Tax & Legal

The investigations regarding cum-ex and cum-cum transactions are continuing with a focus to uncover the intricate structures and recovering tax losses. Progress is being made but there are also several challenges, particularly regarding the statute of limitations and the elimination of evidence. In response to a question from the party Die Linke, the German government has commented on the current state of affairs.

If it has been revealed during an external tax audit that a large portion of dividend payments from shares were part of so-called short sales and thus the withholding of capital gains tax appears doubtful (here: as being in connection with cum-ex trading), the tax office is entitled to revoke the tax credit granted earlier and reclaim the tax refund from the taxpayer. This was decided by the Tax Court of Hesse following a complaint regarding the suspension of payment.

The Hamburg Tax Court decided that the withdrawal of the refund or the credit of withholding tax in the wake of cum-ex schemes due to fraudulent misrepresentation is also possible if a third party committed the fraud.

In its decision of 28 July 2021, the Federal Court of Justice held that claiming a refund or credit of withholding tax in the wake of cum-ex schemes is a criminal act of tax evasion. The proceeds obtained in these illegal transactions and the benefits derived therefrom may be collected.

In a recently published decision, the Supreme Tax Court dealt with so-called cum-ex share transactions. In its judgment the court rejected a "business concept" that sought to "exploit" uncertainties in the clear economic allocation of shares in such a way that withholding tax once withheld might be credited or refunded by the tax authorities twice or even more times.

The draft bill is being (re-)introduced to combat serious tax evasion executed via organised -"gang"- structures. The current law is limited to organised evasion of VAT and excise duties.

The representatives of the German provinces (the upper chamber of parliament - Bundesrat) would like higher penalties for organized tax evasion and further suggest improving the investigation of such crimes. On 27 November 2020 the upper chamber decided to introduce a corresponding bill in the German Bundestag to amend the German Fiscal Code.