Curious about the global debate on whether multinationals pay their fair share of taxes? This course from Leiden University is designed to demystify international tax planning for all learners — whether you're a beginner or an expert. Over five modules, you'll explore the principles of multinational taxation, understand the strategies companies use to minimize taxes, and examine the international and domestic laws governing these practices. The course also delves into the measures taken to counter tax avoidance. With expert interviews and concise video lectures, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of the key issues in multinational taxation.
This week, we're starting our adventure into how countries tax international businesses. Recently, there's been a lot of talk about how big companies plan their taxes to pay as little as possible. We're going to look into why everyone's talking about this now, what the big discussions are really about, and who's involved. We'll also get to the basics of how these companies plan their taxes by looking at a base case, which we'll explore more as the course goes on.
Trailer: Taxation of Multinationals for Everyone•2 minutes
Welcome to this course•7 minutes
How to succeed in your online class•2 minutes
The debate on international tax planning•6 minutes
Background & the stakeholders •5 minutes
The OECD and the EU•4 minutes
Introduction to the base case•8 minutes
Introduction to symbols•3 minutes
Interview with Dame Margaret Hodge•18 minutes
Interview with Paul Tang•15 minutes
Interview with Allison Christians•17 minutes
11 readings•Total 340 minutes
Meet the instructor and the interviewees•10 minutes
Optional: Recording - Public Accounts Committee hearing on taxation of multinational corporations•10 minutes
Resources: Media on the international tax planning debate•50 minutes
Required Reading•10 minutes
Required Reading•10 minutes
Optional Reading•10 minutes
OECD & UN model tax conventions•10 minutes
Tax Planning Base case•10 minutes
Symbols•10 minutes
Required Reading•30 minutes
Database on BEPS•180 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
Quiz 1•30 minutes
Quiz - Debate, Stakeholders and the Base Case•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 20 minutes
Introduce yourself!•20 minutes
1 plugin•Total 2 minutes
Discover The World at Leiden University•2 minutes
Design of corporate tax law systems
Module 2•5 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, we'll begin to deconstruct our foundational case study on tax planning. Our focus will be on exploring how corporate tax law systems are structured. Through the videos and the suggested readings, we'll examine the common components that make up these corporate tax law systems.
What's included
8 videos4 readings3 assignments
Show info about module content
8 videos•Total 72 minutes
Introduction to corporate income tax•7 minutes
Taxable base & tax rate•7 minutes
Preferential tax regimes•4 minutes
Intercompany dividends & capital gains•5 minutes
Taxation of corporate groups•6 minutes
Withholding tax•6 minutes
Interview with Wouter Leenders•19 minutes
Interview with Afton Titus•18 minutes
4 readings•Total 120 minutes
Required Reading•20 minutes
Required Reading•40 minutes
Recommended Reading•30 minutes
Recommended Reading•30 minutes
3 assignments•Total 90 minutes
Exercise 1-2•30 minutes
Exercise 3•30 minutes
Quiz - Design of corporate tax law systems•30 minutes
Principles of international taxation & tax treaties
Module 3•5 hours to complete
Module details
In our third module, we'll proceed with our examination of the tax planning foundational case. Building on what we learned in module 2 about the usual structures of corporate tax laws, we'll delve into the international dimensions of these systems, including preferential policies and discrepancies in qualification. Additionally, we will explore the essence of international tax law, focusing specifically on double taxation agreements.
What's included
8 videos6 readings3 assignments
Show info about module content
8 videos•Total 89 minutes
Introduction to International Tax Law•6 minutes
Double taxation•9 minutes
Distributive rules•11 minutes
Transfer Pricing•6 minutes
Hybrid mismatches•4 minutes
What is the problem with International tax law?•9 minutes
Interview with Kees van Raad•20 minutes
Interview with Richard Murphy•24 minutes
6 readings•Total 130 minutes
Recommended reading•10 minutes
Required Reading•10 minutes
Required Reading•20 minutes
Recommended Reading•50 minutes
Required Reading•30 minutes
Recommended Reading•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 90 minutes
Exercise 1•30 minutes
Exercise 2•30 minutes
Quiz - Principles of international taxation & tax treaties•30 minutes
The BEPS project 1.0
Module 4•4 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, we will concentrate on the efforts of the OECD to address the tax planning tactics employed by multinational corporations. Specifically, we will explore the OECD’s initiative known as the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting project, or BEPS project 1.0.
What's included
8 videos6 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
8 videos•Total 74 minutes
Introduction to the BEPS project & the base case: revisited•7 minutes
Minimization of tax in source (country D)•6 minutes
No or low withholding tax in country D (and B)•8 minutes
No or low tax in intermediate country (country B) •8 minutes
Control Foreign Corporations - CFCs •6 minutes
BEPS 1.0 Evaluation•9 minutes
Interview with Irma Mosquera Valderrama•14 minutes
Interview with Jan Kleinnijenhuis•16 minutes
6 readings•Total 150 minutes
Required Reading•20 minutes
Optional: OECD BEPS Project - 2013 Initial Report and 2015 Final Reports•60 minutes
Required Reading•10 minutes
Required Reading•20 minutes
Required Reading•20 minutes
Required Reading•20 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Quiz - The BEPS 1.0 project•30 minutes
The BEPS project 2.0
Module 5•5 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, we will delve deeper into the OECD's ongoing efforts to curb the tax planning strategies utilized by multinational corporations. Building on our initial discussions, we will focus on the subsequent phase of the OECD's initiative, referred to as BEPS 2.0. This segment of the project represents a continuation and evolution of the strategies initially introduced to tackle base erosion and profit shifting. Through our exploration, we will gain insights into the more advanced measures and recommendations proposed under BEPS 2.0, understanding their significance in the global tax landscape.
What's included
8 videos6 readings2 assignments
Show info about module content
8 videos•Total 97 minutes
BEPS 2.0 Evaluation•9 minutes
Pillar 1 of the BEPS project 2.0•8 minutes
Pillar 2 of the BEPS project 2.0 - Background•9 minutes
Pillar 2 of the BEPS project 2.0 - Details•10 minutes
Leiden University is one of Europe's foremost research universities. This prominent position gives our graduates a leading edge and prepares them for careers both within and outside of academia. Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands, founded in 1575. Our motto is: Praesidium Libertatis (Bastion of Liberty) - Freedom of spirit, thought and expression. Leiden University has a campus in Leiden and The Hague, with 7 faculties, 47 Bachelor Programmes, 79 Master Programmes and nearly 30,000 students.
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Reviewed on Nov 20, 2024
It was really good and helped me to understand and grasp the concepts under international taxation
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