Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

2-2019

Abstract

With the rapid development of the digital economy and the increasing importance of GST as a source of tax revenue, the Singapore Government has proposed several reforms to tighten the collection of tax revenue and tap its tax base more efficiently. The reforms focus on activating the currently dormant “reverse charge” mechanism to collect GST on supplies of services “imported” by businesses; creating an “overseas vendor registration regime” to catch digital products “imported” by individuals; and clarifying the “place of supply” requirement for supplies of digital products. This article considers the reforms from the perspective of a foreign business that may potentially be affected and explores the potential implications that are projected to kick in by January 2020. In the upshot, this article argues that the reforms will help the revenue authorities avoid gaps in the Singapore GST regime and better utilise GST as a revenue-collection tool for Singapore.

Keywords

Tax Law, Taxation, Goods and Services Tax, GST

Discipline

Taxation | Tax Law

Research Areas

Corporate, Finance and Securities Law

Publication

Tax Notes International

Volume

93

First Page

1

Last Page

10

ISSN

1048-3306

Publisher

Tax Analysts

Copyright Owner and License

Publisher

Additional URL

https://www.taxnotes.com/tax-notes-international/tax-reform/proposed-reforms-singapores-goods-and-services-tax-digital-age/2019/02/04/2924g

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