Other Briefings
Understanding Inheritance and Estate Tax in ASEAN
Inheritance and estate taxes (sometimes referred to as “death taxes”) can have a significant financial effect upon your assets if you are not ready for their imposition. While ASEAN is working to standardize many financial regulations throughout the economic community, inheritance and estate taxes are still imposed differently depending on the country.
British Firms Encouraged to Expand into the Philippines
British firms are being encouraged to set up shop in the Philippines in order to take advantage of this up and coming Southeast Asian country. Last week, in a recent sign of the growing business relations between the two countries, British Ambassador to the Philippines, Asif Ahmad, hosted the Great British Festival in Manila.
Malaysia GST Implementation on April 1, 2015
The Malaysian government is preparing to implement the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on April 1, 2015.
Understanding how Singapore’s Budget 2015 will Affect Your Business
On Monday, February 23rd, Singapore’s Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, announced the release of the country’s Budget 2015, which, among welfare benefits for senior citizens, will have a number of important consequences for businesses.
The Philippines Expands the Number of Taxpayers Included in its e-Tax Filing Program
The Philippines’ Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has announced that it has expanded the number of taxpayers who must now use e-filing to pay their taxes. This action is intended to make filing tax returns simpler and encourage more tax compliance from taxpayers.
ASEAN Regulatory Brief: CIT Incentives, PIT Changes, Export Management Fees, VAT on E-commerce, and More
In this ASEAN Regulatory Brief, we look at some of the important regulatory changes taking place in Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Indonesia during the months of January and February.
Philippine Economic Growth Looks Strong in 2015
The Philippines has become one of the fastest growing economies in Asia, with an annual GDP growth rate of 6.1 percent in 2014 – the second highest in the Asia-Pacific region after China. This healthy growth is due to strong economic fundamentals and a faster than expected GDP growth of 6.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014.
Indonesia Online: A Guide to E-commerce
While currently, e-commerce only accounts for less than one percent (worth ~US$2 billion per year) of Indonesian retail spending, analysts believe that the country’s fast growing middle class and proliferation of smartphones will soon raise that share to eight percent (worth US$8 billion) in just a few years. If that scenario were to happen, then Indonesia’s e-commerce market would be the largest in Southeast Asia.
Singapore-Vietnam in 2015: Trade and Investment Partners
As investment and trading partners, Singapore and Vietnam have proven to be an unstoppable combination – with 2014 bilateral trade up 20.3 percent year on year. Vietnam’s strategic location, low-cost labor, burgeoning consumer class, and incentives to foreign investors have made Vietnam an attractive destination for Singaporean foreign direct investment (FDI). While Singapore, with the highest GDP per capita in ASEAN, remains a prime market for Vietnamese exporters.
Singapore Parliament Back in Business: Multiple Legal Reforms on the Agenda
On its first day back in business, January 19, 2015, Singapore’s Parliament has approved the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill and the Pawnbrokers Bill on second readings, and saw the introduction of the Community Disputes, Deep Seabed Mining, Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption), and MediShield Life Scheme Bills.
