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Annual OECD Tax Conference Showcases Tax Reform

Published on June 7, 2017
Mark Prater, chief tax counsel for the Senate Finance Committee, spoke at the conference.

Against the backdrop of new global tax rules developed under the BEPS Action Plan and efforts to advance tax reform in the United States, USCIB members and others from the business community gathered in Washington, D.C. on Monday and Tuesday for the 12th annual OECD International Tax Conference.

Organized by USCIB in concert with the 35-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development as well as Business at OECD (BIAC), the conference has grown into an annual must-attend event for tax practitioners, experts and regulators from around the world.

With an eye toward the direction of possible U.S. tax reform, including reduction of the top corporate tax rate from the current 35 percent, Pascal Saint-Amans, director of the OECD’s Center for Tax Policy and Administration, told conference-goers that he expects most OECD economies to adopt corporate tax rates in the 20-30 percent range. Saint-Amans said there may be some exceptions, including in the UK, where top rates may drop below 20 percent.

Other speakers picked up the theme. “The current U.S. system is broken,” said Mark Prater, chief tax counsel and deputy staff director of the Senate Finance Committee, during keynote luncheon remarks. “Tax reform is a difficult political transaction,” he observed, but “the U.S. sits at a crossroads of reform, which is an opportunity that has not been available in a generation.”

Over the course of the two-day conference, which took place at the Four Seasons Hotel, participants discussed tax policy trends, current tax reform, tax uncertainty, digitalization, increases in intangible assets, and dealing with tax-related disputes through arbitration. They also focused on transfer pricing as well as the OECD’s new multilateral instrument, signed today in Paris.

“The conference provides a real opportunity for dialogue between business, governments, and the OECD,” said USCIB Vice President and International Tax Counsel Carol Doran Klein. “This year, because the focus is now on BEPS implementation, there was good discussion of opportunities to improve tax certainty, including a pilot International Compliance Assurance Program, Advanced Pricing Agreements and an improved Mutual Agreement Procedure.”

On the multilateral instrument, Will Morris, chair of the BIAC Committee on Taxation and Fiscal Affairs, told Bloomberg BNA: “Many of us in the business community doubted the OECD would get the consensus necessary for a document of this scope and substance. But they have, and [the multilateral instrument] opens the door to changes in the tax treaty process, and to a number of key international tax rules, that are significant.”

Business at OECD Gears Up for OECD Ministerial Council Meeting

Published on June 2, 2017

Business at OECD (BIAC) will be hosting executive leadership, including USCIB’s President and CEO Peter M. Robinson, and Citi’s Rick Johnston, USCIB board member and BIAC vice chair at their General Assembly in Paris this week. Business at OECD will also participate in the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting, which will bring together economy, finance and trade ministers from OECD countries to discuss strategic orientations for the coming years under the theme “Making Globalization Work.”

Business at OECD will provide guidance to OECD and governments on addressing the challenges of strengthening growth and boosting economic participation, drawing upon its 2017 statement to Ministers, which includes recommendations on:

  • Support a better business environment and map competitiveness
  • Create the conditions to benefit from trade and investment on a level playing field
  • For growth and investment, ensure good governance and predictable tax policies
  • Increase participation by promoting the skills and competencies to thrive in the digital era
  • Focus on entrepreneurship

Goldberg Gives Keynote at ILO Women in Business Conference

Published on June 2, 2017
Ronnie Goldberg gives keynote remarks at ILO Women in Business and Management Conference

USCIB Senior Counsel Ronnie Goldberg was a keynote speaker at an ILO Latin American Regional Conference on Women in Business and Management, held on May 23 in Lima, Peru.  Over 300 attendees were drawn from virtually every country of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Goldberg’s speech drew from the findings of a series of  BIAC reports, such as the report on Putting All Our Minds to Work: Harnessing the Gender Dividend and Putting All Our Ideas to Work: Women and Entrepreneurship, that highlight the business case for women’s economic empowerment and identify best practices and practical policy recommendations for advancing women’s roles in the workplace.

