09 March 2026 Global Tax Policy and Controversy Watch | March 2026 edition The pace of global change is constant, and decisions rarely occur in isolation. Leaders worldwide are navigating a complex web of competing priorities: growth, tight budgets, security concerns and global coordination, all at once. Those pressures are colliding in global tax policy and controversy, making it more complex and more connected than ever. We invite you to join us as we launch our new series format of the Tax Policy & Controversy Outlook, sharing concise, more actionable insights over the coming months. Read our first article, How governments are balancing competition and revenue needs.
Watch our upcoming webcast, The 2026 outlook for global tax policy and controversy, on 11 March 2026 at 2:00 p.m. HKT (6:00 a.m. GMT; 2:00 a.m. ET), or watch a replay available soon. Effective February 2026, the Ministry of Labour in Oman introduced a mandatory requirement for all companies operating in the country to register on the Tawteen electronic employment and recruitment platform, according to press reports. This requirement aims to strengthen Omanization efforts and ensure compliance with national employment targets. Drawing on the perspectives of 1,934 senior tax and finance executives, the 2025 Tax Risk and Controversy Survey highlights a pivotal moment for multinationals preparing for a more complex tax landscape. On 17 February 2026, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released a document containing Amount B Pricing FAQs aimed at responding to technical questions raised by stakeholders and at ensuring a consistent application of the Amount B approach. The 2026 version of the Pricing Automation Tool was also released, containing updates required for the application of Amount B in 2026, including sovereign credit ratings data. The February 2026 update to Annex I includes two additions — Vietnam and the Turks and Caicos Islands — and the removals of Fiji, Samoa and Trinidad and Tobago. Annex II has been revised to remove Antigua and Barbuda and Seychelles, and Brunei Darussalam has been granted a six-month extension to complete reform. On 24 February 2026, the Colombian government issued Decree No. 0173, establishing a temporary net-worth tax for legal entities, effective from 1 March 2026, with rates of 0.5% or 1.6% depending on the type of entity. The State Investment and Development Company (SIRS) offers strategic investment sites in the Czech Republic, focusing on Karlovy Vary, Ústí nad Labem and Moravian-Silesian regions. SIRS promotes high-value foreign direct investment through custom business parks with secure infrastructure and sustainable, community-focused projects. Key sites include Lazy, Dolní Lutyne and Cheb business parks. On 27 February 2026, the Dutch Supreme Court ruled that the statutory presumption in the tax-neutral demerger facility — activated when ownership in a demerged or demerging entity transfers to a third party within three years — is invalid. This ruling shifts the initial burden of proof of abuse to the Dutch tax authorities. The decision significantly impacts restructurings involving third-party disposals, such as carve-outs, regulated divestments and distressed sales. Announced 25 February 2026, the 2026/27 Hong Kong Budget proposes a new preferential policy package for tax, financial subsidies and nonfinancial assistance to attract specific business. The budget enhances the existing concession for corporate treasury centers, relaxes tax deductions for intellectual property-related transactions and creates a new tax concession for commodity traders in international maritime business. Public consultations began on the proposed Digital Services Tax (DST), aimed at large multinational groups with global revenues exceeding €1b and Polish taxable revenues exceeding PLN25m annually. The proposed DST would apply to revenue generated from digital advertising, multisided digital interfaces and the sale or sharing of user data, with a tax rate not exceeding 3%, reduced by any corporate income tax already paid. Exemptions will be in place for certain digital activities, including streaming services, regulated financial services and direct online sales, indicating a targeted approach to the tax's application. Singapore's Budget 2026, announced on 12 February, introduces the Multinational Enterprise Top-up Tax and Domestic Top-up Tax from financial years starting 1 January 2025, aligning with the OECD's Pillar Two framework. The OECD Side-by-Side package will take effect from 1 January 2026. With S$37b allocated to research and development (R&D) and innovation through the Research, Innovation and Enterprise fund, and key incentives extended to 2031, Singapore aims to attract high-value investments while businesses prepare for evolving compliance requirements.
Document ID: 2026-0600 | ||||
