Here is the first of our tax and development primers focused on double tax treaties.
In this introductory primer on treaties, we explain what treaties are, some of the pros and cons of treaties for developing countries, and the process for concluding new treaties. Double tax treaties are important long term building blocks of the international tax system. There is a real public interest in getting them right because they affect the tax base in developing countries. That means they affect the finances available for pubic service provision. However, they are usually negotiated behind closed doors and visibility and accountability around them can be limited. ISLP’s primers aim to facilitate and enable constructive engagement and scrutiny of treaties by a wider public audience. Further papers on specific aspects of treaties will follow.