Where taxpayers and tax administrations are negotiating APAs that are intended to cover FY2020, all parties are encouraged to adopt a flexible and collaborative approach to determine how to take into account the current economic conditions, and the various options discussed above in relation to the revision of existing APAs will be relevant. For example, consideration could be given to agreeing a short period APA covering the period affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and a separate APA covering the post-COVID period. Another solution could be to conclude the APA for the whole period (e.g. APA period of 2020-2024) with a condition that the relevant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will be analysed and reported annually once they are known, and retrospective amendments to the APA made accordingly, when appropriate. Another solution could be to extend the period of the APA to mitigate the short term effect of the pandemic, depending on the magnitude and the length of such effect. Additionally, the use of a cumulative or term test throughout the APA period could be given consideration. In this context, it is important that taxpayers be transparent and disclose all relevant information concerning the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the covered transactions in a timely manner. The supporting documentation as mentioned in paragraph 104 of this guidance may serve as reference in this regard.
OECD COVID-19 TPG paragraph 109
Posted on | By OECD
Category: OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines (2017) | Tag: Advance pricing arrangement (APA), COVID-19
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- OECD COVID-19 TPG paragraph 87 COVID-19 has led to material changes in economic conditions that were not anticipated when many APAs covering FY2020 and potentially future financial years affected by COVID-19 were agreed. Given this situation, it is important to determine to what extent, if any, the change in economic conditions affects the application of...
- OECD COVID-19 TPG paragraph 21 The difficulty posed by the delayed availability of contemporaneous data on comparable companies or transactions may have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Taxpayers and tax administrations should be mindful that determining a reliable arm’s length outcome requires flexibility and the exercise of good judgment.10 Difficult transfer pricing issues that...
- OECD COVID-19 TPG paragraph 27 As a pragmatic means of addressing divergent economic conditions in the pre- or post-pandemic period, and when the pandemic was in effect and its effects on economic conditions were material, it may be appropriate to have separate testing periods (and periods considered for price setting) for the duration of the...
- OECD COVID-19 TPG paragraph 104 Where the critical assumptions of an APA are breached, it is important that taxpayers collect and provide tax administrations with relevant supporting documentation. Depending on the particular critical assumption and other facts and circumstances, this could include, but may not be limited to: A description of the narrowest relevant taxpayer...
- OECD COVID-19 TPG paragraph 101 Revocation may be considered where: (i) there is a misrepresentation, mistake or omission that was attributable to the neglect, carelessness, or wilful default of a taxpayer when filing an APA request and submission, the annual reports, or other supporting documentation or in supplying any related information; or (ii) the participating...
- OECD COVID-19 TPG paragraph 4 However, the unique and almost unprecedented economic conditions arising from and government responses to COVID-19 have led to practical challenges for the application of the arm’s length principle. For example, the pandemic may raise novel issues or exacerbate in complexity or magnitude the occurrence of certain transfer pricing issues (e.g....
- OECD COVID-19 TPG paragraph 8 Against this background, taxpayers and tax administrations should carefully follow the guidance on the accurate delineation of controlled transactions in Chapter I of the OECD TPG to identify with specificity the economically significant risks and to determine the specific economically significant risks that each party to a controlled transaction assumes.5...
- OECD COVID-19 TPG paragraph 99 In other circumstances, more general revisions may be required, depending on the specific facts and circumstances of a case, where allowed by domestic law. For example, tax administrations could consider evaluating the results of the transfer pricing methodology specified by the APA over the period of the APA, rather than...
- OECD COVID-19 TPG paragraph 92 Most APAs include critical assumptions about the operational and economic conditions that will affect the transactions covered by the APA. The COVID-19 pandemic and the response of governments have dramatically affected the economic and market conditions and are likely to qualify as a breach of the critical assumptions (para. 44...
- TPG2022 Chapter IV paragraph 4.153 An APA programme can assist taxpayers by eliminating uncertainty through enhancing the predictability of tax treatment in international transactions. Provided the critical assumptions are met, an APA can provide the taxpayers involved with certainty in the tax treatment of the transfer pricing issues covered by the APA for a specified...