Strategizing International Tax Best Practices – by Keith Brockman

Posts tagged ‘CFC rules’

BEPS update; no slowing down

The drive for additional transparency, among efforts by countries to implement anti-avoidance rules that trump tax treaties, continues with the latest round of BEPS updates, as EY’s Global Tax Alert provides added insight:

Click to access 2016G_00921-161Gbl_The%20Latest%20on%20BEPS%20–%209%20May%202016.pdf

Highlights:

  •  Australian Tax Office (ATO) release of 4 tax alerts for issues of concern, a Diverted Profits Tax (DPT) is to be implemented, hybrid mismatch arrangements will be addressed in legislation, and the effective date for the new/revised OECD’s arms-length principle standards will move forward to 1 July, 2016.
  • Ecuador: the most recently version, as of 1/1 of a taxpayer’s year, of the OECD’s Guidelines will be used as transfer pricing reference absent domestic rules.
  • Hungary: A “modified nexus” IP approach will come into force.
  • Netherlands: The innovation box rules will be amended to comply with OECD’s Action 5 guidelines.
  • New Zealand: Domestic anti-avoidance rules will trump double treaty arrangements.
  • Taiwan: CFC rules will be promulgated.  
  • Turkey: An “electronic place of business” draft legislation would empower taxation.
  • Ukraine: A working group is forming anti-BEPS measures for consideration.
  • US: Treasury is trying to extricate itself from its 1-year lag in obligatory country-by-country (CbC) reporting, although global acceptance is not expected.

The impact of BEPS is still accelerating, although the efforts by countries to avoid treaty provisions will provoke additional disputes and double taxation.  Accordingly, the veil of anti-BEPS legislative efforts overshadows mutual transparency and collecting a fair share of tax while avoiding double taxation.  Thus, all multinationals should be extra vigilant in the new era of international tax for additional documentation and support for significant transactions with low-tax countries.

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OECD / UN

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EU Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive: Primer

The Anti Tax Avoidance Directive includes six anti-abuse measures to address tax avoidance: interest deductibility, exit taxes, a switch-over clause, general anti-abuse rule (GAAR), controlled foreign company (CFC) rules and a hybrid mismatch framework.  The Directive prescribes a minimum protection for Member States’ corporate tax systems.

A summary of the anti-abuse measures is provided, based upon the European Commission’s presumption and related summary of actions to address such abuses.

Interest

Presumption: Corporate taxpayers incur interest in high-tax jurisdictions, with income reported in low/nil tax jurisdictions, thereby shifting profits.

Summary: Net (of interest income) interest expense is limited to a 10-30% EBITDA basis.

Exit taxes

Presumption: Tax residence is moved solely to benefit from a low-tax jurisdiction.

Summary: Tax on transferring assets cross-border to capture unrealized profits.

Switch-over clause

Presumption: Low-taxed income is moved within the EU to shift profits.

Summary: Foreign income is subject to a tax, with foreign tax credits, vs. an exemption.

General Anti-Abuse Rule (GAAR)

Presumption: Tax planning schemes are abusive.

Summary: Backstop defense rule for “abusive tax arrangements.”

Controlled foreign company (CFC) rules

Presumption: Income is passive and is shifted to low-tax jurisdictions.

Summary: Reattributes income to a parent company that is taxed at a higher rate.

Hybrid mismatch framework:

Presumption: Double deduction situations due to legal mismatches are being sought.

Summary: Legal characteristics of payment country carries over to recipient country.

 

The detailed rules, which require a unanimity of approval by the Member States, are complex and far-reaching.  The breadth of the rules captures the perceived presumptions stated for each measure, notwithstanding the fact that such measures may also produce economically disadvantageous tax situations (i.e. paying interest from a low-tax to a high-tax jurisdiction), and the possibility of a Member State to legislate rules that move beyond the minimum threshold set forth.

