Author: TP News

OECD releases the report on Amount B

On 19 February 2024, the OECD announced the release of the report on Amount B, which provides a simplified and streamlined approach to the application of the arm’s length principle to baseline marketing and distribution activities. The report, which introduces two options for implementation for jurisdictions that opt into the simplified and streamlined approach from January 2025, describes the circumstances under which a distributor is within scope of Amount B including cases where it also performs certain non-distribution activities, such as manufacturing. It also sets out the activities that may exclude a distributor from the scope of the simplified and streamlined approach, such as the distribution of commodities or digital goods. The inclusion of the Amount B guidance into the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines is accompanied by conforming changes to the Commentary on Article 25 of the OECD Model Tax Convention. Pillar One - Amount ... Read more

FTA Article on Swiss Transfer Pricing Legislation and Practices as of 1 January 2024

The Swiss Federal Tax Authorities have published an Article on the status of transfer pricing legislation in Switzerland as of 1 January 2024. The Article describes the existing legal basis for the application of the arm’s length principle in Switzerland and reference is made to the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines as well as to Swiss administrative practice and case law. The official Article is only available in French and German, but an unofficial English version is provided below. Swiss b-verrechnungspreise Eng-trans ... Read more

Malta issues Transfer Pricing Guidance

On January 19, 2024, the Maltese Commissioner of Taxes and Customs published local guidelines in relation to the transfer pricing rules introduced in Malta in November 2022. The local guidelines refer to the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines 2022 in relation to the application of transfer pricing methods, comparability analysis, transfer pricing documentation, etc. Malta Guidelines - Transfer Pricing Rules ... Read more

Australia finalises compliance guideline on intangibles migration arrangements – PCG 2024/1

17 January 2024 the Australian Taxation Office published the final version of its Practical Compliance Guideline PCG 2024/1 Intangibles migration arrangements. The PCG has previously been released in drafts as PCG 2021/D4 and PCG 2023/D2 Intangibles arrangements. The final version sets out ATO’s compliance approach to the tax risks associated with certain cross-border related party intangibles arrangements involving: restructures or changes to arrangements involving intangible assets (referred to as ‘migrations’ in the PCG) the mischaracterisation or non-recognition of Australian activities connected with intangible assets. Changes and additions included in the final version: further clarification of the arrangements in scope exclusion of certain arrangements (‘Excluded Intangibles Arrangement’) from the scope inclusion of a ‘white zone’ for arrangements that have been subject to previous ATO audit or reviews further explaining our compliance approach, including the engagement taxpayers can expect based on the compliance risks associated with an ... Read more

Coca-Cola in $174 million tax dispute with the ATO

Coca-Cola in $174 million tax dispute with the ATO
According to various articles in Australian media, Coca-Cola is now defending itself in a case pending before the Federal Court over unpaid withholding tax on royalties received from Coca-Cola Amatil Australia – a local bottler and distributor in which Coca-Cola has a minority shareholding. The case is very similar to that against PepsiCo, where the Federal Court, in a judgment dated 30 November 2023, found PepsiCo liable for additional taxes and penalties. According to the Australian Tax Office, Coca-Cola licensed intangibles (trademarks, branding etc.) to Coca-Cola Amatil Australia, but misclassified payments made under this agreement as being for soft drink-concentrate only in order to avoid paying withholding tax on royalties. Coca-Cola shifted around $435 million in profits overseas and is liable for $174 million in diverted profits tax ... Read more

United Arab Emirates issues comprehensive Transfer Pricing Guide

United Arab Emirates issues comprehensive Transfer Pricing Guide
On 23 October 2023, the United Arab Emirates issued a comprehensive practical Transfer Pricing Guide. The guide is designed to provide general guidance on the Transfer Pricing regime in the UAE with a view to making the provisions of the Transfer Pricing regulations as understandable as possible to readers. UAE’s Transfer Pricing regulations are contained in Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022 on the Taxation of Corporations and Businesses, Chapter 10. Transfer Pricing Guide - EN - 23 10 2023 ... Read more

IRS says Microsoft owes $28.9 billion in back taxes

IRS says Microsoft owes $28.9 billion in back taxes
11 October 2023 Microsoft announced that the IRS has claimed that it owes $28.9 billion in back taxes for the years 2004 to 2013, plus penalties and interest. The claim relates to cost-sharing arrangements used by Microsoft to allocate profits between countries during this period. According to Microsoft, its subsidiaries shared in the costs of developing certain intellectual property and, therefore, the subsidiaries were entitled to the related profits under the IRS cost-sharing regulations. IRS v Microsoft ... Read more

Brazil publishes comprehensive normative instructions for its new transfer pricing rules

