Countries: Luxembourg

European Commission vs. Amazon and Luxembourg, June 2023, European Court of Justice – Opinion, Case No C‑457/21 P

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In 2017, the European Commission concluded that Luxembourg in violation with EU state aid-rules had granted undue tax benefits to Amazon of around €250 million. According to the Commission, a tax ruling issued by Luxembourg in 2003 and extended in 2011 reduced the taxes paid by Amazon in Luxembourg without any valid justification. The tax ruling […]

Luxembourg vs “TR Swap SARL”, November 2022, Administrative Tribunal, Case No 43535

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The owner of a buy sell distributor in the pharmaceutical sector had entered into a total return swap with the company and on that basis the company had deducted a commission corresponding to 85% of net profits from its taxable income. The tax authorities disallowed the deduction claiming the swap-arrangement was not at arm’s length. […]

Luxembourg vs “AB SARL”, March 2022, Administrative Court, Case No 46132C

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“AB SARL” had in its tax return treated mandatory redeemable preferred shares (MRPS) as debt and the payments made under the MRPS as deductible interest. The tax authorities disagreed and qualified the MRPS as equity and the payments as non-deductible dividends. On that basis an assessment was issued. Judgement of the Administrative Court The Court […]

European Commission vs Luxembourg and Engie, May 2021, EU General Court, Case No T-516/18 and T-525/18

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Engie (former GDF Suez) is a French electric utility company. Engie Treasury Management S.à.r.l., a treasury company, and Engie LNG Supply, S.A, a liquefied natural gas trading company, are both part of the Engie group. In November 2017, Total has signed an agreement with Engie to acquire its LNG business, including Engie LNG Supply. In […]

European Commission vs. Amazon and Luxembourg, May 2021, European General Court, Case No T-816/17 and T-318/18

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In 2017 the European Commission concluded that Luxembourg granted undue tax benefits to Amazon of around €250 million. Following an in-depth investigation the Commission concluded that a tax ruling issued by Luxembourg in 2003, and prolonged in 2011, lowered the tax paid by Amazon in Luxembourg without any valid justification. The tax ruling enabled Amazon […]

Luxembourg vs “Lux Service SA”, December 2020, Higher Administrative Court, Case No 45072

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In August 2020, the competent authority of the Belgian tax administration sent a request for information to the Luxembourg tax administration concerning “Lux Service SA” under the tax convention between Luxembourg and Belgium. The requested information regarding “Lux Service SA” was documentation related to the basis for service payments from a related party in Belgium. […]

Luxembourg vs L SARL, January 2020, Luxembourg Administrative Tribunal, Case No 41800

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In 2013, L SARL requested in writing an “advance tax agreement†regarding the tax treatment of Mandatory Redeemable Preference Shares (MRPS) which generated a preferred dividend for its sole shareholder. L SARL wanted confirmation that the MRPS would be characterised as debt and that payments under the MRPS would therefore be tax deductible. The tax […]

Luxembourg vs Lux SARL, December 2018, Administrative Court, Case No 40455

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In a case on hidden distribution of profits, the Luxembourg tax authorities stated the following on the issue of valuation methods for intangible assets (a patent): “…the evaluation of an intellectual property right is a rather complex subject; that evaluation reports from “independent” experts in this field are often rather subjective; whereas, therefore, reference should be made […]

Luxembourg vs PPL-Co, July 2017, Cour Administrative, Case No 38357C

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The Administrative Court re-characterised a profit-participating loan into equity for tax purposes. The court provided the following reasoning: “Compared with the criteria specified above for a requalification as a disguised contribution of capital, it should firstly be noted that the sums made available to the two subsidiaries were allocated to investments in properties intended in […]

Luxembourg vs LuxCo TM, December 2015, Administrative Court, Case No 33611

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LuxCo TM sold trademarks to a newly established sister company. The price had been set at €975,000. The tax authorities issued an assessment where the price had been set at €6,475,000 and the difference was considered to be hidden profit distribution. The Administrative court ruled in favor of the tax authorities. LuxCo TM’s valuation had […]