Strategizing International Tax Best Practices – by Keith Brockman

Posts tagged ‘EU’

US int’l update: EC contests FDII

As expected, the European Commission has sent a letter this week to US Treasury commenting that: the Foreign Derived Intangible Income (FDII) deduction violates international trade law.  “The design of the FDII deduction is incentivizing tax avoidance and aggressive tax planning by offering a possibility to undercut local tax rates in foreign economies.”  The Commission further described the FDII is an “incentive for foreign economies to lower corporate tax rates in a ‘race to the bottom.’” The letter included a statement that the European Commission was “ready to protect the economic interest of the European Union in light of discriminatory rules and practices.”

EY’s Global Tax Alert is provided for added reference.

https://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/Report_on_recent_US_international_tax_developments_-_10_May_2019/$FILE/2019G_002276-19Gbl_Report%20on%20recent%20US%20international%20tax%20developments%20-%2010%20May%202019.pdf

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Tax Risk Management

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EU: Profit Split method

The EU Joint Transfer Pricing Forum recently published a paper illustrating when to use the profit split method (PSM) and how to accomplish the split of profits per the OECD Guidelines.  The report is linked as a reference.

The report is a complement to, and supports, the OECD Revised Guidelines on the application of the Transactional Profit Split Method issued in June 2018.

As this method is not simple, and is also a focus on transfer pricing issues in the US, this paper is valuable into the application and concepts of PSM.

 

https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/sites/taxation/files/report_on_the_application_of_the_profit_split_method_within_the_eu_en.pdf

Category:

Tax Risk Management, Transfer Pricing

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EU exporter: New definition

The European Commission has recently amended the definition of “exporter” for EU purposes.  The new definition allows greater flexibility, although still postulates that non-EU established companies may not act as an EU exporter.

Article 1(19) of the UCC DA now requires a company that wants to act as an “exporter,” to be a person established in the EU customs territory and:

  • Has the power to determine that the goods are to be brought outside the customs territory of the Union

     

    or

  • Is a party to the contract under which goods are to be taken out of that customs territory

In summary, the EU supply chains should be reviewed re: whom is acting as an exporter, as well as how the new rule may simplify such actions.

EY’s Global Tax Alert provides additional details for this important change:

 

https://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/European_Commission_amends_definition_of_exporter_in_the_EU/$FILE/2018G_010770-18Gbl_Indirect_EC%20amends%20definition%20of%20exporter%20in%20the%20EU.pdf

Category:

Tax Risk Management

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EU: CCTB / CCCTB (It’s back!)

The concepts of Common Corporate Tax Base (CCTB) and Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB) once again emerge as a perceived solution to tax the Member States via a “digital presence” and commonality in computing tax liabilities of the EU Member States.

These proposals have emerged in prior years, now with a digital presence emphasis, although such measures have required a unanimous vote which is difficult to achieve.  However, this trend is always worth watching as the public perception may help to sway those countries that strive to protect their sovereignty over taxation.

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20180219IPR98113/new-eu-corporate-tax-plan-embracing-digital-presence-approved-in-committee

Category:

Tax Risk Management

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EU’s List is published: Uncooperative Jurisdictions

The Council of the European Union (ECOFIN) has published its list of uncooperative tax jurisdictions, numbering 17:

American Samoa, Bahrain, Barbados, Grenada, Guam, Korea (Republic of), Macao SAR, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Namibia, Palau, Panama, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates

The listing criteria are focused on three main categories: tax transparency, fair taxation and implementation of anti-BEPS measures.

 

There are potential counter-measures that could be employed by other jurisdictions, and there is the possibility of other countries aligning such countries on a comparable list.  This list will be reviewed annually, thereby expanding or diminishing accordingly.

EY’s Global Tax Alert provides historical context for development of this list.

http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/Council_of_the_European_Union_publishes_list_of_uncooperative_jurisdictions_for_tax_purposes/$FILE/2017G_06895-171Gbl_Council%20of%20the%20EU%20publishes%20list%20of%20uncooperative%20jurisdictions%20for%20tax%20purposes.pdf

Category:

OECD, Tax Risk Management

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UK: EU (Withdrawal) Bill

The UK EU exit bill has been introduced in Parliament, paving the way for suggested interpretations of:

  • Existing EU law
  • Loss of EU Directives
  • New customs regime
  • Transitional EU VAT case law
  • Social security contributions/benefits
  • Corporation tax impact of UK vs. EU law/Directives
  • Employee mobility
  • Employment law

This document portrays a glimpse into the thoughts behind the complex and myriad evolutions that will take place with the Brexit negotiations.  Tax, supply chains, individual changes, VAT, etc. and related unknown implications are still to be discovered; the EY Global Tax Alert provides a primer into the brave new world of a country exiting the EU.  Note, this is also a valuable reference for other countries considering this option.

http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/UK_Government_introduces_European_Union_(Withdrawal)_Bill/$FILE/2017G_04283-171Gbl_UK%20Government%20introduces%20European%20Union%20Withdrawal%20Bill.pdf

Category:

Tax Risk Management

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Hybrid mismatches: EU / Rest of World

On May 29. 2017 the EU Council adopted the Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive (ATAD), to be effective by 1/1/2020 between EU and the rest of world for hybrid mismatch arrangements.  This Directive is known as ATAD-2 and follows the intent of BEPS Action 2, hybrid mismatch arrangements.

ATAD 2 expands the scope to address hybrid permanent establishment (PE) mismatches, hybrid transfers, imported mismatches, reverse hybrid mismatches and dual resident mismatches.

EY’s Global Tax Alert provides additional details; all hybrid mismatch arrangements will be of limited use going forward to the extent they are included in these new rules.

http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/EU_Council_adopts_Directive_ATAD_2_to_address_hybrid_mismatches_with_third_countries/$FILE/2017G_03493-171Gbl_EU%20Council%20adopts%20Directive%20to%20address%20hybrid%20mismatches%20with%20third%20countries.pdf

Category:

Transfer Pricing

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