G7 Nations Reach Historic Deal on Global Corporate Tax
The Group of Seven (G7) nations have reached a historic agreement on a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15%, aimed at preventing multinational corporations from avoiding taxes by shifting profits to low-tax countries. The deal was announced on Saturday after a meeting of finance ministers from the world’s seven wealthiest democracies in London.
The agreement is a significant step towards reforming the global tax system, which has been criticized for allowing large corporations to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. The G7 countries, which include the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan, represent approximately 40% of the world’s economy.
The deal is also expected to help raise revenue for governments around the world as they recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the agreement could generate up to $150 billion in additional global tax revenue each year.
The G7 nations also agreed to new rules on taxing the profits of the largest and most profitable multinational corporations, including technology companies like Google and Facebook. The rules would ensure that companies pay taxes in countries where they operate and make profits, rather than in low-tax countries where they may have only a small presence.
The agreement still needs to be approved by the G20 nations, which include China, India, and Brazil, among others. The G20 is expected to discuss the deal at a meeting in July. The agreement also faces opposition from some low-tax countries, such as Ireland, which have attracted multinational corporations with low tax rates. However, the G7 nations have expressed confidence that the agreement will be adopted and implemented.