International taxes

The threat of a new transatlantic trade war diminished after 137 countries agreed to continue negotiations aimed at creating rules for taxing multinational technology companies that receive foreign revenue.

About 135 of the world's countries are negotiating a radical change to the rules about where and how much multinational companies pay in taxes.

Apple Inc. reduced a massive back tax bill it must pay Ireland after other governments claimed a slice of the payment last year, according to regulatory filings.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin weighed in on the debate about a carbon tax in Davos, saying technological developments would make it redundant.

Having just persuaded France to hold off on a digital tax that would hurt its biggest technology firms, the U.S. is facing a similar threat from another part of Europe.

The U.S. and Europe are making progress toward a global pact on the taxation of digital services, with France’s finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, saying on Thursday that American officials agreed on a blueprint for negotiations.

Global TaxUpdate, a Lisbon, Portugal-based global tax information provider, has introduced GTU OnDemand, an e-commerce service that provides access to an online store of translated tax legislation.

Even as France indicated a willingness to postpone a disputed tax on technology companies, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin dangled the prospect of retaliatory tariffs on automobile imports if the issue isn’t resolved.

Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump agreed to a truce in their dispute over digital taxes that will mean neither France nor the U.S. will impose punitive tariffs this year.

American Citizens Abroad, a group that promotes the interests of U.S.-born expatriates, has updated and relaunched its online Expat Tax Services Directory of firms providing tax services, tax preparation, accounting services, financial advisory and legal services.