Digitalization is developing at a rapid pace, which means companies across all industries are changing the way they do business. However, the rise of digitalization also means new challenges regarding tax regulations, international trade rules, and competition policies.
Digitalization increases the scale, scope, and speed of trade. It allows firms to bring new products and services to a larger number of digitally connected customers across the globe. This is giving rise to a range of issues for policy-makers, ranging from the physical management of shipments to revenue implications concerning the collection of taxes and tariffs.
Perhaps nowhere is the need to adapt greater than in taxes. Since virtually every decision or transaction undertaken in a business has a tax implication and digital transformation is creating new business models, tax needs to adapt— quickly—to align with and be relevant to the increasingly digital and automated enterprise. Faced with this mounting pressure, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has put forward a proposal seeking international agreement on a comprehensive reform of tax rules, which requires multinational companies to pay taxes when doing significant business in a country that they do not have a physical presence in.
As digital firms gain increasing popularity, they have come under increased scrutiny from competing authorities. While they create tremendous value for consumers and other businesses, conflicts with online platforms are growing. In fact, they benefit from network effects and zero-price markets, relying heavily on data and potentially competing with their own users. The dynamic tech space has also seen a high number of acquisitions by leading firms, often bringing better services to consumers but also removing potential competitors. Regardless, the absence of international rules and differences among national approaches raise challenges, given the cross-border nature of digital platforms.
Looking ahead, as highlighted by several experts, there is a need for better-designed and coordinated regulation policies. Applying weak policies will only create further confusion and challenges. Digital trade policies should be driven by economic fundamentals and help the race for technological progress instead of creating conflict.
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