Suggested Approach to Drafting Digital Services Tax Legislation

Many ATAF members have reported difficulties in taxing highly digitalised businesses operating in their countries. Their economies are rapidly becoming more and more digitalised and that digitalisation often enables multinational enterprises (MNEs) to carry out business in African countries with no or very limited physical presence in those countries. This trend has increased due to the use of digitalised process necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic that has seen some MNEs with physical presence in a country close their premises and move to online trading. This makes it difficult for countries to establish taxing rights over the profits the MNE is making from those business activities.