Her comments also addressed gender-based challenges to launching and running a business, including access to finance and business networks, as well as cultural and gender bias,  and highlighted  a number of issues and challenges facing women in STEM and information and computer technology (ICT) careers.

Among the Conference speakers was Marcela Esquivel, global director, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy Business Unit, The Coca-Cola Company, who spoke about the company’s robust efforts to promote women internally, and to foster women’s entrepreneurship in its supply chain.

USCIB Statement on U.S. Withdrawal From the Paris Climate Agreement

Published on June 2, 2017

New York, N.Y., June 1, 2017 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which represents America’s most successful global companies, issued the following statement on U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement:

“Like many others in the U.S. business community, USCIB is disappointed by the news that the Trump administration has elected to leave the Paris Climate Agreement. In our view, this decision could leave U.S. companies unprotected and exposed to possible discrimination under the Paris Agreement if the U.S. government is not at the table.

“The Paris Agreement is redefining global markets for energy and environmental goods and services, as well as providing major economic stimuli for companies. U.S. energy security and access were never threatened by the Paris Agreement, which allows each national government to define its own climate action plan. Moreover, the U.S. stands to benefit from trade and investment opportunities that the Paris Agreement will set in motion.

“We are interested to learn more about how the U.S. will pursue new arrangements while remaining in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. While it does so, we encourage the U.S. to stay involved on behalf of U.S. economic interests, and to bring U.S. solutions to this crucial global effort. We encourage the administration to reform areas of the UN climate framework toward more fair, transparent and balanced approaches that are responsive to U.S. circumstances and aspirations.

“USCIB members are committed to advancing sustainable development and environmental solutions through international cooperation, and have supported the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement since their inception. Multilateral forums and cooperative approaches are the best way to address the transboundary challenges of energy access and innovation, climate change and sustainable development. In close coordination with our global business partners, including the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Major Economies Business Forum (BizMEF), USCIB will continue to champion U.S. business interests in the UNFCCC, and will seek opportunities to promote U.S. environment and energy solutions through business engagement and implementation, and to broadly deploy climate-friendly investment and innovation.

“USCIB has represented U.S. business interests in the UN climate negotiations for over 25 years, and during that time has benefited from the diligent efforts of U.S. government representatives at the table to advance and defend U.S. business interests, often under challenging conditions. We express thanks to the current U.S. climate negotiating team, and others with whom we have worked, for their extraordinary efforts on our behalf.”

About USCIB:
USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and regulatory coherence. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world. As the U.S. affiliate of several leading international business organizations, including ICC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More information is available at www.uscib.org.

Contact:
Jonathan Huneke, USCIB
Tel: +1 212 703 5043
jhuneke@uscib.org

USCIB Weighs in With Treasury Secretary on Multinational Tax Rules

Published on May 30, 2017

USCIB and other industry groups are urging the Trump administration to push back against efforts in the G20 and other multilateral forums to circumscribe the U.S.’s ability  to tax overseas income of U.S.-based multinationals. USCIB, along with the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) and U.S. Chamber of Commerce sent a joint letter to Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin requesting that the Trump administration take immediate action to ensure that tax principles that would adversely affect U.S.-based multinational companies and the rights of the United States to tax the income earned by such companies are not encouraged or endorsed by international bodies focusing on taxation rules, particularly those applicable to businesses operating in the digital economy.

The letter, in part, responds to the G7 Finance Ministers Communique on taxes which was released on May 13.  The multi-association letter urges the Treasury not to make any new commitments on taxes.  The letter also urges caution on expanding G20 commitments.  It also urges the Treasury to nominate a delegate to the UN Committee of Tax Experts stating that it is important to have a U.S. voice on this committee.  USCIB has learned that Treasury now intends to nominate a delegate to the UN Committee of Tax Experts.

