Category: Mutual Agreement Procedure

Cyprus: Cyprus And Switzerland Agree Updated Double Tax Treaty

On 20 July 2020 Cyprus agreed an updated double tax treaty (DTT) with Switzerland. The signatory for Cyprus was Foreign Minister Constantinos Petrides, while his counterpart, Pierre-Yves Fux, signed on behalf of the Swiss Federal Council. The revised protocol will update the existing agreement, which has been in force since July 2014. Details of the protocol were published in the Official Gazette on the 24 July 2020 and are now undergoing the ratification process. ... - Continue reading

OECD issues MAP peer review reports for further eight jurisdictions

The OECD on February 24 published stage 1 mutual agreement procedure (MAP) peer review reports of the following eight jurisdictions: Brunei Darussalam, Curaçao, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Monaco, San Marino, and Serbia. The reports highlight how well these jurisdictions are implementing the base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) Action… – Continue reading

India: Rules To ‘Secondary Adjustment’ Rationalized And Clarified

The concept of 'Secondary Adjustment' was introduced in Finance Act 2017 by introducing new Section 92CE in the Indian Income Tax Act (the Act) to align transfer pricing provisions with international best practices. ... - Continue reading

Ukraine: Ukraine Ratifies Protocol Amending Double Taxation Treaty Between Ukraine And Switzerland

On 18 September 2019, the Parliament of Ukraine ratified a protocol (the Protocol) of amendments to the double tax treaty between Ukraine and Switzerland (the DTT) which had been signed by the states on 24 January 2019.  ... - Continue reading

Canada: Canada Ratifies The Multilateral Instrument

On June 7, 2017, Canada along with numerous other jurisdictions signed the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (“OECD”) Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (the “MLI” or “multilateral instrument”). The multilateral instrument is the culmination of work undertaken as part of the OECD/G20 BEPS Project to equip governments with domestic and international instruments to address tax avoidance.   ... - Continue reading

Canada: Transfer Pricing: What’s New In Canada (Part II)

Transfer pricing disputes in Canada have, predominately, been resolved through either a request for competent authority assistance under the Mutual Agreement Procedure ("MAP") of a treaty, or, to a much lesser extent, through the notice of objection process with CRA Appeals.  Regardless of the recent increase in transfer pricing cases being brought before the Courts, the MAP will likely continue to be the dispute resolution process most often utilized by a Canadian corporation in transfer pricing cases because, in the absence of a 100% reversal of a transfer pricing adjustment by either CRA Appeals or a Canadian court, economic double taxation may still exist as a consequence of the CRA upward transfer pricing adjustment. The correlative relief provided by the treaty partner under a MAP settlement resolves that double taxation. ... - Continue reading

The latest APA and MAP figures in Europe: what are the implications for multinational group taxpayers?

Statistics published earlier this week by the European Commission on member state advance pricing agreement (APA) and mutual agreement procedure (MAP) programs suggest that the OECD/G20 base erosion profit shifting (BEPS) project has increased the scope for differences of opinion between tax authorities of different countries. ... - Continue reading

Delving into Hong Kong’s New Transfer Pricing Landscape

On July 4, 2018, Hong Kong’s Inland Revenue Department passed the country’s final Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No. 6) Bill 2017, (the Amendment Bill).  This Amendment Bill (which became law on July 13, 2018) specified the documentary requirements from a transfer pricing perspective and also introduced measures to address various recommendations… – Continue reading

Ireland, Malta Close ‘Single Malt’ Tax Avoidance Structure

Ireland and Malta have agreed to close the “Single Malt” – an aggressive tax planning structure in which some multinational corporations use a company incorporated in Ireland but tax-resident in Malta. The Competent Authority Agreement – entered into as per the provisions of Article 24 (mutual agreement procedure) of the… – Continue reading

Transfer pricing disputes: Interest payout relief coming for MNCs

CBDT issues draft notification on interest computation NEW DELHI, JUNE 20 The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) proposes to provide a relief to MNCs on the interest payable by them on the untaxed profits stashed abroad, requiring to be repatriated back to India under the transfer pricing regime. It… – Continue reading

Malaysia Updates Mutual Agreement Procedure Guidelines

Malaysia’s Inland Revenue Board (IRB) on January 11, 2018, released guidelines on applying for the resolution of double tax cases through the Mutual Agreement Procedure. The MAP Guidelines have been updated to incorporate the recommendations of the OECD BEPS Action 14 report on making dispute resolution mechanisms more effective. The… – Continue reading

Transfer Pricing Dispute Resolutions in India: New Relaxations

The Income Tax Department recently released a clarification stating that it would accept requests for mutual agreement procedures (MAPs) and bilateral advance pricing agreements (BAPAs) in transfer pricing disputes with all countries regardless of the existence of specific provisions in the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs). A 2012 survey by… – Continue reading

India Signs Three Further APAs During December

India entered into three more advance pricing agreements in December, with two unilateral agreements and a bilateral APA concluded with authorities in the United Kingdom. With the signing of these agreements, the total number of APAs entered into by the Central Board of Direct Taxes totals 189, comprising 173 unilateral… – Continue reading

OECD statistics show 20% increase in outstanding tax treaty disputes involving UK

The number of outstanding tax treaty related disputes in the UK increased in 2016 by almost 20% from 262 at the beginning of the year to 314 at the end of the year, according to statistics released by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The statistics show the… – Continue reading

