Tag: Business reasons

Test used in determining the economic substance of an arrangement/transaction. Artificial schemes which create circumstances under which no tax or minimal tax is levied may be disregarded if they do not have a “business rationale/-reason”. See also lack of economic substance.

Sweden vs TELE2 AB, November 2022, Court of Appeal, Case No 1298-21

Sweden vs TELE2 AB, November 2022, Court of Appeal, Case No 1298-21

The Swedish group TELE2, one of Europe’s largest telecommunications operators, had invested in an entity in Kazakhstan, MTS, that was owned via a joint venture together with an external party. Tele2 owned 51% of the Joint venture and MTS was financed by Tele2’s financing entity, Tele2 Treasury AB, which, during 2011-2015, had issued multiple loans to MTS. In September 2015, the currency on the existing internal loans to MTS was changed from dollars to KZT. At the same time a ‘Form of Selection Note’ was signed according to which Tele2 Treasury AB could recall the currency denomination within six months. A new loan agreement denominated in KZT, replacing the existing agreements, was then signed between Tele2 Treasury AB and MTS. In the new agreement the interest rate was also changed from LIBOR + 4.6% to a fixed rate of 11.5%. As a result of these contractual changes to the loan agreements with MTS, Tele2 Treasury AB in its tax filing ... Read more

TPG2022 Chapter IX paragraph 9.58

MNE groups may have sound business reasons to centralise ownership of intangibles or rights in intangibles. An example in the context of business restructuring is a transfer of legal ownership of intangibles that accompanies the specialisation of manufacturing sites within an MNE group. In a pre-restructuring environment, each manufacturing entity may be the owner and manager of a series of patents – for instance if the manufacturing sites were historically acquired from third parties with their intangibles. In a global business model, each manufacturing site can be specialised by type of manufacturing process or by geographical area rather than by patent. As a consequence of such a restructuring the MNE group might proceed with the transfer of all the locally owned patents to a central location which will in turn give contractual rights (through licences or manufacturing agreements) to all the group’s manufacturing sites to manufacture the products falling in their new areas of competence, using patents that were initially ... Read more

TPG2022 Chapter IX paragraph 9.42

In order to determine whether at arm’s length the restructuring itself would give rise to a form of compensation, it is essential to understand the restructuring, including the changes that have taken place, how they have affected the functional analysis of the parties, what the business reasons for and the anticipated benefits from the restructuring were, and what options would have been realistically available to the parties, as discussed in Section B ... Read more

TPG2022 Chapter IX paragraph 9.13

The application of the arm’s length principle to a business restructuring must start, as for any controlled transaction, with the identification of the commercial or financial relations between the associated enterprises involved in the business restructuring and the conditions and economically relevant circumstances attaching to those relations so that the controlled transactions comprising the business restructuring are accurately delineated. In this regard, the general guidance in Section D. 1 of Chapter I is applicable. This guidance requires the examination of the economically relevant characteristics of the commercial or financial relations between the associated enterprises, and in particular the contractual terms of the business restructuring (Section D. 1.1); the functions performed by each party to the restructuring, before and after the restructuring, taking into account assets used and risks assumed (Section D. 1.2); the economic circumstances of the parties (Section D. 1.4) and business strategies (Section D. 1.5). In addition, the analysis should be informed by a review of the business ... Read more
Sweden vs TELE2 AB, January 2021, Administrative Court, Case No 13259-19 and 19892-19

Sweden vs TELE2 AB, January 2021, Administrative Court, Case No 13259-19 and 19892-19

The Swedish group TELE2, one of Europe’s largest telecommunications operators, had invested in an entity in Kazakhstan, MTS, that was owned via a joint venture together with an external party. Tele2 owned 51% of the Joint venture and MTS was financed by Tele2’s financing entity, Tele2 Treasury AB, which, during 2011-2015, had issued multiple loans to MTS. In September 2015, the currency on the existing internal loans to MTS was changed from dollars to KZT. At the same time a ‘Form of Selection Note’ was signed according to which Tele2 Treasury AB could recall the currency denomination within six months. A new loan agreement denominated in KZT, replacing the existing agreements, was then signed between Tele2 Treasury AB and MTS. In the new agreement the interest rate was also changed from LIBOR + 4.6% to a fixed rate of 11.5%. As a result of these contractual changes to the loan agreements with MTS, Tele2 Treasury AB in its tax filing ... Read more
Finland vs A Oy, April 2020, Supreme Administrative Court, Case No. KHO:2020:34