29 September 2023 Brazil published normative instructions (IN RFB nº 2.161/23) for its new transfer pricing rules, which will apply from FY 2024 onwards. Brazil’s transfer pricing legislation is now in line with the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines. In fact, the new legislation is the result of a joint project between the Brazilian Federal Revenue Service (Receita Federal do Brasil) and the OECD. The normative instructions deal with the general aspects of the new law, which form the basic part of the new system and apply to all transactions falling within its scope. It addresses practical issues in the application of the new regime and provides simplification measures for some transactions as well as for the fulfilment of ancillary obligations. For companies wishing to apply the new rules for FY 2023, the opt-in deadline has been extended to December. These taxpayers will have to fill ... Read more

EU Commission proposes to simplify tax rules – and harmonise transfer pricing rules across the EU

EU Commission proposes to simplify tax rules - and harmonise transfer pricing rules across the EU
12 September 2023, the European Commission published a new proposal to simplify tax rules and harmonise transfer pricing rules across the EU. According to the press release, the proposal, called “Business in Europe: Framework for Income Taxation” (BEFIT), will make life easier for both businesses and tax authorities by introducing a new, single set of rules to determine the tax base of groups of companies. This will reduce compliance costs for large businesses who operate in more than one Member State and make it easier for national tax authorities to determine which taxes are rightly due. The new, simpler rules could reduce tax compliance costs for businesses operating in the EU by up to 65%. BEFIT will mean that: Companies that are members of the same group will calculate their tax base in accordance with a common set of rules. The tax bases of all ... Read more

138 countries agree historic milestone to implement OECD’s Two‐Pillar Solution

12 July 2023 138 members of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework agreed an Outcome Statement recognising the significant progress made and allowing countries and jurisdictions to move forward with historic, major reform of the international tax system. The Two‐Pillar Solution to Address the Tax Challenges Arising from the Digitalisation of the Economy will ensure a fairer distribution of profits and taxing rights among countries and jurisdictions with respect to the world’s largest Multinational Enterprises (MNEs). The Outcome Statement agreed at the 15th Meeting of the Inclusive Framework follows 20 months of intense technical negotiations by delegates to continue the work to implement the Two Pillar Solution. It reflects collaboration and compromise among all jurisdictions – small and large, developing and developed – during negotiations by Inclusive Framework members since October 2021. The Outcome Statement summarises the package of deliverables developed by the Inclusive Framework to address ... Read more

Brazil publishes new updated 2023 transfer pricing legislation – aligned with OECD guidelines

14 June 2023 Brazil issued it’s new updated transfer pricing legislation, which is now aligned with OECD transfer pricing guidelines. Click here for unofficial English translation Brazil LEI Nº 14.596, DE 14 DE JUNHO DE 2023 ORG ... Read more

New German Administrative Principles on Transfer Pricing (BMF-AO-2023)

6 June 2023 Germany published it’s new updated administrative principles on transfer pricing. The new publication includes expanded guidance on transfers of functions (and valuation – see English translation) and financial transactions. With regard to the latter, reference is made to two recent decisions of the Federal Fiscal Court (BFH) on intra-group loans (BFH of 18 May 2021, I R 4/17, and of 13 January 2022, I R 15/21). With the exception of the new content on transfer of functions, the new principles can be applied retroactively by the tax authorities. Click here for an unofficial English translation of the German 2023 Administrative Principles on Transfer Pricing BMF AO 2023-vom-06062023 ORG ... Read more

Malaysia issues new Transfer Pricing Rules for 2023

On 29 May 2002, Malaysia updated its existing TP rules. The new rules are largely in line with the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines, but there are minor differences. For example, the new rules state that the arm’s length range is defined as the range between the 37.5th and 62.5th percentiles of a data set. Furthermore, according to the new rules, the tax authorities may make adjustments to the median or any point above the median, even if a taxpayer’s price is already within the arm’s length range where there is a lower degree of comparability or comparability defects in the dataset. “13. Adjustment by Director General (1) Notwithstanding any other provision under these Rules, where the Director General has reason to believe that any price including the rate of interest imposed or would have been imposed in a controlled transaction is not at arm’s length, ... Read more

Poland issues Tax clarifications on transfer pricing – No. 5: Resale Price Method

Poland issues Tax clarifications on transfer pricing - No. 5: Resale Price Method
24 March 2023 the Polish Ministry of Finance issued Tax clarifications on transfer pricing No. 5: Resale Price Method The resale price method (RPM) is one of the traditional transaction methods and probably most useful where it is applied to distribution operations.. Application of the RPM for determining the price of a controlled transaction begins with the price at which a product that has been purchased from an associated enterprise is resold to an independent enterprise. This price (the resale price) is then reduced by an appropriate gross margin on this price (the “resale price margin”) representing the amount out of which the reseller would seek to cover its selling and other operating expenses and, in the light of the functions performed (taking into account assets used and risks assumed), make an appropriate profit. What is left after subtracting the gross margin can be regarded, ... Read more

Germany issues draft law for implementation of the global minimum tax – OECD Pillar II

