Tax administrations adopting the simplified approach to low¬value-adding intra-group services set out in this section may include an appropriate threshold to enable them to review the simplified approach in cases where the threshold is exceeded. Such a threshold might, for example, be based on fixed financial ratios of the recipient party (e.g. proportion of intra-group services costs to total costs or turnover or pre-intra-group service charge profit) or be determined by reference to a group-wide ratio of total service costs to turnover of the MNE group or some other appropriate measure. Where such a threshold is adopted, the tax administration would not be obliged to accept the simplified approach if the level of low-value¬adding intra-group service fees exceeds the threshold and may require a full functional analysis and comparability analysis including the application of the benefits test to specific service charges.
TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.63
Posted on |
By OECD
Category: OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines (2022), TPG2022 Chapter VII: Special Considerations for Intra-group Services | Tag: Intra-group services, Low Value-Adding Services (LVAS), Service fee, Services, Threshold for LVAS
« Prev |
Next » Related Guidelines
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.55While low value-adding intra-group services may provide benefits to all recipients of those services, questions may arise about the extent of the benefits and whether independent parties would have been willing to pay for the service or perform it themselves. Where the MNE group has followed the guidance of the...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.54As discussed in paragraph 7.6, under the arm’s length principle an obligation to pay for an intra-group service arises only where the benefits test is satisfied, i.e. the activity must provide the group member expected to pay for the service with economic or commercial value to enhance or maintain its...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.52This subsection sets out the elements of a simplified charge mechanism for low value-adding intra-group services. This simplified method is premised on the proposition that all low value-adding service costs incurred in supporting the business of MNE group members should be allocated to those members. The basic benefits of using...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.43This section provides specific guidance relating to a particular category of intra-group services referred to as low value-adding intra-group services. Section D. 1 contains the definition of low value-adding intra-group services. Section D.2 sets out an elective, simplified approach for the determination of arm’s length charges for low value-adding intra-group...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.50The following examples illustrate an important element of the definition of low value-adding intra-group services, namely, that they should not include services which are part of the MNE’s core business. Services that may seem superficially similar in nature (in the example, credit risk analysis) may or may not be low...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.17These services may be available on call and they may vary in amount and importance from year to year. It is unlikely that an independent enterprise would incur stand-by charges where the potential need for the service was remote, where the advantage of having services on-call was negligible, or where...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.11In general, no intra-group service should be found for activities undertaken by one group member that merely duplicate a service that another group member is performing for itself, or that is being performed for such other group member by a third party. An exception may be where the duplication of...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.8Some intra-group services are performed by one member of an MNE group to meet an identified need of one or more specific members of the group. In such a case, it is relatively straightforward to determine whether a service has been provided. Ordinarily an independent enterprise in comparable circumstances would...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.7The analysis described above quite clearly depends on the actual facts and circumstances, and it is not possible in the abstract to set forth categorically the activities that do or do not constitute the rendering of intra-group services. However, some guidance may be given to elucidate how the analysis would...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.6Under the arm’s length principle, the question whether an intra-group service has been rendered when an activity is performed for one or more group members by another group member should depend on whether the activity provides a respective group member with economic or commercial value to enhance or maintain its...
Supplemental Guidance
- Peru – report on use of the most appropriate method to determine the market value of servicesIn december 2020 the tax authorities in Peru issued a new administrative ordinance related to use of the most appropriate method to determine the market value of services. Click here for English translation...