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EC Investigates UK Corporate Tax Exemption
December 08, 2017
In October, the European Commission (EC) opened a formal investigation into whether the UK's Group Financing Exemption in its tax rules violate EU State Aid laws by potentially giving some companies transferring funds to offshore subsidiaries better tax treatment than others.
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NGO: Respect Environment, Rights by Stopping Economic Growth
December 07, 2017
In November, the nongovernmental organization Friends of the Earth Europe hosted a conference pushing for an end to the "sustainable growth dogma" to be replaced by pressure for slowing or halting economic growth through the "equitable downscaling of production and consumption that will reduce societies' throughput of energy and raw materials."
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UN Fund: Businesses Must Promote "Peaceful" Societies
December 07, 2017
The UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Fund recently published a report placing responsibility on businesses to help achieve SDGs promoting "peace, justice and strong institutions" through such activities as diversity efforts and "supporting justice initiatives."
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UN Talks Fail to Clarify Scope of BHR Treaty
December 07, 2017
An overview from law firm Hogan Lovells of recent negotiations in Geneva of a proposed UN business and human rights (BHR) treaty describes the proceedings as a contentious series of events "dominated by questions and objections" raising uncertainty about the scope of such a treaty, rather than clarifying its aims and focus.
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Barrister: UK Must Expand Corporate Prosecutions
December 07, 2017
UK barrister Sir Edward Garnier QC writes that the UK must plug "gaps" in its corporate criminal law to ensure that companies are prosecuted for their failure to prevent the perpetration of non-financial crimes in their foreign operations.