The German Federal Ministry of Finance issues draft law for the implementation of the EU Directive to ensure a global minimum level of taxation for multinational groups of companies and large domestic groups in the Union The aim of the draft law is to implement key elements of the international agreements on Pillar 2 of the so-called two-pillar solution. The post-taxation provisions contained therein are intended to ensure a global effective minimum taxation, to counteract harmful tax competition and aggressive tax structuring and thus to contribute to the promotion of tax justice and a level playing field. Click here for unofficial English translation Germany - draft legislation - Pillar II 170323 ... Read more

AMPOL enters $157 million tax settlement with Australian Tax Office

AMPOL enters $157 million tax settlement with Australian Tax Office
20 February 2023 Ampol Limited announced entering a $157 million tax settlement agreement with the Australian Tax Office in a dispute over pricing of transactions between Ampol Limited and the group’s Singapore procurement hub. Ampol is an Australian based petroleum distributor and retailer, with more than 1,900 Ampol-branded gas stations across the country. Ampol Singapore was established in late 2013 and is the trading and shipping arm of the Group. According to an announcement issued by Ampol, the settlement relates to financial years ended 31 December 2014 to 2022, as well as agreement on the treatment of future earnings. As a result of the settlement: Ampol will pay a further $5.6 million in Australian tax on earnings between 2014 and 2021, and $0.1m in interest. This is in addition to the $104.1m of tax already paid on Ampol Singapore earnings, in relation to these matters, ... Read more

EU list of Non-Cooperative Tax Jurisdictions – Tax Havens

14 February 2023 the Council of the European Union published an updated list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions. The British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, the Marshall Islands and Russia have been added to the list, which now comprises 16 jurisdictions: American Samoa Anguilla Bahamas British Virgin Islands Costa Rica Fiji Guam Marshall Islands Palau Panama Russia Samoa Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Islands US Virgin Islands Vanuatu This revised EU list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions includes countries that either have not engaged in a constructive dialogue with the EU on tax governance or have failed to deliver on their commitments to implement the necessary reforms. Those reforms should aim to comply with a set of objective tax good governance criteria, which include tax transparency, fair taxation and implementation of international standards designed to prevent tax base erosion and profit shifting. For the Marshall Islands, there ... Read more

Interpretation statement from the Inland Revenue of New Zealand on application of the general anti-avoidance provision

Interpretation statement from the Inland Revenue of New Zealand on application of the general anti-avoidance provision
3 February 2023 the Inland Revenue of New Zealand issued an interpretation statement explaining the Commissioner’s view of the law on tax avoidance in New Zealand. It sets out the approach the Commissioner will take to the general anti-avoidance provisions in the Income Tax Act 2007 – ss BG 1 and s GA 1. Where s BG 1 applies, s GA 1 enables the Commissioner to make an adjustment to counteract a tax advantage obtained from or under a tax avoidance arrangement. The Supreme Court in Ben Nevis considered it desirable to settle the approach to the relationship between s BG 1 and the specific provisions in the rest of the Act. This approach is referred to as the Parliamentary contemplation test. The Parliamentary contemplation test was confirmed as the proper and authoritative approach to applying s BG 1 by the Supreme Court in Penny ... Read more

OECD publishes Guidance on the Handling of Multilateral MAPs and APAs

OECD publishes Guidance on the Handling of Multilateral MAPs and APAs
1 February 2023 OECD published guidance on Multilateral MAP and APAs. The Manual is intended as a guide to multilateral MAP and APA processes from both a legal and procedural perspective and provides tax administrations and taxpayers with information on the operation of these procedures and suggests different approaches based on the practices of jurisdictions, without imposing a set of binding rules. The Manual is divided into the following sections: Introduction: This section comprises the outline of the project, the challenges that generally arise in multilateral cases and the overview of experiences of Focus group members based on their responses to the survey. Basis for handling multilateral MAP and APA cases: This section contains guidance on the definition of a multilateral case, the legal basis for handling multilateral cases, the request filed in multilateral cases and the connection between access to multilateral procedures and the ... Read more

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) issues Arm’s Length Guidance on Intra-Group Loans

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) issues Arm's Length Guidance on Intra-Group Loans
17 January 2023 the South African Revenue Service (SARS) released an interpretation note (IN 127) titled “DETERMINATION OF THE TAXABLE INCOME OF CERTAIN PERSONS FROM INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTIONS: INTRA-GROUP LOANS” which provides guidance on how SARS will determine arm’s length pricing for intra-group loans. The Note also provides guidance on the consequences for a taxpayer if the amount of debt, the cost of debt or both are not arm’s length. According to the note an intra-group loan would be incorrectly priced if the amount of debt funding, the cost of the debt or both are excessive compared to what is arm’s length. Legal-IN-127-Determination-of-the-taxable-income-of-certain-persons-from-international-transactions-Intra-group-loans ... Read more

Brazil issues Draft Legislation on implementation of the Arm’s Length Principle

Brazil issues Draft Legislation on implementation of the Arm's Length Principle
28 December 2022 Brazil published draft legislation on implementation of the arm’s length principle as described in the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines. The new provisions came into effect on the date of publication and must be converted into law by the National Congress. The new transfer pricing regime will be optional for taxpayers for 2023 and mandatory as of 2024. Unofficial English Translation MEDIDA PROVISÓRIA Nº 1.152, DE 28 DE DEZEMBRO DE 2022 - BRAZIL - MEDIDA PROVISÓRIA Nº 1.152, DE 28 DE DEZEMBRO DE 2022 - DOU - Imprensa Nacional ... Read more

US Supreme Court denies Whirlpool’s request for judicial review of the 2021 judgement from the Court of Appeal.

