The German government was due on Tuesday to unveil its second economic stimulus package, worth in the region of EUR50bn, and containing far-reaching investment initiatives as well as dramatic cuts in tax and social security contributions.

The United States Government Accountability Office has suggested that Congress give the Internal Revenue Service additional powers to automatically correct errors on tax returns in an attempt to drive up rates of compliance and boost tax collection.

2009 is expected to be a trying year for state government finances as state legislatures make an effort to develop tax policy that will stave off hard times.

The Indian authorities have put together a second stimulus package, it emerged recently, which is designed to complement the tax measures announced in December, in boosting the sagging economy.

Beleaguered retailers in the UK could face a total local business rates bill of GBP7bn by 2010/11 as a result of new legislation to be considered by parliament on Monday.