Other Briefings
Singapore Signs IGA on FATCA with the United States
On December 9, 2014, Singapore became the first country in Southeast Asia to sign an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) on tax information sharing with the United States. The signing follows an in substance agreement reached between Singapore and the US in May 2014. Most countries around the world have been entering into IGAs with the US government since the US introduced a complex reporting and withholding regime through the passage of the Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) in March 2010.
Turkey Launches Anti-Dumping Probe into Malaysia, Vietnam Steel Re-Exports
The Vietnam Competition Authority has announced that Turkey’s Ministry of Economy is investigating steel products imported from Malaysia and Vietnam following a complaint by M/s Jindal Stainless Limited.
OECD and ASEAN Release Investment Policy Review of Myanmar
On December 9th, the Second ASEAN-OECD Investment Policy Conference was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, to discuss the continued facilitation and promotion of ASEAN investment for regional integration. The event brought together ASEAN investment policy makers, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) members, and industry leaders, to showcase ASEAN’s regional investment integration achievements since the first conference in 2010. Included at the conference was the release of the OECD’s Investment Policy Review of Myanmar, which marked the country as one to watch heading into 2015.
Key Industries for Investment in ASEAN
As ASEAN continues its transition to greater economic integration with the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, the region is seeing strong growth in a number of industries. Among the key business areas are electronics, information and communications technology, textiles and apparel, and medical devices.
ASEAN Tax and Regulatory Update
In this article we highlight some of the recent tax and regulatory actions taken in the ASEAN region. The importance of ASEAN continues to grow, with 2015 set to see the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The AEC seeks to “transform ASEAN into a single market and production base, a highly competitive economic region, a region of equitable economic development, and a region fully integrated into the global economy.” Collectively, ASEAN represents a market of some 600 million people, with a combined GDP of about US$2.5 trillion and upwards of US$1.5 trillion in trade flowing throughout the region.
Outlook on ASEAN Investment 2015
Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines are surging ahead of their regional neighbors, with FDI increases of 17, 19 and 20.4 percent, respectively, in 2013, according to Bank of America Merill Lynch. Meanwhile, Singapore continues to receive the lion’s share of total FDI in the region, which last year grew five percent to a net value of nearly US$64 billion. The city-state’s attraction for foreign investors derives not only from its often overlooked manufacturing base, but also as a channel for routing FDI into other locations in ASEAN.
ASEAN Investment Horizons: Key Industries for AEC 2015 – New Issue of Asia Briefing Magazine
In this issue of Asia Briefing, we forecast the effects of ASEAN Economic Community on foreign investment into the region in the lead up to 2015. Following this, we highlight what is happening in some of ASEAN’s hottest industries for investment, including electronics, information and communications technology, textiles and medical devices.
September 2014 ASEAN Regional Meetings
There are a number of important ASEAN regional meetings taking place in September, including the General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-parliamentary Assembly and the Forum on Good Governance.
ASEAN +3 Bolsters Financial Assistance in the Region
An expanded financial assistance pool among the ASEAN +3 nations was implemented last week, strengthening financial cooperation within the region.
ASEAN and the Intellectual Property Ladder
The less developed nature of business-related legislation in the ASEAN region means the dangers of intellectual property (IP) infringement are often great. In this article, we take a look at IP legislation across the ASEAN region and highlight important frameworks governing the protection of IP.