The letter stated, “considerable pressure has been applied by other countries to modify the existing international framework of taxation laws in a way that would enhance the taxation rights of other countries at the expense of the United States and its interests. We are concerned that recently proposed “special measures” targeted at the digital economy, could reduce tax payments to the United States by U.S.-headquartered international companies and disadvantage U.S. companies attempting to compete overseas by increasing their tax obligations to the jurisdictions that adopt such measures.”

USCIB Mourns Passing of Long-Time Stalwart Joe Alhadeff

Published on May 30, 2017
Joseph Alhadeff

USCIB is mourning the death of a long-time USCIB supporter, colleague and mentor Joseph Alhadeff. A USCIB Board member and Vice Chair of the ICT Policy Committee, Alhadeff passed away on May 27, following a long and very brave battle with a serious illness.

In the ICT and digital economy sphere, Alhadeff was a superb ambassador for Oracle as Vice President, Global Public Policy and Chief Privacy Strategist, as he extended himself beyond his daily responsibilities there to also serve as USCIB’s ICT Policy Committee Vice Chair for more than 15 years, while also chairing the ICC Digital Economy Commission (since 2013, after serving as Vice Chair since 2002), and BIAC’s Committee on Digital Economy Policy (since 2009, having served as a Vice Chair).

In all of these capacities, he provided intellectual guidance, policy leadership and rigorous precision on all aspects of digital economy policy, with a special focus on privacy and security. Alhadeff helped to build consensus on challenging issues about which USCIB members had divergent views—applying his innate grace, wisdom, competence and ever-present humor. The breadth of his knowledge and his skill in applying it to help shape policies that benefitted a broad cross-sector of ICT Policy Committee members is an ongoing inspiration, as is his generous mentoring of young professionals—and even “established professionals.”

“Joe’s passing is all the more remorseful to USCIB because he has for so long been part of our ‘family,’” said USCIB’s President and CEO Peter M. Robinson.  Alhadeff began his career at USCIB in 1995 as director of e-commerce and legal counsel, at a time when USCIB was evaluating and then developing a practice to provide business leadership on issues related to use of the Internet.  “With USCIB serving as his launch-pad, we watched Joe steadily grow as such a highly respected and sought-after professional all over the world. Words can be inadequate at times like this to express our profound sadness about the passing of a dear friend and strong contributor to the global business community,” noted Robinson.

USCIB Urges Wider Business Role at UN Financing for Development Forum

Published on May 30, 2017

The second UN Financing for Development (FfD) Forum took place May 22-25 at UN headquarters in New York, serving as follow-up to the inaugural FfD Forum in 2015. The 2017 Forum provided impetus for the implementation of FfD outcomes and the delivery of means of implementation of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, which includes the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The event featured expert segments on the seven action areas of the Addis Agenda, as well as other specific issues that UN member states mandated the FfD Forum to address. It also featured a dedicated dialogue with stakeholders, including business and industry.

Numerous business representatives took part both as panelists and speaking from the floor, including John Danilovich, secretary general of ICC and Ariel Meyerstein, senior vice president, corporate responsibility, Citi. USCIB Vice President for Energy and Environment Norine Kennedy gave remarks during the segment on trade, capacity building, technology and innovation,  noting the increasing role the private sector has been taking with regards to mobilizing finance, investment, solutions and expertise for sustainable development, as well as the increasing role of business in the evolution to an SDG-guided international framework of cooperation and implementation.

“Trade is a powerful vehicle for development, and it also creates a network for broad deployment of innovative technologies and knowhow,” Kennedy said. However, she acknowledged that much remains to be done to deliver practical results and to implement programs and enabling environments that will allow the business community to contribute more significantly, noting, “the level and scope of engagement need to be radically scaled up from business communities in developing countries.”

 

USCIB, Keidanren Discuss Trade and Investment

Published on May 30, 2017

USCIB’s Senior Vice President for Policy and Government Affairs Rob Mulligan and USCIB’s Director for Trade, Finance and Investment Eva Hampl recently attended a dinner hosted by Keidanren, Japan’s leading business group. Mulligan and Hampl joined Keidanren’s delegation of over 40 business leaders to discuss trade, investment and the mutual interests and areas of partnerships shared by USCIB and Keidanren. 

