Tag: Retroactive application of law

Argentina vs Cargill S.A., May 2022, Tax Court, Case No 27.026-I (A 19462)

Argentina vs Cargill S.A., May 2022, Tax Court, Case No 27.026-I (A 19462)

Cargill Argentine SA channelled 98% of its commodity exports through a branch in Uruguay. Cargill Argentine SA invoiced the exports to the branch, but shipped the goods directly to the customers. The prices charged by the branch to its customers could be the same, lower or higher than the price charged by Cargill Argentine SA to the branch, hence it would assume the price risks from the time of purchase from Cargill Argentine SA until the final sale to each customer. Following an audit, the Argentine Revenue Service issued a transfer pricing assessment for FY 2000 to 2003. According to the tax authorities the pricing of the transactions between Cargill Argentine SA and the Branch in Uruguay had not been at arm’s length. Instead of pricing the commodities on the contract date, the tax authorities priced the transactions on the date of shipping – based on the so called sixth Method. An appeal was filed by Cargill Argentine SA with ... Read more
Hungary vs G.K. Ktf, December 2021, Court of Appeals, Case No. Kfv.V.35.306/2021/9

Hungary vs G.K. Ktf, December 2021, Court of Appeals, Case No. Kfv.V.35.306/2021/9

G.K. Ktf was a subsidiary of a company registered in the United Kingdom. On 29 December 2010 G.K. Ktf entered into a loan agreement with a Dutch affiliate, G.B. BV, under which G.B. BV, as lender, granted a subordinated unsecured loan of HUF 3 billion to G.K. Ktf. Interest was set at a fixed annual rate of 11.32%, but interest was only payable when G.K. Ktf earned a ‘net income’ from its activities. The maturity date of the loan was 2060. The loan was used by G.K. Ktf to repay a debt under a loan agreement concluded with a Dutch bank in 2006. The bank loan was repaid in 2017/2018. The interest paid by G.K. Ktf under the contract was deducted as an expense of HUF 347,146,667 in 2011 and HUF 345,260,000 in 2012. But, in accordance with Dutch tax law – the so called participation exemption – G.B BV did not include the interest as taxable income in its ... Read more
Germany vs "Shipping Investor Cyprus", November 2021, Bundesfinanzhof, Case No IR 27/19

Germany vs “Shipping Investor Cyprus”, November 2021, Bundesfinanzhof, Case No IR 27/19

“Shipping Investor Cyprus” was a limited liability company domiciled in Cyprus. In the financial years 2010 and 2011 it received interest income from convertible bonds subject to German withholding tax. “Shipping Investor Cyprus” had no substance itself, but an associated company, also domiciled in Cyprus, had both offices and employees. The dispute was whether “Shipping Investor Cyprus” was entitled to a refund of the German withholding tax and whether this should be determined under the old or the new version of Section 50d(3) of the German Income Tax Act (EStG). The court of first instance concluded that “Shipping Investor Cyprus” claim for a refund was admissible because the old version of the provisions in Section 50d (3) EStG was contrary to European law. The tax authorities appealed this decision. Judgement of the National Tax Court The National Tax Court found that a general reference to the economic activity of another group company in the country of residence of the recipient ... Read more
Argentina vs Nidera S.A., June 2021, Supreme Court, Case No CAF 38801/2013/CA2-CS2

Argentina vs Nidera S.A., June 2021, Supreme Court, Case No CAF 38801/2013/CA2-CS2

Nidera S.A. exported commodities (cereals, oilseeds etc.) via group traders domiciled on the British Virgin Islands. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, in transactions involving entities domiciled in low-tax jurisdictions, it was presumed that prices had not been agreed in accordance with the arm’s length principle. The tax authorities issued an adjustment by applying the “CUP” method (Sixth method), considering the statistical average prices set as a reference value by the National Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, corresponding to the date of shipment (and not to the date of agreement as claimed by the claimant). However adjustments were only made to those transactions where the quoted price was higher than the one agreed by Nidera S.A. An appeal was filed with the National Court by Nidera S.A. In 2016 the National Court of Appeals issud ist decision in the case. The decision was in favour of Nidera S.A. in regards to the approach of the tax authorities ... Read more
Belgium vs "Uniclick B.V.", June 2021, Court of Appeal, Case No 2016/AR/455