Finland vs A Oy, April 2020, Supreme Administrative Court, Case No. KHO:2020:34

A Oy had operated as the marketing and sales company of an international group in Finland. With the exception of 2008, the company’s operations had been unprofitable in 2003-2011, while at the same time the Group’s operations had been profitable overall. A Oy had purchased the products from the contract manufacturers belonging to the group. The method used in the Group’s transfer pricing documentation for product purchases had been characterized as a modified cost-plus / profit margin method (TNMM). The tested parties were contract manufacturers belonging to the group, for whom four comparable independent companies had been found in a search of the Amadeus database. According to the documentation, the EBITDA target margin for the Group’s contract manufacturers was set at two percent. When submitting A Oy’s tax return for 2010, the tax Office had considered, on the basis of the OECD’s 2010 Transfer Pricing Guidelines (paragraphs 1.70 – 1.72), that in independent business transactions the sales company would have ... Read more

TPG2017 Chapter IX paragraph 9.58

MNE groups may have sound business reasons to centralise ownership of intangibles or rights in intangibles. An example in the context of business restructuring is a transfer of legal ownership of intangibles that accompanies the specialisation of manufacturing sites within an MNE group. In a pre-restructuring environment, each manufacturing entity may be the owner and manager of a series of patents – for instance if the manufacturing sites were historically acquired from third parties with their intangibles. In a global business model, each manufacturing site can be specialised by type of manufacturing process or by geographical area rather than by patent. As a consequence of such a restructuring the MNE group might proceed with the transfer of all the locally owned patents to a central location which will in turn give contractual rights (through licences or manufacturing agreements) to all the group’s manufacturing sites to manufacture the products falling in their new areas of competence, using patents that were initially ... Read more

TPG2017 Chapter IX paragraph 9.42

In order to determine whether at arm’s length the restructuring itself would give rise to a form of compensation, it is essential to understand the restructuring, including the changes that have taken place, how they have affected the functional analysis of the parties, what the business reasons for and the anticipated benefits from the restructuring were, and what options would have been realistically available to the parties, as discussed in Section B ... Read more

TPG2017 Chapter IX paragraph 9.13

The application of the arm’s length principle to a business restructuring must start, as for any controlled transaction, with the identification of the commercial or financial relations between the associated enterprises involved in the business restructuring and the conditions and economically relevant circumstances attaching to those relations so that the controlled transactions comprising the business restructuring are accurately delineated. In this regard, the general guidance in Section D. 1 of Chapter I is applicable. This guidance requires the examination of the economically relevant characteristics of the commercial or financial relations between the associated enterprises, and in particular the contractual terms of the business restructuring (Section D. 1.1); the functions performed by each party to the restructuring, before and after the restructuring, taking into account assets used and risks assumed (Section D. 1.2); the economic circumstances of the parties (Section D. 1.4) and business strategies (Section D. 1.5). In addition, the analysis should be informed by a review of the business ... Read more
Norway vs. IKEA Handel og Ejendom, October 2016, Supreme Court HRD 2016-722

Norway vs. IKEA Handel og Ejendom, October 2016, Supreme Court HRD 2016-722

In 2007, IKEA reorganised its property portfolio in Norway so that the properties were demerged from the Norwegian parent company and placed in new, separate companies. The shares in these companies were placed in a newly established property company, and the shares in this company were in turn sold to the original parent company, which then became an indirect owner of the same properties. The last acquisition was funded through an inter-company loan. Based on the non-statutory anti-avoidance rule in Norwegian Tax Law, the Supreme Court concluded that the parent company could not be allowed to deduct the interest on the inter-company loan, as the main purpose of the reorganisation was considered to be to save tax. The anti-avoidance rule in section 13-1 of the Tax Act did not apply in this circumstance. Click here for translation Norway vs IKEA-Handel-og-Ejendom-HRD-2016-722 ... Read more
Mexico vs "Pro-rata S.A.", March 2014, Supreme Court, Case No. 2424/2012