These rules are also being legislated unilaterally outside of the EU Market, such that there may be very broad anti-abuse themes globally with each country having deviations from a general rule that will provide complexity and areas of disagreement for many years.

 

 

 

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OECD

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BEPS Action 3-CFC Rules: TEI comments

TEI has provided recent comments addressing OECD’s Discussion Draft for BEPS Action 3: CFC rules.  A link to their comments are provided for reference:

Click to access TEI%20Comments%20BEPS%20Action%203%20-%20CFC%20Rules%20FINAL%20to%20OECD%2030%20April%202015.pdf

Key comments:

  • Lack of definitive guidance will introduce additional complexity, double taxation and inconsistency of treaty applications.
  • Overlap with other BEPS Actions and the role of CFC rules questions new complex rules at this time.
  • Confusion re: transfer pricing rules and excess profits approach with arm’s length principle.

The well drafted comments provide clarity surrounding the complexity and uncertainty for new rules addressing BEPS concerns by interested parties.  The first question therefore should always be: Do we need these rules at this time?

Notwithstanding the Discussion Draft’s proposals and comments by TEI, among others, MNE’s should plan for increased efficiencies to coordinate and report information, while ensuring global consistency for application of transfer pricing methodologies.

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OECD / UN

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BEPS Update / Australia’s DPT timing

EY’s Global Tax Alert of 13 April 2015 sets forth the latest summary of OECD BEPS developments, including the recent discussion drafts under BEPS Actions 3 and 12.

Additionally, the Alert also notes the copycat tactics of Australia re: the UK Diverted Profits Tax (DPT) that went into effect 1 April 2015.  More news on this development should be forthcoming  in the 2015-16 Australian Budget expected mid-May.

Click to access 2015G_CM5365_The%20Latest%20on%20BEPS%20-%2013%20April%202015.pdf

The recent BEPS discussion drafts, Action 3 re: CFC rules and Action 12 re: Aggressive tax planning arrangements, are of paramount importance for all MNE’s and tax administrations.

Australia’s tactics re: a UK DPT mechanism also highlights the controversial manner in which each jurisdiction is fighting for its fisc to the detriment of other tax administrations.  However, what is not transparent in the rules provided to date for the UK DPT is the intent to avoid double taxation.  It is hopeful that Australia will provide a balanced approach to this newfound mechanism for gaining tax revenues in a scheme that asks for full payment by a MNE prior to relevant appeals being filed and discussed.

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OECD / UN

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BEPS Action 3: Strengthening CFC rules

The OECD has provided its latest consultation inviting comments re: CFC rules, using 7 building blocks for discussion.

  • Definition of a CFC
  • Threshold requirements
  • Definition of control
  • Definition of CFC income
  • Rules for computing income
  • Rules for attributing income
  • Rules to prevent or eliminate double taxation

A link to the consultation is provided for reference:

Click to access discussion-draft-beps-action-3-strengthening-CFC-rules.pdf

As CFC rules are the foundation underlying a country’s right of taxation, while fiscal pressures are forcing administrations to increase their fisc creatively and aggressively, this consultation indicates the long-term strategies for CFC taxation.  Accordingly, MNE’s and other interested parties should review and provide comments accordingly.

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OECD / UN

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Spain: New laws, including BEPS alignment

Spain has introduced new tax reforms that will be effective 1/1/2015.  A Deloitte International Tax Alert provides details of the new rules, with a link provided for reference:

Click to access dttl-tax-alert-spain-021214.pdf

Key Observations:

