Leaders back global minimum tax

ROME — Leaders of the world’s biggest economies on Saturday endorsed a global minimum tax on corporations, a linchpin of new international tax rules aimed at blunting the edge of fiscal paradises amid skyrocketing profits of some multinational businesses. The move at the Group of 20 summit in Rome was hailed by U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen as benefiting American businesses and workers.

G-20 finance ministers in July already had agreed on a 15% minimum tax. It awaited formal endorsement at the summit Saturday in Rome of the world’s economic powerhouses.

Yellen predicted in a statement that the deal on new international tax rules, with a minimum global tax, “will end the damaging race to the bottom on corporate taxation.”

The deal did fall short of President Biden’s original call for a 21% minimum tax. Still, Biden tweeted his satisfaction.

“Here at the G20, leaders representing 80% of the world’s GDP — allies and competitors alike — made clear their support for a strong global minimum tax,” the president said. “This is more than just a tax deal — it’s diplomacy reshaping our global economy and delivering for our people.”

The agreement aims to discourage multinationals from stashing profits in countries where they pay little or no taxes. These days, companies can earn large profits from things like trademarks and intellectual property and then assign earnings to a subsidiary in a tax haven country.

Briefing reporters midway through the summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: “There are good things to report here. The world community has agreed on a minimum taxation of companies. That is a clear signal of justice in times of digitalization.” Mathias Cormann, secretary-general of the Paris-baed Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, said the deal clinched in Rome “will make our international tax arrangements fairer and work better in a digitalized and globalized economy.” The minimum rate “completely eliminates the incentive for businesses around the world to restructure their affairs to avoid tax,” Cormann contended.

On other issues crucial to fairness across the globe — including access to COVID-19 vaccines — the summit on the first of its two days heard pleas to boost the percentage of those in poor countries being vaccinated.

Italian Premier Mario Draghi made a sharp call to pick up the pace in getting vaccines to poor countries. Draghi, the summit host, said Saturday that only 3% of people in the world’s poorest countries are vaccinated, while 70% in rich countries have had at least one shot.

“These differences are morally unacceptable and undermine the global recovery,” said Draghi, an economist and former chief of the European Central Bank.

French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to use the summit to press fellow European Union leaders to be more generous in donating vaccines to low-income countries.

But advocates of civil society which have held discussions with G-20 officials said suspension of vaccine patents was crucial to increasing access in poor countries.

The summit is also confronting what is tantamount to what has been playing out as two-track global recovery in which rich countries are bouncing back faster.

Rich countries have used vaccines and stimulus spending to restart economic activity, leaving the risk that developing countries that account for much of global growth will remain behind due to low vaccinations and financing difficulties.

Macron has told reporters he expects the G-20 to confirm an additional $100 billion to support Africa’s economies.