Overview of tax events for June 2017

REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS

The State Duma has passed in the first reading the Government’s draft law on empowering the tax authorities to demand from the audit firms the documents they have received from taxpayers.
www.kommersant.ru, 24 June 2017
For information:
(www.vedomosti.ru, 15/06/2017)
On 25 July the Russian Federal Tax Service will for the first time openly publish on its official website significant data about all 4.5 million companies registered with the Russian tax authorities. Previously, this data was treated as confidential tax information.
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The draft law establishing general anti-abuse rules (GAAR) has been prepared for the second reading.
tass.ru, 16 June 2017
Further reading:
www.rbc.ru, 29/06/2017
The Russian Federal Tax Service is working on an online service allowing taxpayers to find out whether their partner is a fly-by-night company.
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The Russian Federal Tax Service may start to automatically receive information from Swiss banks about their Russian customers.
www.vedomosti.ru, 21 June 2017
Something to consider:
(www.vedomosti.ru, 28 May 2017)
The Russian Government has published its resolution on signing of a multilateral instrument (MLI) which is designed to counter tax base erosion.
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The State Duma is considering the Government’s draft law on the introduction of a tax free refund system which essentially means reimbursing VAT to foreign citizens for goods purchased in Russia.
www.duma.gov.ru, 21 June 2017

By the end of July, an advisory board will be established under the Chairman of the State Duma, which is going to consider the most high-profile draft laws. The board will handle draft laws regarding the state budget and tax, tariff-making and customs policies, and matters of civil law.
iz.ru, 16 June 2017

Russia and China are going to coordinate their plans with respect to tax laws, audits, and rating agencies, Anton Siluanov, Russian Minister of Finance, announced during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart.
ria.ru, 19 June 2017

PRACTICE

This year the Russian tax authorities have for the first time received VAT returns from foreign companies providing e-services in Russia. According to preliminary estimates around RUB 10 billion has been collected and 112 companies filed their returns.
www.nalog.ru, 30 May 2017
Something to consider:
(iz.ru, 21 June 2017)
VAT for online services provided in Russia may be paid by a Russian company acting as a tax agent. However, the Federal Tax Service prohibits foreign companies from paying the tax on each other’s behalf.
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