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"Once a body has economic activities attached to it, then there can be a distortion of competition and it wouldn't be the first time we look at advantages given to the Church in various member states"  BRUSSELS, Belgium-The European Commission has asked the Italian government to explain a tax break for Catholic Church clinics or hostels that may break EU rules on state subsidies by giving an unfair advantage ... via FindLaw
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European officials said they made Âsurprising progressÂ in talks today with Apple over easing the restrictions it imposes on iTunes users.
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A ruling in Belgium that makes an ISP in that country responsible for blocking illegal file-sharing on its network could set a precedent for other countries in the European Union.
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Music performers could see a big boost to their lifetime earnings under EU plans to extend music rights.
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Executives from Nokia and Philips published an open letter today calling for the European Commission to consider scaling back, if not eliminating, imposing levies on digital recording media and playback devices, including DVRs and MP3 players. But the alternative may be a hard sell: increased DRM.
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Revised docs handed in Microsoft has handed in revised interoperability information to the European Commission.â¦
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'Something must be done,' MEPs thunder Carousel and VAT fraud is far outstripping Europeans' traditional financial fiddles on EU funds, prompting MEPs to call on the European Commission to overhaul its anti-fraud operation to combat the problem.â¦
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(InfoWorld) - A recent financial filing from Sandisk in Ireland illustrates the sometimes controversial nature of the corporate tax regime in the country. While Sandisk has joined scores of other companies attracted to Ireland for its low corporate tax rate, the company appears to represent an extreme example of benefiting from the tax environment. In a financial statement filed in Ireland earlier this month, Sandisk Manufacturing, the Irish subsidiary of Sandisk Corp., reported four employees and revenue of $955 million between the period when the company first opened up in Ireland, April 2005, and the end of 2005. Sandisk Corp. had 1,083 employees at the end of 2005 and reported revenue for the year of $2.3 billion. Other U.S. technology companies with offices in Ireland, such as Google and Microsoft, have also had their Irish financial reports scrutinized for generating revenues that appear out of proportion to the number of employees in the country. Google and Microsoft each employ hundreds of workers in the country. "The fact that [Sandisk has] only four people and a billion dollars makes them stick out a bit more," said John Gilsenan, an independent analyst who sometimes consults for IDC Ireland. In the Sandisk example, just four employees in Ireland out of 1,083 around the world appeared to generate nearly half of the company's revenue. The tax regime benefits the Irish government but could become a sore point for other countries. "I certainly don't think that there's any impetus from the Irish government for this to change," said Gilsenan. While the Irish government is likely pleased to earn the tax from companies like Sandisk, the governments where the companies are based might start looking for ways to ensure they can collect their fair share of taxes from the companies, he said. Ireland's low corporate tax rate dates back to the 1950s and its current 12.5 percent rate was set in the 1990s. The tax rate, far lower than in most other countries, has attracted many companies to open operations in Ireland, spurring the current economic boom in the country. In April last year, Sandisk announced plans to transfer its Europe, Middle East and Africa headquarters to Dublin and employ 50 people by the end of this year. In a statement announcing the move, it said it already had 12 people working in Dublin managing supply chain and sales support functions for Sandisk. A Sandisk spokesperson was not available to comment on its financial statement or Dublin operations.