US Supreme Court denies Whirlpool's request for judicial review of the 2021 judgement from the Court of Appeal.
21 November 2022 the US Supreme Court denied Whirlpool its request for judicial review of the December 2021 judgement of the Court of Appeal (Sixth Circuit). 10 August 2022 Whirlpool filed a “petition for writ” with the Supreme Court of the United States. “Petitioners Whirlpool Financial Corporation & Consolidated Subsidiaries and Whirlpool International Holdings S.à.r.l. & Consolidated Subsidiaries collectively, “Whirlpool”) respectfully petition this Court for a writ of certiorari to review the judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in this case.” The case revolves around a tax arrangement setup by the Whirlpool group, where a subsidiary in Luxembourg with one part-time employee (and subject to US CFC provisions) owned a Mexican manufacturing entity. The Mexican entity manufactured products for the Luxembourg subsidiary under a manufacturing services arrangement. According to the contractual setup, the subsidiary in Luxembourg owned all the ... Read more

TELE2 announces SEK 1,8 billion victory in Swedish Courts

TELE2 announces SEK 1,8 billion victory in Swedish Courts
In a press release dated November 7, 2022, TELE2 announced a SEK 1,8 billion win related to tax deductions for foreign exchange losses on intra-group loans, that had previously been disallowed by the Swedish tax authorities in an assessment issued back in 2019. According to the tax authorities the company would not – at arms length – have agreed to a currency conversion of certain intra-group loans which resulted in the loss. Tele2 appealed the decision to the Administrative Court where, during the proceedings, the authorities acknowledged deductions in part of the currency loss – SEK 745 millions. Hence, at issue before the Court was disallowed deductions of the remaining amount of SEK 1 billion. In January 2021 the administrative court dismissed TELE2’s appeal in regards of the remaining amount of SEK 1 billion. Tele2 then filed an appeal with the Court of Appeal. The ... Read more

Caterpillar announces $740 million settlement with the IRS

Caterpillar announces $740 million settlement with the IRS
In a press release dated October 27, 2022, Caterpillar announced that a $740 million settlement had been reached with the IRS related to tax issues for FY 2007 through 2016. In the third quarter of 2022, the company reached a settlement with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that resolves all issues for tax years 2007 through 2016, without any penalties. The company’s settlement includes, among other issues, the resolution of disputed tax treatment of profits earned by Caterpillar SARL (CSARL) from certain parts transactions. The company vigorously contested the IRS’s application of the “substance-over-form” or “assignment-of-income” judicial doctrines and its proposed increases to tax and imposition of accuracy related penalties. The settlement does not include any increases to tax in the United States based on those judicial doctrines and does not include any penalties. The final tax assessed by the IRS for all issues ... Read more

Credit Suisse enters EUR 238 million settlement agreement in France

Credit Suisse enters EUR 238 million settlement agreement in France
A settlement agreement between the French Financial Public Prosecutor and Credit Suisse was announced in the Paris Court of Appeal 24 October 2022. The “CJIP” agreement brings an end to investigations in France over whether the Swiss bank facilitated and aided clients in tax avoidance. (English translation of the press release from the French Public Prosecutor) On 24 October 2022, the President of the Paris Judicial Court validated the judicial public interest agreement (CJIP) concluded on 21 October 2022 between the Financial Public Prosecutor (PRF) and CREDIT SUISSE AG pursuant to Article 41-1-2 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Under the terms of the CJIP, CREDIT SUISSE AG undertakes to pay the Treasury a public interest fine totaling EUR 123,000,000. In addition, CREDIT SUISSE AG undertakes to pay to the Treasury the sum of €115,000,000 in damages owed to the State. As a result, the public ... Read more

Banca Generali announces EUR 45 Million Settlement with Italian Revenue Agency

Banca Generali announces EUR 45 Million Settlement with Italian Revenue Agency
Italian financial institute, Banca Generali, has signed a agreement with the Italian Revenue Agency, whereby the parties agreed upon the terms and conditions for the settlement of tax claims in relation to transfer pricing for FY 2014 to 2018. Under the agreement, Banca Generali will incur an additional tax charge of €45.99 million for FY 2014-2018. The tax dispute relates to remuneration for a transfer in 2008 of fund management activities in Italian to a newly established Luxembourg company, BG Fund Management Luxembourg S.A. According to the announcement, no penalties will be applied due to the penalty protection regime. Italy BG_Tax+Agreement_2022 ... Read more