Belgium vs “Uniclick B.V.”, June 2021, Court of Appeal, Case No 2016/AR/455

“Uniclick B.V.” had performed all the important DEMPE functions with regard to intangible assets as well as managing all risks related to development activities without being remunerated for this. Royalty-income related to the activities had instead been received by a foreign group company incorporated in Ireland and with its place of management in Luxembourg. In 2012, the administration sent notices of amendment to the tax return to the respondent for assessment years 2006 and 2010. The tax administration stated that “Uniclick B.V.”, through its director B.T. and employees M.C. and S.M., invented and developed the Uniclic technology in 1996 and continued to exploit it, and that the subsequent transfer of rights to the Uniclic invention to U.B. BV was simulated. The administration added the profits foregone annually by the “Uniclick B.V.”, i.e. the royalties received by F. from third party licensees less the costs borne by F., to “Uniclick B.V’s” taxable base. “Uniclick B.V.” disagreed with this and argued, among ... Read more
India vs Engineering Analysis Centre of Excellence Private Limited, March 2021, Supreme Court, Case No  8733-8734 OF 2018

India vs Engineering Analysis Centre of Excellence Private Limited, March 2021, Supreme Court, Case No 8733-8734 OF 2018

At issue in the case of India vs. Engineering Analysis Centre of Excellence Private Limited, was whether payments for purchase of computer software to foreign suppliers or manufacturers could be characterised as royalty payments. The Supreme Court held that such payments could not be considered payments for use of the underlying copyrights/intangibles. Hence, no withholding tax would apply to these payments for the years prior to the 2012. Furthermore, the 2012 amendment to the royalty definition in the Indian tax law could not be applied retroactively, and even after 2012, the definition of royalty in Double Tax Treaties would still override the definition in Indian tax law. Excerpt from the conclusion of the Supreme Court “Given the definition of royalties contained in Article 12 of the DTAAs mentioned in paragraph 41 of this judgment , it is clear that there is no obligation on the persons mentioned in section 195 of the Income Tax Act to deduct tax at source, ... Read more
Chile vs "Retro S.A.", August 2017, Supreme Court, Case N° 40.154-2017

Chile vs “Retro S.A.”, August 2017, Supreme Court, Case N° 40.154-2017

Whether the rule applicable to the specific situation had to be in force at the time the taxable event – in this case to the sales of the land, which were made during 2008 , 2009, 2010 and 2011, The time when the former Article 17 No. 8 of the Income Tax Law was in force – or at the later time when the tax assessment was being carried out, according to Article 64 of the Tax Code, when the rule modified by Law 20 was in force. Only once the tax authorities exercised the power to assess under Article 64 of the Tax Code, and determined that the sale was made at a value significantly higher than the commercial value of properties with similar characteristics and locations in the respective locality, was the right of the authority to collect the taxes established by the same provision born”. (Supreme Court, paragraph 7). “That, consequently, the rate of 35% should be ... Read more
Spain vs. Schwepps (Citresa), February 2017, Spanish Supreme Court, case nr. 293/2017

Spain vs. Schwepps (Citresa), February 2017, Spanish Supreme Court, case nr. 293/2017

The Spanish Tax administration made an income adjustment of Citresa (a Spanish subsidiary of the Schweeps Group) Corporate Income Tax for FY 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006, resulting in a tax liability of €38.6 millon. Citresa entered into a franchise agreement and a contract manufacturing agreement with Schweppes International Limited (a related party resident in the Netherlands). The transactions between the related parties were not found to be in accordance with the arm’s length principle. In the parent company, CITRESA, the taxable income declared for the years 2003 to 2005 was increased as a result of an adjustment of market prices relating to the supply of certain fruit and other components by Citresa to Schweppes International Limited. In the subsidiary, SCHWEPPES, S.A. (SSA), the taxable income declared for the years 2003 to 2006 was increased as a result of adjustment of market prices relating to the supply of concentrates and extracts by the entity Schweppes International Limited, resident in Holland, to SSA. The taxpayer ... Read more
Argentina vs Nidera S.A., March 2016, National Court, Case No CAF 38801/2013/CS1-CA1

Argentina vs Nidera S.A., March 2016, National Court, Case No CAF 38801/2013/CS1-CA1

Nidera S.A. exported commodities (cereals, oilseeds etc.) via group traders domiciled on the British Virgin Islands. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, in transactions involving entities domiciled in low-tax jurisdictions, it was presumed that prices had not been agreed in accordance with the arm’s length principle. The tax authorities issued an adjustment by applying the “CUP” method (Sixth method), considering the statistical average prices set as a reference value by the National Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, corresponding to the date of shipment (and not to the date of agreement as claimed by the claimant). However adjustments were only made to those transactions where the quoted price was higher than the one agreed by Nidera S.A. Judgement of the Court The National Court accepted Nidera S.A.’s appeal in regards to the approach of the tax authorities were only the unfavorable pricing were being adjusted whereas the favorable pricing were not, and referred the case back to the ... Read more