Other Briefings
ASEAN Regulatory Brief: Work Permits, Tax Filing, Rates and Incentives
This ASEAN Regulatory Brief guides you through new Indonesian work permit regulations, tax filing procedures in the Philippines, and new tax rates and incentives in Myanmar and Malaysia.
The Cost of Business in Laos Compared With China
The third part in our comprehensive look at how doing business in ASEAN compares with China, this time focusing on Laos.
Your Guide to Singapore’s Wage Credit Scheme
Singapore’s government announced in its recent 2015 Budget that the Wage Credit Scheme measure would be prolonged until year of assessment (YA) 2017. In this article, we take an in-depth look at the scheme’s structure.
The Cost of Business in Indonesia Compared With China
The second part in our comprehensive look at how doing business in ASEAN compares with China, this time focusing on Indonesia.
The Cost of Business in Cambodia Compared With China
In Part One of our series comparing ASEAN nation business costs with China, we discuss Cambodia and how the country may fit into your China strategy.
Philippines and the European Free Trade Association begin FTA Negotiations
The Philippines and members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) have begun their first round of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations in Makati, Philippines. The EFTA is made up of four countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. A completed FTA could have profound effects on businesses in both regions.
Malaysia GST: Implications for Manufacturers
Malaysia has introduced a new Goods and Services Tax of six percent. However, the country’s Customs Department has said that confusion over the new tax will last six months to a year. Consumer concerns regarding the GST have been over price increases, whereas businesses concerns have focused on compliance costs and its effect on competitiveness.
USA, New Zealand to Take Indonesia to WTO on Import Restrictions
The US and New Zealand have asked the World Trade Organization (WTO) for a dispute settlement panel to examine Indonesia’s wide-ranging restrictions on horticulture and animal imports.
April 2015 ASEAN Regional Meetings
There are a number of important ASEAN regional meetings taking place in April, including the 43rd ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standards and Quality (ACCSQ) held in Manila, and the 26th ASEAN Summit, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur.
The Philippines Issues Income Tax Exemptions
The Philippines’ Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has recently issued regulations that are intended to implement an increased individual income tax exemption cap for 13th month pay and other benefits to PHP82,000 (US$1,827), up from its previous level of PHP30,000. These new regulations will apply to workers in both the public and private sectors and are retroactively applicable from January 1, 2015. It is estimated that over half a million employees will benefit from the tax changes.
