Key points
- The OECD predicted that global business-to-consumer e-commerce sales alone would reach US$4.5trn by 2021.
- High streets were in financial stress before the pandemic crisis.
- Raising company taxes may not be the solution to economic recovery.
- Multinational enterprises were the natural winners from the pandemic.
- An international response on how best to tax global tech companies is required.
Thinking internationally has been a requirement for businesses since the early 20th century as international trade and travel driven by advances in technology have allowed us to connect physically and virtually regardless of distance. In more recent decades rather than reducing travel times the latest wave of innovations has focused on digitalisation giving us opportunities to interact with more people than ever before. The pace of this innovation was undoubtedly increasing before the pandemic but as health concerns and government action kept more people at home ...