  • OECD BEPS incentivized anti-hybrid rule; Disallowed deductions where no income is generated (Deduction/No-Inclusion), income will not be subject to tax, or income will be subject to a nominal tax rate of less than 10%.
  • Impairment losses will be limited.
  • The 30% corporate income tax rate will be reduced to 28% for 2015, and 25% in subsequent years.
  • NOL’s will be available for indefinite carryover, although subject to taxable income limitations.
  • The Statute of Limitations to review NOL’s is extended from 4 to 10 years.
  • Participation exemption rules are revised, including a anti-hybrid measure to prevent a benefit where a dividend represents a deductible expense for the payer (in alignment with the EU Parent-Subsidiary Directive).
  • New consolidated tax regimes are included, including horizontal tax consolidation.
  • Goodwill and asset step-ups of a merger after 2014 will not be recognized for tax purposes.
  • CFC rules are modified.  Spanish taxable income will include a CFC’s income from a transfer of assets or rights, or service income of the CFC where there are no material and personnel resources at the level of the CFC.  Additionally, certain passive income will be subject to the CFC rules.

The EU Parent-Subsidiary Directive (EU PSD) rules were anticipated to be effective by the end of 2015, whereas the anti-hybrid rules represent a proactive legislative response to the OECD BEPS initiatives for which this rule may not match the final guidelines that the OECD will provide in 2015.

Accordingly, the OECD BEPS Guidelines should be closely followed, knowing that proposed guidelines and actions are being legislatively enacted in various countries that provide a complex puzzle of different actions for identical transactions.

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OECD / UN

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Global tax policy in 2014: EY publication

Ernst & Young (EY) has published a very informative study, based on a survey of 830 executives in 25 markets.  The second section of the publication includes analyses of tax outlooks for 38 countries, including BEPS actions.  The 38 countries highlighted in the publication include:

Australia / Austria / Belgium / Canada / Chile / China / Czech Republic / Denmark / Finland / France / Germany / Greece / Hong Kong / Hungary / India / Ireland / Italy / Jordan / Korea / Lithuania / Luxembourg / Malaysia / Mexico / Netherlands / New Zealand / Norway / Panama / Poland / Russia / Singapore / Slovakia / South Africa / Spain / Sweden / Switzerland / United Kingdom / United States / Venezuela

A link to the publication is included for reference:

Click to access EY-the-outlook-for-global-tax-policy-in-2014.pdf

The publication includes an introductory section highlighting tax rates and a 2014 tax policy outlook.  The outlook includes the following sections:

  • How countries are adjusting their corporate tax base in 2014
  • Incentives
  • Withholding taxes
  • Transfer pricing changes
  • Interest / Business expense deductibility
  • Changes to tax treatment of losses
  • Changes to CFC rules / thin capitalization

The second section analyzes 38 separate countries, addressing the following topics:

  • Tax rates
  • 2014 tax policy outlook:
    • Key drivers of tax policy changes
    • Fiscal consolidation / stimulus
    • Tax policy outlook for 2014, including political landscape, current tax policy and administrative leaders, key tax policy changes in 2013, country position on OECD BEPS Action Plan, pending tax proposals and consultations opened / closed.

This publication is especially valuable in country outlooks, including the OECD BEPS Action Plan proposals, and should be consulted to develop continued awareness of current and future trends in international taxation.

 

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Tax Risk Management

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Holding Regimes: 2013

Loyens & Loeff provides their annual concise and practical holding company update of holding company regimes for 2013.

Click to access Holding_Regimes_2013.pdf

Several topics are covered for each of the following countries

  1. Belgium
  2. Cyprus
  3. Hong Kong
  4. Hungary
  5. Ireland
  6. Luxembourg
  7. Malta
  8. Netherlands
  9. Singapore
  10. Spain
  11. Switzerland
  12. United Kingdom
  • Tax on capital contributions
  • Corporate income taxes
  • Withholding taxes
  • Capital gains taxes
  • Anti-abuse provisions / CFC rules
  • Income tax treaties as of 1/1/2013

This publication is a timely and valuable update, especially with respect to non-European countries and the topics of anti-abuse provisions and CFC rules.

Best Practices should include an annual review of the global legal entity structure, especially with upcoming OECD guidelines, re: general anti-avoidance rules (GAAR), anti-abuse provisions and CFC rules.

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Tax Risk Management

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