Mexico vs “Pro-rata S.A.”, March 2014, Supreme Court, Case No. 2424/2012

According to article 32, Section XVIII of the Mexican Income Tax Law, costs determined on a pro-rata basis and paid to non-residents are not deductible. In this case it is argued that the provision violates the non-discrimination provision included in Mexico’s income tax treaties. Supreme Court Judgement The Supreme Court concludes that the Mexican Income Tax Law must take into account the OECD transfer pricing guidelines, and that these guidelines under certain circumstances acknowledges pro rata cost allocations. On that basis pro rata costs are deductible in Mexico, where certain requirements are met. According to the Mexican Supreme Court, these requirements are: a) The corresponding transaction has been concluded in accordance with the transfer pricing rules (paragraphs 151 to 154 of this judgment). b) All documentation supporting the transaction is available so that its authenticity can be verified, as well as the amounts to which it amounted and that it is a strictly indispensable expense (structural deduction) that was made ... Read more
Nederlands vs Corp, July 2011, District Court of Hague, Case No AWB 08/9105, LJN BR4966

Nederlands vs Corp, July 2011, District Court of Hague, Case No AWB 08/9105, LJN BR4966

X is the holding company of the so-called A-group, which is active in the recreation business. The activities in X was taking out cancellation insurance. Within the group an Irish re-insurance company was established. Several contracts were concluded between X and the Irish company with regard to the insurance activities. The court considered that the tax administration had proved that X transferred profits to the Irish company. The internal reinsurer generally does not perform the underwriting function, does not diversify risk itself and does not have the required expertise and experience in relation to the insurance activity and investment of the premiums received. Therefore, transactions between the internal reinsurer and the group entity pursuing the main business of the group will not qualify as insurance transactions. The reinsurance entity performs only a limited administrative function that justifies only limited remuneration. Click here for English translation Click here for other translation Nederlands-vs-Corp-July-2011-Lower-Court-Case-nr-AWB-08-9105 ... Read more
Netherlands vs Shoe Corp, June 2007, District Court, Case nr. 05/1352, VSN June 2, 2007

Netherlands vs Shoe Corp, June 2007, District Court, Case nr. 05/1352, VSN June 2, 2007

This case is about a IP sale-and-license-back arrangement. The taxpayer acquired the shares in BV Z (holding). BV Z owns the shares in BV A and BV B (the three BVs form a fiscal unity under the CITA). BV A produces and sells shoes. In 1993, under a self-proclaimed protection clause, BV A sells the trademark of the shoes to BV C, which is also part of the fiscal unity. The protection clause was supposedly intended to protect the trademark in case of default of BV A. Taxpayer had created BV C prior to the sale of the trademark. In 1994, the taxpayer entered into a licensing agreement with BV C: the taxpayer pays NLG 2 to BV C per pair of shoes sold. Next, BV C is then moved to the Netherlands Antilles, which results in the end of the fiscal unity as of January 1, 1994. The roundtrip arrangement, the sale of an intangible and the subsequent payment of ... Read more
US vs. Medieval Attractions, 1996 October,

US vs. Medieval Attractions, 1996 October,

The United States Tax Court sustained the IRS determination that there were no arm’s-length business reasons why payments would have been made for the intangible property in question and therefore refused to allow those expenses to be included in the Section 482 calculation of net taxable income. US-MedievalAttractions_decision_10091996 ... Read more
Belgium vs SA Etablissements Brepols, June 1961, Court Cassation,

Belgium vs SA Etablissements Brepols, June 1961, Court Cassation,

SA Etablissements Brepols, which had a profitable commercial activity in Belgium, transferred its entire activity to an new company, the SA Usines Brepols. At the same time, a loan was granted to the new company. The interest charge on that loan was so high that almost all of the profits of SA Usines Brepols were used to finance the loan and therefore no taxes were paid. However, S.A. Etablissements Brepols was taxed on the interest received, which at the time was at a reduced rate in Belgium. The tax administration considered that the taxpayer had only entered into the transactions for the main purpose of reducing the tax burden and disallowed the reduced taxation. The Court of Appeal agreed and held that the agreements concluded between the parties constituted evasion of the law. The Belgian Supreme court overturned the decision in its judgment of 6 June 1961 and stated the following: “There is no simulation prohibited in the field of ... Read more