Uber-files – Tax Avoidance promoted by the Netherlands

Uber-files - Tax Avoidance promoted by the Netherlands
Uber files – confidential documents, leaked to The Guardian newspaper shows that Uber in 2015 sought to deflect attention from its Dutch conduits and Caribbean tax shelters by helping tax authorities collect taxes from its drivers. At that time, Uber’s Dutch subsidiary received payments from customers hiring cars in cities around the world (except US and China), and after paying the drivers, profits were routed on as royalty fees to Bermuda, thus avoiding corporate income tax. In 2019, Uber took the first steps to close its Caribbean tax shelters. To that end, a Dutch subsidiary purchased the IP that was previously held by the Bermudan subsidiary, using a $16 billion loan it had received from Uber’s Singapore holding company. The new setup was also tax driven. Tax depreciations on the IP acquired from Bermuda and interest on the loan from Singapore will significantly reduce Uber’s ... Read more

Australian Treasury issues Consultation Paper on Multinational Tax Integrity and Tax Transparency

As part of a multinational tax integrity package aimed to address the tax avoidance practices of multinational enterprises (MNEs) and improve transparency through better public reporting of MNEs’ tax information, the Australian Treasury issued a Consultation Paper in August 2022. This paper seeks to consult on the implementation of proposals to: amend Australia’s existing thin capitalisation rules to limit interest deductions for MNEs in line with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)’s recommended approach under Action 4 of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) program (Part 1); introduce a new rule limiting MNEs’ ability to claim tax deductions for payments relating to intangibles and royalties that lead to insufficient tax paid (Part 2); and ensure enhanced tax transparency by MNEs (Part 3), through measures such as public reporting of certain tax information on a country‑by‑country basis; mandatory reporting of material tax risks ... Read more

2022: ATO Taxpayer Alert on Treaty shopping arrangements to obtain reduced withholding tax rates (TA 2022/2)

2022: ATO Taxpayer Alert on Treaty shopping arrangements to obtain reduced withholding tax rates (TA 2022/2)
The ATO is currently reviewing treaty shopping arrangements designed to obtain the benefit of a reduced withholding tax (WHT) rate under a double-tax agreement (DTA) in relation to royalty or dividend payments from Australia. Typically, this benefit is sought via the interposition of one or more related entities between an Australian resident and the ultimate recipient of the royalty or dividend, where the interposed entity is a resident of a treaty partner jurisdiction. The ultimate recipient is generally located in a jurisdiction that either does not have a DTA with Australia or, where it is a treaty partner of Australia, the DTA provides a less favourable treaty benefit. A key purpose of Australia’s treaty network is to eliminate double taxation without creating opportunities for tax avoidance practices, such as treaty shopping arrangements. We are concerned that some taxpayers have entered into, or are considering implementing, arrangements ... Read more

Rio Tinto has agreed to pay AUS$ 1 billion to settle a dispute with Australian Taxation Office over its Singapore Marketing Hub

Rio Tinto has agreed to pay AUS$ 1 billion to settle a dispute with Australian Taxation Office over its Singapore Marketing Hub
On 20 July 2022 Australian mining group Rio Tinto issued a press release announcing that a A$ 1 billion settlement had been reached with the Australian Taxation Office. “The agreement resolves the disagreement relating to interest on an isolated borrowing used to pay an intragroup dividend in 2015. It also separately resolves the pricing of certain transactions between Rio Tinto entities based in Australia and the Group’s commercial centre in Singapore from 2010-2021 and provides certainty for a further five-year period. Rio Tinto has also reached agreement with the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) in relation to transfer pricing for the same periods. Reaching agreement with both tax authorities ensures Rio Tinto is not subject to double taxation. As part of this agreement, Rio Tinto will pay to the ATO additional tax of A$613m for the twelve historical years (2010 to 2021). This is ... Read more

German draft-legislation on application of the arm’s length principle to cross-border relocation of functions

German draft-legislation on application of the arm's length principle to cross-border relocation of functions
On 5 July 2022, the Federal Ministry of Finance in Germany published draft legislation regarding application of the arm’s length principle to cross-border relocation of functions. According to the general provisions A function is a business activity that consists of a grouping of similar operational tasks performed by specific units or departments of an enterprise. It is an organic part of an enterprise, without the need for a sub-operation in the tax sense. A transfer of functions within the meaning of section 1(3b) of the Foreign Tax Act occurs if a function, including the associated opportunities and risks as well as any assets or other benefits that may have been transferred or left along with it, is transferred or left in whole or in part so that the acquiring company can perform this function or expand an existing function. The function transferred as a whole ... Read more

