The Oecd's Report on Harmful Tax Competition

In response to pressures created by the increasing globalization of the world economy, the OECD has issued a report titled "Harmful Tax Competition: An Emerging Global Issue" that provides an analysis of the phenomenon known as harmful tax competition. The Report identifies factors that characterize tax havens and harmful preferential tax regimes and recommends numerous measures in the areas of domestic legislation, tax treaties, and international cooperation, that countries may pursue to counter harmful tax competition. As part of intensifying international cooperation, the Report recommends that Member countries adopt a set of Guidelines endorsing the "3 R's:" to refrain, to review, and to remove. By adopting the Report, Members are agreeing to undertake a political commitment to refrain from adopting new measures or strengthening existing measures, to review existing measures that constitute harmful tax practices, and to remove harmful features of preferential tax regimes within a five-year period. In addition, the Report establishes a new international body, the Forum on Harmful Tax Practices, to implement the measures outlined in the Report.