Cross-border Tax Talks Beyond Pillar Two: Global tax policy update
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Nov 19, 2025 Will Morris, PwC's Global Tax Policy Leader, dives into the complexities of international tax policy with insights on Pillar Two. He discusses how trade policy influences tax outcomes and the challenges geopolitics poses for multilateral agreements. The conversation covers the EU's ambitious simplification agenda amidst resistance, the current landscape of Digital Services Taxes, and the emerging role of the UN in tax policy. Morris also highlights the limitations of AI in tax data management and predicts a future of competing tax blocs.
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Conference Seventh‑Inning Stretch Moment
- Will Morris recounts making a conference audience stand and singing during a panel to energise attendees.
- Doug McHoney joked Will was the only one who sang 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame.'
Trade Policy Drives Tax Outcomes
- Trade policy and geopolitics now shape tax outcomes and can block multilateral tax deals.
- Will Morris warns tax cannot be considered in a policy bubble separate from trade and political pressures.
EU 'Simplification' Is Mostly Cosmetic
- The EU’s ‘simplification’ agenda mostly trims long‑running proposals rather than truly simplifying tax law.
- Will Morris doubts real simplification will happen given institutional inertia and divergent member interests.