Tag: Restriction of freedom

Germany vs "Asset management Gmbh", April 2013, Supreme Administrative Court, Case No I R 45/11

Germany vs “Asset management Gmbh”, April 2013, Supreme Administrative Court, Case No I R 45/11

Asset management Gmbh was a subsidiary of a Luxembourg investment fund management company. The German company paid substantial fees to a Luxembourg service company. Both companies in Luxembourg were wholly-owned by a Luxembourg holding company. Asset management Gmbh was obliged to follow the policies of the fund. These could only be revised by a two-thirds majority resolution of the investors. The German company argued that this restriction meant that its Luxembourg shareholder could not be forced to follow a common business policy with the service provider. Accordingly the two were not related parties within the meaning of the Foreign Tax Act and there was no requirement for it to furnish the extensive transfer pricing documentation in support of its transactions with associated enterprises as required by the Tax Management Act. In any case, the fact that these transfer pricing documentation requirements only applied to cross-border transactions was a restriction on the freedom to provide (receive) services and thus contrary to ... Read more