Mulligan gave a brief presentation on the role USCIB plays and highlighted areas where USCIB and Keidanren have worked together in the past. In addition to commenting on NAFTA, Brexit, WTO and China, Mulligan discussed comparable affiliate roles at BIAC and IOE as well as the joint work USCIB and Keidanren have done together such as the op-ed last year on the Trans Pacific Partnership and the recent China letter on cybersecurity. Mulligan also touched upon Keidanren and USCIB’s partnership with regards to the Major Economies Business Forum (BizMEF) and the extensive collaboration between USCIB and Keidanren on climate change.

“USCIB greatly appreciates our productive partnership with our Japanese colleagues at Keidanren and we look forward to strengthening our ties on trade and investment issues,” said Mulligan.

Robinson Joins 200 Business Leaders in Letter on International Affairs Budget

Published on May 30, 2017

Ahead of the release of President Trump’s 2018 proposed budget that is looking to cut up to 31 percent of the State Department and USAID budget, USCIB’s President and CEO Peter M. Robinson joined over 200 business leaders in sending a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The letter urged Tillerson to strongly support the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development Budget.

The letter emphasized the importance of partnerships between the private sector and these agencies, noting that these agencies catalyze and leverage private sector expertise and resources to create sustainable solutions at scale on a range of challenges such as energy, health, and agriculture.

“America’s global economic leadership also embodies our country’s values – promoting economic freedom, prosperity, and entrepreneurship that can mitigate the drivers of violent extremism in the world today. In today’s global economy, we have significant opportunity to strengthen the State Department, USAID, and our development agencies and the capacity to partner with the private sector to address global challenges and to expand opportunity,” stated the letter.

The letter was also covered by CNN Money and the Wall Street Journal (subscription log-in required).

USCIB Delivers Statement on Trade Deficit at Commerce

Published on May 22, 2017
Eva Hampl delivers testimony on behalf of USCIB at U.S. Department of Commerce

As the Trump administration seeks to reorient U.S. trade policy toward bilateral agreements, bilateral trade deficits have been put forward as a marker of the health — or lack thereof — of U.S. commercial relations with a given country. USCIB has taken up this issue in a recent statement to the Department of Commerce, as well as a public testimony that was delivered by USCIB’s Director for Investment, Trade, and Financial Services Eva Hampl on May 18 at the Department of Commerce.

In her testimony, Hampl emphasized USCIB’s view that trade deficits are a product of broader macroeconomic factors, not trade policy, and that the trade balance should not be viewed as a straightforward indicator of a country’s economic health. “While it is useful to address trade barriers that impede access for U.S. goods and services exporters to specific markets, we should not set up bilateral trade balances as the metric of successful trade policies,” she said.

Hampl concluded with 5 USCIB recommendations for the Administration:

  • Examine the trade deficit within the broader set of macroeconomic factors that determine it and include all elements of trade in the analysis, instead of focusing solely on bilateral manufactured goods trade balances.
  • Work with experts around the U.S. Government, international organizations, and academia to get the best data possible to guide the best policy making. We need much better measurements of real trade flows and value added, including in complex global supply chains and in services. We also need better data on FDI flows, both inward and outward.
  • Move aggressively to open foreign markets, and identify and combat foreign trade barriers to increase U.S. exports and improve our trade balance. We support the use of appropriate enforcement tools including the WTO, bilateral and regional trade agreements, U.S. trade laws, and efforts to open those markets and to combat illegal foreign subsidies and dumping into the United States.
  • Accelerate U.S. Government “commercial diplomacy” efforts to support U.S. companies competing to win deals overseas.
  • Reform the U.S. Government’s economic policies, including tax reform, regulatory reform, and energy development, to bolster the competitiveness of our firms, allowing them to win more and bigger deals overseas.