Increased use of internet-based services has stimulated a debate, among government authorities, on whether and how to collect domestic taxes on such services, regardless of where service providers are established/incorporated. This approach is challenging, since it may not be clear whether a service is provided to a specific audience. It may also be difficult to track service provision itself. Cullen International's new benchmark summarises initiatives already in force and proposals under discussion in the Americas.
While all countries in the Americas impose national and/or local taxes on the sale of all goods and services to resident individuals or businesses, most countries covered in this report have already adapted their legal frameworks to explicitly address tax obligations for digital economy services, including in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Canada and the US.
Canada, with its federal and local tax regimes in place, clarified tax filing obligations on digital economy revenues, including for foreign companies targeting Canadian residents.
The US, on the other hand, does not make any distinction between digital and non-digital services, given that taxes must be paid on all revenues, unless specific tax exemptions apply. However, some local governments decided to impose a specific local tax on digital economy products and services.
more news
28 March 24
Mobile mergers and competition law
Since 2004, 11 out of the 13 mobile mergers notified to competition authorities in the European Economic Area faced some form of intervention, with 3 of these transactions being blocked or withdrawn due to competition concerns. Our new Antitrust & Mergers Explainer looks at the assessment of mobile mergers, focusing on the European Commission’s case law over the past 20 years.
27 March 24
Regulating deepfakes in times of elections
In 2024 billions of people will be called to vote in different parts of the world. And a malicious use of deepfakes may affect citizens’ trust in their institutions and even manipulate human behaviour, including how they vote. This Global Trends report discusses recent policies and regulations on the use of deepfakes in the context of election processes.
20 March 24
[INFOGRAPHIC] Cullen cheat sheet on obligations and prohibitions under the Digital Markets Act
Cullen International has updated its cheat sheet providing an overview of the obligations of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) that the first companies designated as gatekeepers had to comply with by 7 March 2024.