Abuse of law, Anti-tax avoidance, Beneficial ownership, BEPS, Direct taxation, Financial transactions, Fund management, Ireland, MLI, OECD, Principal purpose test, Tax haven, Tax Treaties, Treaty shopping, United Kingdom, Withholding Taxes

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article 3(2), burden of proof, OECD Commetary, treaty interpretation, UN Commentary

Even before introduction of the BEPS PPT, the UK has had purpose-based provisions in various forms, designed to limit access to treaty benefits in its double tax treaties since the 1960’s. Its standard formulation first appeared in 1992.  Surprisingly, the first case in which the meaning and application of this wording in a tax treaty…

CJEU, Direct taxation, ECJ, EU, Germany, Indirect taxation, International Tax Law, Non-established taxpayers, OECD, Permanent Establishments, Physical presence, Place of taxation, Tax Treaties, United Nations, VAT

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The very recent CJEU judgement in Berlin Chemie A. Menarini v Administraţia Fiscală pentru Contribuabili Mijlocii Bucureşti (Case C-333/20) ECLI:EU:C:2022:291, admirably examined by Giorgio Beretta last week considered the circumstances in which a subsidiary might be a VAT fixed establishment (FE) of its parent company or another affiliate. A Romanian company supplied advertising, marketing and…

Canada, International Tax Law, Tax Treaties, United Kingdom

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English may be the lingua franca of our time, but it is not the only language of international law. Royal Bank of Canada v HMRC [2022] UKUT 45 (TCC).  raised issues around the interpretation of a tax treaty concluded in English and French, both languages being equally authentic. The complex facts are summarised at https://kluwertaxblog.com/2020/07/29/income-from-immoveable-property-article-6-and-royalty-streams/….

CJEU, Double Taxation, DTA, Dual VAT, ECJ, Financial institutions, Financial services, Fixed establishment, Indirect taxation, International Tax Law, Pensions, Permanent Establishments, Physical presence, Place of Supply, Place of taxation, Tax Treaties, United Nations, VAT, VAT grouping

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PVD article 44

Territorial connection (or its more fashionable name “nexus”) for tax purposes is expressed in a variety of ways in domestic and international legal instruments. Permanent establishment in article 5 of the Model treaties and “fixed base” in article 14 of the UN Model are central concepts in direct tax subject matter jurisdiction. Fixed establishment The…

Australia, DTA, International Tax Law, Personal income tax, Tax Treaties, United Kingdom

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The right to be free from discrimination is perhaps the single most important human right as indicated by the fact that it appears as the first article in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” In the field of international taxation, article 24…

Corporate income tax, Double Taxation, Finance, Financial institutions, Financial services, International Tax Law, Liability to tax, MLI, OECD, Permanent Establishments, POEM, Residence, Rule of law, Tax Treaties, United Kingdom, United Nations, United States

(Temple Tax Chambers; King’s College London)/ /1 Comment

G E Financial Investments Limited v HMRC [2021] UKFTT 210 (TC)  raised central aspects of the interpretation of double tax treaties. My previous blogs considered the corporate residence  under article 4(1) of the UK-US Double Tax Treaty and the existence of a permanent establishment under article 5(1) of the treaty. The First-tier Tribunal decided that…

Corporate income tax, Dispute resolution, Double Taxation, India, International Tax Law, OECD, Permanent Establishments, Physical presence, Place of taxation, Tax Treaties, United Kingdom, United States

(Temple Tax Chambers; King’s College London)/ /3 Comments
Delaware law, habitual exercise

Last month my blog discussed the questions relating to corporate residence and article 4(1) of the UK-US Double Tax Treaty raised in G E Financial Investments v HMRC  [2021] UKFTT 210 (TC). This month the focus is on the permanent establishment issues. The case concerned a complex financing structure General Electric Company group. The taxpayer,…

Canada, Corporate income tax, Double Taxation, International Tax Law, MAPs and APAs, MNEs, OECD, Permanent Establishments, Residence, Tax Treaties, United Kingdom, United States

(Temple Tax Chambers; King’s College London)/ /2 Comments

When is a taxpayer a resident of a contracting state for purposes of a tax treaty? The decades old definition in article 4(1) of the OECD Model that ‘“resident of a Contracting State” means any person who, under the laws of that State, is liable to tax therein by reason of his domicile, residence, place…

Common Reporting Standard, Compliance, Europe, Germany, Italy, Law enforcement, MNE Profits, Tax transparency, United Kingdom

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Tax authorities have relied on informers for investigative leads perhaps since taxes were first imposed. In the 21st Century high profile cases of theft of taxpayer information by employees of service providers including banks and professional firms have provided data not only of interest to tax authorities but also as a driver of international tax…

Double Taxation, Financial institutions, Hybrids, International Tax Law, Limitation on benefits, Principal purpose test, Tax Administration, Tax Credits, Tax Planning, Tax Policy, Tax Treaties, Treaty shopping, United Kingdom, United States, Withholding Taxes

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The relationship between treaties and domestic tax law ought to be straightforward. The pacta servanda sunt principle expressed in articles 26 and 27 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties itself implies that treaty obligations must be upheld notwithstanding domestic law. A variety of constitutional arrangements around the world mean that there is…

Administrative cooperation, Administrative obligations, Common Reporting Standard, Exchange of Information, FATCA, Germany, India, International Tax Law, Law enforcement, Mandatory disclosure, Personal income tax, Residence, Tax Treaties, United Kingdom, United States

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HMRC v Embiricos [2020] UKUT 370 (TC) reflects a common issue that arises in connection with tax investigations or audits of internationally mobile individuals. Mr Embiricos  filed his tax returns on the basis that he was resident, but not domiciled in the UK. On that basis, he was entitled to the remittance basis of taxation….

Abuse of rights, Administrative cooperation, Brexit, Double Taxation, EU law, EU/EEA, International Tax Law, Tax Treaties, United Kingdom

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The newly concluded Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and UK has limited provisions concerning taxation, but interesting provisions relevant to interpretation of treaties including good faith. The Agreement does not seek to replicate many of the rights which UK citizens and businesses had under EU law. There is no general non-discrimination provision. Double…

Abuse of law, Abuse of rights, Anti-tax avoidance, Corporate income tax, EU law, EU/EEA, Finance, GAAR, International Tax Law, M&A and Reorganizations, MLI, MNE Profits, Permanent Establishments, Principal purpose test, Principal/ancillary arrangements, Profit allocation methods, Tax Avoidance, Transfer Pricing, United Kingdom, United States

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When the UK introduced its diverted profits tax, I was telephoned by a lawyer at the US Treasury. He wanted to know whether the “just and reasonable” apportionment of profits, in certain circumstances where DPT applied, was a new development? What did it mean? I was reminded of that discussion this week as a result…

Abuse of law, Anti-tax avoidance, EU law, Finance, Financial institutions, GAAR, Indirect taxation, Principal purpose test, Tax Avoidance, United Kingdom

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Case law on thepurpose of transactions is starting to develop around the world. Is there a common pattern? Whether a financing structure was a “tax avoidance arrangement”  under  now repealed general anti-avoidance provisions of the New Zealand Income Tax Act 2004  was examined last month by the New Zealand Court of Appeal in Commissioner of…