India to accept mutual agreement process in transfer pricing cases

NEW DELHI The Indian Income Tax Department will accept applications for Mutual Agreement Procedure (MAP) in transfer pricing disputes, as well as for bilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs), even for entities resident in countries with which India has double taxation avoidance agreements (DTAA), minus the provision to claim corresponding tax… – Continue reading

Japan’s National Tax Agency releases guidance on requesting Mutual Agreement Procedure assistance

The Japanese National Tax Agency (NTA) has released guidance for taxpayers on the mutual agreement procedure (MAP), in line with the recommendations of the OECD’s Base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) Action 14 Final Report. The guidance is intended to supplement the Commissioner’s Directive on the Mutual Agreement Procedures, which… – Continue reading

Russia and Japan sign Double Taxation Avoidance Convention

The Russian President and the Japanese Prime Minister signed the Convention for the Elimination of Double Taxation with respect to Taxes on Income and the Prevention of Tax Evasion and Avoidance (the “Convention”) on 7 September 2017. The Convention will replace the existing treaty signed in 1986 by the Soviet… – Continue reading

Ireland’s Revenue releases guidelines on requesting Mutual Agreement Procedure assistance

Ireland has published guidelines for requesting Mutual Agreement Procedure (MAP) assistance. The guidelines, issued in early August, set out the legal basis for requesting MAP assistance as well as: the process through which taxpayers can request assistance from Ireland’s Competent Authority (the Revenue) the possible outcomes resulting from a request… – Continue reading

OECD Seeks Taxpayer Input On BEPS Action 14 Peer Reviews

The OECD is seeking taxpayers’ input on the mutual agreement procedure (MAP) frameworks in place in the third batch of countries that will now be peer reviewed under Action 14 of the OECD’s base erosion and profit shifting Action Plan: the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Korea, Norway, Poland, Singapore, and… – Continue reading

Transfer Pricing Investigation in China: Understanding the Latest Adjustments

New transfer pricing regulations issued by the State Administration of Taxation (SAT), the Measures for Administration of Special Tax Investigation Adjustment and Mutual Agreement Procedures (“the Measures”), came into effect on May 1, 2017. The Measures consolidate China’s pre-existing regulations regarding self-adjustment and outbound payments with the new transfer pricing… – Continue reading

China’s New Transfer Pricing Rules Keep Arm’s-Length Approach

China’s new transfer pricing rules, effective May 1, endorse the continued use of the arm’s-length standard—the internationally agreed bedrock for pricing transactions within multinational enterprises. The new guidance, Bulletin 6, augurs well for resolving tax disputes between China’s State Administration of Taxation and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service over the… – Continue reading

Focus BEPS Work on Practical Results, Not Participation: Stack

The OECD effort to rebuild the global tax system should focus on practical work that benefits the international tax community rather than trying to get as many countries as possible around the table, a former Treasury official said. The OECD’s so-called inclusive framework for implementing the four minimum standards of… – Continue reading

OECD, IMF Reports On Providing Businesses With Tax Certainty

The OECD and the International Monetary Fund have submitted to the Group of Twenty (G-20) nations a report on improving tax certainty for businesses. The report follows a global survey of more than 700 large, multinational businesses and a survey of 25 advanced nation tax administrations. The report highlights several… – Continue reading

Recourse to MAP and bilateral APA rollback available under revised tax treaty: PwC

MUMBAI: The recent changes in the India and South Korea Agreement for Avoidance of Double Taxation provides recourse to taxpayers of both countries to apply for Mutual Agreement Procedure (MAP) in respect of transfer pricing disputes, and also to apply for bilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (APA) for APA period beginning… – Continue reading

Abusive Tax Structures, Make Way For Budget 2017’s Transfer Pricing Combat Weapons

Among other things, Union Budget 2017 will be remembered for two firsts – the introduction of secondary adjustment and thin capitalisation rules. Both are transfer pricing provisions which will have a far-reaching impact on corporates. Secondary Adjustment Since the concept of secondary adjustment is introduced for the first time in… – Continue reading

Programme to challenge tax evasion on a global level under establishment: deputy minister of finance

The programme includes measures to combat base erosion and profit shifting, based on four main measures that can challenge exploitation of tax agreements, monitor developing international tax work rules, and ensure a more transparent environment. Egypt was chosen by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in a conference… – Continue reading

German Multinationals Fear Disclosure of Global Tax Reports

Multinational companies headquartered in Germany worry that when they report their global tax and profits for 2016, some countries will leak their country-by-country reports to the press. German parents of multinational groups with annual consolidated group revenue of at least 750 million euros ($797 million) are required to file, with… – Continue reading

Singapore Goes The Mauritius Route, Loses Right To Tax Equity Capital Gains Arising In India

Starting April 1, 2017, India will have the right to tax capital gains arising on Indian equity shares sold by a Singapore resident. The governments of India and Singapore have amended the double taxation avoidance treaty between the two countries, in line with the changes India recently made to a… – Continue reading

India, US strike 1st bilateral advance pricing agreement: Government

NEW DELHI: India and the US have reached a deal for the first bilateral advance pricing agreement, a move that will enable American firms to ascertain tax liabilities beforehand, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said today. The two nations have resolved over 100 cases of tax disputes involving a tax of… – Continue reading

Dispute resolution under the Nigerian transfer pricing regime

Background The Federal Inland Revenue Service [FIRS] has begun Transfer Pricing [TP] audits and has been requesting TP documentation and other documents from taxpayers relating to their related party transactions. These actions are in line with its powers under the Income Tax (Transfer Pricing) Regulations No. 1 of 2012 [Regulations]… – Continue reading