The Netherlands releases New 2022 Decree on Profit Allocation to PE’s

The Netherlands releases New 2022 Decree on Profit Allocation to PE's
July 1 2022 the State Secretary of Finance has issued updated guidance on the profit allocation to permanent establishments – Decree no. 16683. The purpose of the guidance is to clarify the way in which the Tax and Customs Administration assesses the profit allocation to permanent establishments. Attention is paid to the introduction of the object exemption in the Corporate Income Tax Act 1969 (Corporate Tax Act 1969) in 2012, a number of editorial changes have been made and references to other decrees and documents have been updated. Click here for Unofficial English translation Click here for other translation NL-PE-2022-16683 ... Read more

The Netherlands releases New 2022 Decree on application of the Arm’s Length Principle

The Netherlands releases New 2022 Decree on application of the Arm's Length Principle
On 1 July 2022, the tax authorities in the Netherlands published Decree No. 2022-0000139020 of 14 June 2022 containing local guidance on application of the arm’s length principle. The Decree is based on article 9 of the OECD Model Tax Convention and the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines and also contains references to local case laws. In the Decree, particular focus is on areas that have been updated in the most recent releases of the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines – Legal ownership, DEMPE functions, Services, HTVI and Valuation Methods, Government policies (COVID-19), Remuneration of Procurement activities, Financial transactions etc. Click here for Unofficial English translation Click here for other translation NL TP decree stcrt-2022-16685 ... Read more

McDonald’s has agreed to pay €1.25bn to settle a dispute with French tax authorities over excessive royalty payments to Luxembourg

McDonald’s has agreed to pay €1.25bn to settle a dispute with French tax authorities over excessive royalty payments to Luxembourg
On 16 June 2022 McDonald’s France entered into an settlement agreement according to which it will pay €1.245 billion in back taxes and fines to the French tax authorities. The settlement agreement resulted from investigations carried out by the French tax authorities in regards to abnormally high royalties transferred from McDonald’s France to McDonald’s Luxembourg following an intra group restructuring in 2009. McDonald’s France doubled its royalty payments from 5% to 10% of restaurant turnover, and instead of paying these royalties to McDonald’s HQ in the United States, going forward they paid them to a Swiss PE of a group company in Luxembourg, which was not taxable of the amounts. During the investigations it was discovered that McDonald’s royalty fees could vary substantially from one McDonald’s branch to the next without any justification other than tax savings for the group. This conclusion was further supported ... Read more

AFIP has published a non exhaustive list of Low and No Tax Jurisdictions (LNTJ)

AFIP has published a non exhaustive list of Low and No Tax Jurisdictions (LNTJ)
The Federal Tax Administration of Argentine (AFIP) has published a non exhaustive list of 41 Low and No Tax Jurisdictions (LNTJ). The list related to Law 27,430 from 29 December 2017 which introduced certain adverse tax implications for transactions with LNTJs. For instance, according to the Law transactions with unrelated parties in LNTJs are not deemed arm’s length for transfer pricing purposes. Furthermore such transactions are required to be reported to the tax authorities. LNTJs refers to jurisdictions where the income tax rate is 60% lower than the minimum 25 % CIT rate applicable in Argentina. Hence, LNTJs are jurisdictions that apply an income tax rate lower than 15%. Click here for English Translation JBNT_list_1_14410 ... Read more

Italy releases operational instructions on arm’s length range and benchmarking.

Italy releases operational instructions on arm's length range and benchmarking.
On 24 May 2022, the Italian Tax Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) released CIRCULAR NO. 16/E containing operational instructions on issues relating to application of the arm’s length range. The circular – which is based on the OECD transfer Pricing Guidelines, guidance on benchmark studies issued by the Joint Transfer Pricing Forum, and relevant Italian case laws – provides operational instructions regarding the correct interpretation of the notion of “arm’s length range”, as also specified in Article 6 of the Decree of 14 May 2018, when applying the provisions set forth in Article 110, paragraph 7, of the Consolidated Income Tax Act or of the provisions contained in the Double Taxation Treaties entered into by Italy in accordance with Article 9 of the OECD Model Convention. The operational instructions concludes as follows the correct application of the most appropriate transfer pricing method may, instead of a ... Read more

Amgen in Billion Dollar Transfer Pricing Dispute with the IRS

Amgen in Billion Dollar Transfer Pricing Dispute with the IRS
Amgen, in its quarterly report for the period ended March 31, 2022, disclosed that, not only has the group been issued a notice of assessments from the IRS for FY 2010-2012 resulting in additional taxes of approximately $3.6 billion plus interest – as previously reported – it has also received a Revenue Agent Reports (RAR) for 2013-2015 resulting in additional taxes of approximately $5.1 billion, plus interest and penalties of approximately $2.0 billion. Furthermore, it is disclosed that Amgen is currently under examination by the IRS for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 and by a number of state and foreign tax jurisdictions The main dispute relates to the allocation of profits between Amgen group entities in the United States and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. Excerpt from Amgen’s quarterly report for the period ended March 31, 2022 4. Income taxes The effective tax ... Read more

