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Dear Sir or Madam, UNCTAD has launched its annual World Investment Report 2015. The theme chapter on international tax and investment policies: · Estimates the fiscal contribution of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in developing countries at some $730 billion annually. · Explains how patterns of investment are often influenced by tax, with about 30% of global investment routed through offshore investment hubs before reaching its destination as productive assets. · Shows how an additional 10% of investment routed through offshore hubs is associated with a 1 percentage point lower reported (taxable) rate of return on investment. · Calculates tax revenue losses for developing countries associated with offshore investment links at about $100 billion. The chapter stresses the joint policy imperative to take action against tax avoidance to support domestic resource mobilization and to continue to facilitate productive investment for sustainable development. It provides an investment perspective on international tax avoidance, leading to new insights on the links between investment and tax policies and resulting in a set of guiding principles for Coherent International Tax and Investment Policies. Synergistic international tax and investment policymaking should aim to: · Remove aggressive tax planning opportunities as investment promotion levers. · Consider the potential impact on investment of anti-avoidance measures. · Take a partnership approach to tackling tax avoidance in recognition of shared responsibilities between host, home and conduit countries. · Manage the interaction between international investment and tax agreements. · Strengthen the role of both investment and fiscal revenues in sustainable development. A further key recommendation of the Report is to enhance capacities in developing countries for the promotion and facilitation of investment and for addressing international tax avoidance issues. As such it connects directly with the work of the G20 Development Working Group on Domestic Resource Mobilization and its Call to Action for Strengthening Tax Capacity in Developing Countries. In its future deliberations the DWG may wish to consider the close links between international tax and investment policymaking. With kind regards, James Zhan Director, Investment and Enterprise Team leader, World Investment Report UNCTAD Palais des Nations, Geneva Tel: +41 22 917 5797 www.unctad.org/diae www.unctad.org/wir (World Investment Reports) ____ AIB-L is brought to you by the Academy of International Business. For information: http://aib.msu.edu/community/aib-l.asp To post message: [log in to unmask] For assistance: [log in to unmask] AIB-L is a moderated list.