Other Briefings
The Philippines Signs IGA on FATCA with the United States
On July 15, the Philippines entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) on tax information sharing with the United States in order to comply with the U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).
Assessing Foreign Investment Prospects in ASEAN Through the Business Optimism Index
In recent years, ASEAN has become a hotbed for foreign investment. In 2014, ASEAN member states combined for over US$2.3 trillion in total GDP. Each ASEAN nation, however, present their own unique advantages and challenges for foreign investment. The ASEAN Business Optimism Index, released each quarter by Dun & Bradstreet, provides in-depth insight into business sentiment for the quarter ahead as measured by sales volume, net profit, selling price, new orders, inventory, and employment across sectors and industries.
Malaysia Continues to Streamline its Goods and Services Tax
Malaysia is continuing its streamlining of its Goods and Services tax (GST). Among the recent changes are a revised GST guide on the country’s Warehousing Scheme, a new guide on filing GST-04 returns, and the possibility of expanding the list of goods not subject to GST.
ASEAN Regulatory Brief: GST and Income Tax Exemptions, FTA, Tightening Inheritance and Gift Tax Regulations
In this ASEAN Regulatory Brief, we look at some of the important regulatory changes taking place in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand during the month of July.
Laos-Vietnam Border Trade Agreement Signed
A bilateral border trade agreement between Laos and Vietnam was signed on June 27, 2015 in Vietnam’s Nghe An Province.
State by State: ASEAN and Virginia Trade
ASEAN may not figure highly on the radar for businesses in Virginia, but exports to the South-East Asian bloc represent a one and a half billion dollar trade value, amounting to 5 percent of all Virginian exports. That amount is not to be sniffed at and suggests potential for development.
Applying for Permanent Residency in Singapore – What a Foreigner Needs to Know
A contributing factor to Singapore’s success is the government’s strong incentives program for foreign talent to commit to the country. One such incentive is the permanent residency (PR) scheme, with basic perks including the freedom to enter and exit the country, the right to purchase real estate, and a certain degree of job security.
July 2015 ASEAN Regional Meetings
There are a number of important ASEAN regional meetings taking place in July, including the ASEAN-European Union Senior Officials’ Meeting taking place in Brussels, and the 7th Meeting of the High Level Task Force (HLTF) on ASEAN Community’s Post-2015 Vision taking place in Singapore.
State by State: ASEAN and New York Trade
Trade between New York and ASEAN is a multi-billion dollar business and rapidly increasing, with the ASEAN nations of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines & Thailand particularly big markets. Singapore is the hub for shipping to these nations.
Regional Leaders Push for More Financial Integration in ASEAN Ahead of AEC
While the pace of ASEAN trade integration has progressed on schedule, financial integration is still not yet up to par. This is becoming of increasing importance as the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) nears its January 2016 implementation deadline. Regional leaders, such as Ravi Menon, managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) have expressed their disappointment at the slow pace of the ongoing integration process.
