Strategizing Multinational Tax Risks

http://www.un.org/esa/ffd/tax/

The U.N. Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters (U.N. Committee ) is responsible for drafting the U.N. model tax treaty and the Practical Manual on Transfer Pricing for Developing Countries.  The U.N. Committee’s work on international tax and transfer pricing developments should be watched closely by the international tax community.  Additionally, developments on important topics should be compared with that of the OECD, including its Revised Draft on Transfer Pricing Aspects of Intangibles (03 August post), White Paper on Transfer Pricing Documentation (31 July post) and the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Action Plan (19 July post).

The attached link provides reference to its provisional agenda for the 21-25 October 2013 session, the appointment of 25 members to the U.N. Committee for a 4-year term expiring on 30 June 3017 and the U.N. Model Double Taxation Convention.

The 9th session of the U.N. Committee will address U.N. Model Tax Convention issues, including the following:

• Article 4 (Resident): Application of treaty rules to hybrid entities
• Article 5 (PE), including international VAT cases
• Article 7 (Business Profits): Force of attraction principles
• Article 9 (Associated Enterprises): Commentary update
• Article 26 (Exchange of information)
• Other topics, including provision on taxation of fees for technical services, issues for the next update of The Practical Transfer Pricing Manual for Developing Countries, and The Manual for Negotiation of Bilateral Tax Treaties between Developed and Developing Countries.

The 25 members were appointed by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and will act in their personal capacity.  A detailed biography of each member is included in the press release; a listing of their name and current position is provided herein for quick reference.

1. Mr. Khalid Abdulrahman Almuftah, Deputy Director, Revenues and Tax Dept., Ministry of Economy and Finance, Qatar
2. Mr. Mohammed Amine Baina, Chief, Division for International Cooperation, Dept. of Taxation, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Morocco
3. Ms. Bernadette May Evelyn Butler, Legal Adviser, Ministry of Finance, Bahamas
4. Mr. Andrew Dawson, Head, Tax Treaty Team, HMRC, UK
5. Mr. El Hadj Ibrahima Diop, Director of Legislation and Litigation Studies, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Senegal
6. Mr. Johan Cornelius de la Rey, Legal Officer, Legal and Policy Division, South African Revenue Service (SARS)
7. Ms. Noor Azian Abdul Hamid, Director, Multinational Tax Dept., Inland Revenue Board (IRBM), Malaysia
8. Ms. Liselott Kana, Head, Dept. of International Taxation, Internal Revenue Service, Chile
9. Mr. Toshiyuki Kemmochi, Director, Mutual Agreement Procedures, National Tax Agency, Japan
10. Mr. Cezary Krysiak, Director, Tax Policy Dept., Ministry of Finance, Poland
11. Mr. Armando Lara Yaffar, Director General, Int’l Affairs, Dept. of Revenue, Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, Mexico
12. Mr. Wolfgang Karl Albert Lasars, Director, International Tax Section, Federal Ministry of Finance, Germany
13. Mr. Tizhong Liao, Deputy Director General of Tax Treaty, Dept. of International Taxation, State Administration of Taxation, China
14. Mr. Henry John Louie, Deputy to the Int’l Tax Counsel (Treaty Affairs), U.S. Dept. of the Treasury
15. Mr. Enrico Martino, Head, International Relations, Dept. of Finance, Ministry of the Economy and Finance, Italy
16. Mr. Eric Nii Yarboi Mensah, Chief Tax Treaty Negotiator, Ghana Double Tax Treaty Convention Team
17. Mr. Ignatius Kawaza Mvula, Assistant Director, Zambia Revenue Authority
18. Ms. Carmel Peters, Policy Manager, Inland Revenue, New Zealand
19. Mr. Jorge Antonio Deher Rachid, Tax and Customs, Embassy of Brazil, Washington, D.C.
20. Mr. Satit Rungkasiri, Director General, Revenue Dept., Ministry of Finance, Thailand
21. Ms. Pragya S. Saksena, Joint Secretary, Tax Policy and Legislation, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Dept. of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, India
22. Mr. Christoph Schelling, Head, Division for International Tax Affairs, State Secretariat for Int’l Financial Matters, Swiss Federal Dept. of Finance
23. Mr. Stig B. Sollund, Director General and Head of Tax Law Dept., Ministry of Finance, Norway
24. Ms. Ingela Willfors, Director, Int’l Tax Dept., Ministry of Finance, Sweden
25. Mr. Ulvi Yusifov, Head, Int’l Treaties Division, Int’l Relations Dept., Ministry of Taxes, Azerbaijan

It will be interesting to observe the interaction of new U.N. Committee members, and most importantly the initiatives addressed against the backdrop of the OECD’s recent developments.

Related articles

• NZ Official Appointed to UN Tax Committee (national.org.nz)