Multinational Tax Evation: Waiting for Godot: tackling multinationals’ tax avoidance – by Francesco Saraceno and Tommaso Faccio

The Netherlands’ insistence that everyone ‘go Dutch’ on mushrooming coronavirus deficits in the European Union has (given its complicity) revived the debate on tax havens within the EU. In an ideal world, action on joint debt issuance should go hand in hand with tax harmonisation and brakes on fiscal dumping.

But, given the current standstill in Europe, it is more likely that national solutions to avoid tax-base erosion will be sought, at least in the near future. Enforcing transparency and leveraging on company reputations could be enacted more effectively than the bans and regulations currently considered.

Note Almere-Digest:  The Netherlands Government of  Mark Rutte is one of the major EU culprits in facilitating these Multi- National Corporations (Mainly US companies) to dodge paying their local country taxes, by registering them as "special status" Dutch corporations.

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Waiting for Godot: tackling multinationals’ tax avoidance – Francesco Saraceno and Tommaso Faccio

Marijuana: Scientists believe cannabis could help prevent, treat coronavirus

Researchers from the University of Lethbridge said a study in April
showed at least 13 cannabis plants were high in CBD that appeared to
affect the ACE2 pathways that the bug uses to access the body.

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Scientists believe cannabis could help prevent, treat coronavirus

The Netherlands: Could the 'liberal' Dutch have learned from Taiwan's approach to coronavirus?

The whole world has been struggling to contain the coronavirus and “flatten the curve”, but Taiwan has had no curve. Out of a population of 24 million, only 440 people have tested positive for Covid-19, and there have been just seven deaths.Compare that with the Netherlands: while it is similar in size to Taiwan with a population of 17 million, well over 5,000 lives have been lost to the virus.

What has made the difference? Clearly, the Netherlandsis not an island that could cut itself off from the rest of world, lockdown completely and thus contain the disease. Taiwan is – but Taiwan didn’t do that either.

Public spaces in Taiwan, restaurants, shops and schools, have all remained open since the initial Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan. Life in Taiwan hascontinued pretty much the same as before. What Taiwan did however, wasopt for a complex tradeoff involving viruscontainment strategies and information gathering, while balancing individual autonomy with trust and control.

Read more at:
Could the 'liberal' Dutch have learned from Taiwan's approach to coronavirus? | | Opinion | The Guardian

The Netherlands to Allow Bars, Restaurants to Reopen From June

The Dutch government confirmed that bars and restaurants can start opening for business again next month as the country slowly lifts more restrictions to aid an economy hurting from the coronavirus outbreak.

Bars and restaurants are allowed to reopen beginning at noon on June 1 for up to 30 guests excluding staff as long as they adhere to the 1.5 meter distance rule, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said during a press briefing in The Hague on Tuesday.

With the number of reported new cases and fatalities in the Netherlands having slowed to the lowest levels since March, Rutte’s government is cautiously working to open up an economy suffering from the outbreak.

Read more at: The Netherlands to Allow Bars, Restaurants to Reopen From June 1 - Bloomberg

EU - Coronavirus latest: France, Germany propose vast recovery fund

Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron propose a major European rescue fund, to come from an increased long-term EU budget

Read more at:
Coronavirus latest: France, Germany propose vast recovery fund | News | DW | 18.05.2020

The Netherlands: Hand sanitizer in Netherlands Ikea replaced with drain cleaner

At least three people suffered chemical burns at an Ikea in the Netherlands after the contents of a hand sanitizer bottle were replaced with drain cleaner.

Police say a cleaning woman who was not a native Dutch speaker made the swap accidentally, according to NOS.

IKEAs across the Netherlands closed voluntarily in response to the coronavirus pandemic. They are reopening, but allowing fewer customers inside.

Read more at
Hand sanitizer in Netherlands Ikea replaced with drain cleaner - Insider

Travelers Ban: The Netherlands extends its ban on foreign travellers to June 15

 The Netherlds extended its ban to travelers from outside the EU, including Britain to June 15

The Netherlands has extended its ban on people travelling to the country from outside Europe and the UK until June 15. The ban, which was imposed on March 18, applies to all but urgent travel, although there are some exceptions. Diplomatic and NGO staff, medical staff and lorry drivers may continue to enter the Netherlands, as well as foreign nationals with residency cards or long stay visas, the guidelines state.

Read more at DutchNews.nl:

The Netherlands has extended its ban on people travelling to the country from outside Europe and the UK until June 15. The ban, which was imposed on March 18, applies to all but urgent travel, although there are some exceptions. Diplomatic and NGO staff, medical staff and lorry drivers may continue to enter the Netherlands, as well as foreign nationals with residency cards or long stay visas, the guidelines state.

Read more at DutchNews.nl:

Read more at: The Netherlands extends its ban on foreign travellers to June 15 - DutchNews.nl