Tokyo High Court rules in favour of NGK Insulators

Tokyo High Court rules in favour of NGK Insulators
In a decision issued on March 10, 2022 the Tokyo High Court upheld a 2020 decision from the district court and ruled mostly in favour of NGK INSULTATORS, LTD. in an appeal filed against a transfer pricing correction issued in 2012 by the Japanese tax authorities. The case At issue was whether the royalties received by NGK Insulators, the HQ of a Japanese group, from its Polish subsidiary, were lower than the arm’s length price. Due to the tightening of European emission regulations, only two companies at the European market, the Polish subsidiary and IBIDEN (Ibigawa Electric Power Co., Ltd.), were able to provide parts that complied with those regulations. This resulted in an oligopoly situation and excessive profits in the subsidiary. In regards of the residual profits the tax authority had argued that the split should be based on NGK Insulators’ research and development ... Read more

Exor in €746 million settlement with the Italian Tax Authorities

Exor in €746 million settlement with the Italian Tax Authorities
In a press release dated February 18, 2022, Exor announced that a €746 million settlement had been reached with the Italian Tax Authorities (“Agenzia delle Entrate”) related to a cross-border merger in December 2016 that resulted in all the activities of the group being moved from Italy to the Netherlands. According to Exor the exit tax claimed by the tax authorities was a result of a changed interpretation of Italien Participation Exemption rules issued by the authorities: Principio di diritto n. 10/2021. Exor Press release Settlement with the Italian Tax Authorities ... Read more

South African Revenue Service releases comprehensive Interpretation Note on intra-group loans

South African Revenue Service releases comprehensive Interpretation Note on intra-group loans
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has published a comprehensive Interpretation Note on intra-group loans. The note provides taxpayers with guidance on the application of the arm’s length principle in the context of the pricing of intra-group loans. The pricing of intra-group loans includes a consideration of both the amount of debt and the cost of the debt. An intra-group loan would be incorrectly priced if the amount of debt funding, the cost of the debt or both are excessive compared to what is arm’s length. The Note also provides guidance on the consequences for a taxpayer if the amount of debt, the cost of debt or both are not arm’s length. The guidance and examples provided are not an exhaustive consideration of every issue that might arise. Each case will be decided on its own merits taking into account its specific facts and circumstances ... Read more

OECD releases new 2022 edition of the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines

OECD releases new 2022 edition of the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines
On 20 January 2022 the OECD released the 2022 edition of the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Tax Administrations. The OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines provide guidance on the application of the “arm’s length principle”, which represents the international consensus on the valuation, for income tax purposes, of cross-border transactions between associated enterprises. In today’s economy where multinational enterprises play an increasingly prominent role, transfer pricing continues to be high on the agenda of tax administrations and taxpayers alike. Governments need to ensure that the taxable profits of MNEs are not artificially shifted out of their jurisdiction and that the tax base reported by MNEs in their country reflects the economic activity undertaken therein and taxpayers need clear guidance on the proper application of the arm’s length principle. This latest edition consolidates into a single publication the changes to the 2017 edition of ... Read more

Finnish TP-Legislation updated to include non-recognition and recharacterisation

Finnish TP-Legislation updated to include non-recognition and recharacterisation
Effective as of 1. January 2022 Finnish Transfer Pricing legislation has been updated to align the rules with the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines in regards to non-recognition and recharacterisation. Going forward the arm’s length provision in the Tax Procedure Act, section 31, will include the possibility for non-recognition and recharacterisation which according to Finnish Case Law has not been possible under the previous wording of the provision. Case NameDescriptionDateCountryKeywords Unofficial Translation of New Finnish Transfer Pricing Legislation on Non recognition and Recharacterisation in Section 31 of the Tax Procedure Act ... Read more

Swiss UBS bank to pay € 1,8 billion fine for “facilitation of tax evasion and money laundering”

Swiss UBS bank to pay € 1,8 billion fine for "facilitation of tax evasion and money laundering"
The appeal court in Paris has confirmed that the Swiss UBS banking group is guilty of having facilitated tax evasion and money laundering in France, and on that basis the banking group was issued a €5,625 million fine plus confiscation of €1 billion and damages in the sum of €800 millions. Read the December 2021 judgement here ... Read more

EU directive on minimum effective tax rate – implementation of OECD Pillar II

EU directive on minimum effective tax rate - implementation of OECD Pillar II
The European Commission has proposed a Directive ensuring a minimum effective tax rate for the global activities of large multinational groups. The proposal delivers on the EU’s pledge to move extremely swiftly and be among the first to implement the recent historic global tax reform agreement, which aims to bring fairness, transparency and stability to the international corporate tax framework. The proposed directive follows closely the international agreement and sets out how the principles of the 15% effective tax rate – agreed by 137 countries – will be applied in practice within the EU. It includes a common set of rules on how to calculate this effective tax rate, so that it is properly and consistently applied across the EU. The proposed rules will apply to any large group, both domestic and international, with a parent company or a subsidiary situated in an EU Member ... Read more

Poland issues tax clarifications on transfer pricing – No. 4: Transactional Net Margin Method (TNMM)

