The expectation of mutual and proportionate benefit is fundamental to the acceptance by independent enterprises of an arrangement for sharing the consequences of risks materialising and pooling resources and skills. Independent enterprises would require that the value of each participant’s proportionate share of the actual overall contributions to the arrangement is consistent with the participant’s proportionate share of the overall expected benefits to be received under the arrangement. To apply the arm’s length principle to a CCA, it is therefore a necessary precondition that all the parties to the arrangement have a reasonable expectation of benefit. The next step is to calculate the value of each participant’s contribution to the joint activity, and finally to determine whether the allocation of CCA contributions (as adjusted for any balancing payments made among participants) accords with their respective share of expected benefits. It should be recognised that these determinations are likely to bear a degree of uncertainty, particularly in relation to development CCAs. The potential exists for contributions to be allocated among CCA participants so as to result in an overstatement of taxable profits in some countries and the understatement of taxable profits in others, measured against the arm’s length principle. For that reason, taxpayers should be prepared to substantiate the basis of their claim with respect to the CCA (see Section E).
TPG2022 Chapter VIII paragraph 8.13
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By OECD
Category: OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines (2022), TPG2022 Chapter VIII: Cost Contribution Arrangements | Tag: Balancing payments, CCA/CSA, Cost Contribution Arrangement (CCA), Cost Sharing Arrangement (CSA), Expected mutual and proportionate benefit, Value of each participant’s contribution
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- TPG2022 Chapter VIII paragraph 8.508.50 Generally, a CCA between controlled parties should meet the following conditions: a) The participants would include only enterprises expected to derive mutual and proportionate benefits from the CCA activity itself (and not just from performing part or all of that activity). See paragraph 8.14. b) The arrangement would specify...
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- TPG2022 Chapter VIII Annex example 417. Company A and Company B are members of an MNE group and decide to undertake the development of an intangible through a CCA. The intangible is anticipated to be highly profitable based on Company B’s existing intangibles, its track record and its experienced research and development staff. Company A...
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