Poland issues tax clarifications on transfer pricing - No. 4: Transactional Net Margin Method (TNMM)
1 December 2021 the Polish Ministry of Finance issued Tax clarifications on transfer pricing No. 4: Transactional Net Margin Method (TNMM) Clarification on application of the TNMM is provided in these areas: A. Principles of TNMM use A.1. Scope of application of the method A.2. Tested party A.3. Determination of net profit margin A.4. Definition of the base A.5. Choice of profitability indicator A.6. Profitability comparison B. Criteria for comparability of transactions and entities C. Difficulties in applying TNMM D. Comparison with other methods E. Practical application of TNMM Click here for unofficial English translation Objaśnienia_nr_4_Metoda_marży_transakcyjnej_netto_1122021 (1) ... Read more

ResMed Inc has entered a $381.7 million tax settlement agreement with the Australian Tax Office

ResMed Inc has entered a $381.7 million tax settlement agreement with the Australian Tax Office
ResMed – a world-leading digital health company – in an October 2021 publication of results for the first quarter of FY 2022, informs that a $381.7 million tax settlement agreement has been entered with the Australian Tax Office. The dispute concerns the years 2009 through 2018, in which the ATO alleged that ResMed should have paid additional Australian taxes on income derived from the company’s Singapore operations. Excerpts from the announcement “Operating cash flow for the quarter was negative $65.7 million and was impacted by a payment to the Australian Tax Office of $284.8 million, which was the settlement amount of $381.7 million net of prior remittances.” “During the quarter, concluded the settlement agreement with the Australian Taxation Office (“ATO”), which fully resolves the transfer pricing dispute for all prior years since 2009. ResMed previously recognized a tax reserve in êscal year 2021 in anticipation ... Read more

Pandora Papers – a new leak of financial records

Pandora Papers - a new leak of financial records
A new huge leak of financial records revealed by ICIJ, once again shows widespread use of offshore accounts, shell companies and trusts to hide wealth and/or avoid taxes. The new leak is known as the Pandora Papers and follows other recent leaks – lux leak, panama papers, paradise papers. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists obtained 11.9 million confidential documents from 14 separate legal and financial services firms, which the group said offered “a sweeping look at an industry that helps the world’s ultrawealthy, powerful government officials and other elites conceal trillions of dollars from tax authorities, prosecutors and others.” “The key players in the system include elite institutions – multinational banks, law firms and accounting practices – headquartered in the U.S. and Europe.” The Consortium said the 2.94 terabytes of financial and legal data shows the “offshore money machine operates in every corner of ... Read more

ATO and Singtel in Court over Intra-company Financing Arrangement

ATO and Singtel in Court over Intra-company Financing Arrangement
In 2001, Singtel, through its wholly owned Australian subsidiary, Singapore Telecom Australia Investments Pty Limited (Singtel Au), acquired the majority of the shares in Cable & Wireless Optus for $17.2 billion. The tax consequences of this acqusition was decided by the Federal Court in Cable & Wireless Australia & Pacific Holding BV (in liquiatie) v Commissioner of Taxation [2017] FCAFC 71. Cable & Wireless argued that part of the price paid under a share buy-back was not dividends and that withholding tax should therefor be refunded. The ATO and the Court disagreed. ATO and Singtel is now in a new dispute  – this time over tax consequences associated with the intra-group financing of the takeover. This case was heard in the Federal Court in August 2021. At issue is a tax assessments for FY 2011, 2012 and 2013 resulting in additional taxes in an amount ... Read more

Perrigo has settled its €1.6 billion tax bill with the Irish Revenue for €297 million

Perrigo has settled its €1.6 billion tax bill with the Irish Revenue for €297 million
Pharmaceutical group Perrigo has settled a €1.6 billion case with the Irish Revenue Commissioners for €297 million. Perrigo was issued a tax assessment in 2018. The assessment related to Perrigo’s tax treatment of income generated by the sale of the rights to Tysabri – a drug for the treatement of multiple sclerosis. The tax authorities held that proceeds form the sale of these rights – more than $ billion – was a capital transaction taxed at a rate of 33%, while Perrigo had treated the proceeds as trading income taxed at the standard rate of 12.5%. In November 2020 Perrigo lost the case at the Irish High Court. Following the settlement Perrigo issued an announcement “While the Company believes that its tax position was correct and would ultimately have been confirmed by the Tax Appeals Commission, given the risks inherent in any litigation, as well ... Read more

German TP-Legislation updated as of June 2021

German TP-Legislation updated as of June 2021
German legislation on transfer pricing has been updated to align the rules with the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines 2017. The new amendments are effective as of fiscal year 2022. The update includes revised content on Substance over form Risk analysis Best method rule Use of interquartile range Aggregation of transactions Determination of actual ownership vs legal ownership DEMPE functions Valuation of Hard to value intangibles Click here for unofficial English translation 4-Verkuendetes-Gesetz ... Read more