The Supreme Tax Court refused to overturn the tax court’s decision to refuse leave to appeal, agreeing with the lower court that a locker can constitute a fixed place of business within the meaning of Article XI Paragraph 1 of the German/British double tax treaty. Continue reading
Tax & Legal
Issue 3 of our Newsletter for 2019, including news about the Research & Development Subsidy Bill, the Finance Bill 2019 and the Supreme Tax Court decision in relation to the impact of Article 9 (1) of the OECD Model Tax Convention on transfer pricing income adjustments. Continue reading
The government draft bill, published on 22 May 2019, provides for the introduction of a subsidy for research and development (R&D). The subsidy – up to a maximum amount of €500,000 – should be available to all taxpaying businesses regardless size, profitability or purpose. The aim is to make Germany more attractive for investment generally and in particular for start-ups. The promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises is a particular focus but the desire remains to promote larger enterprises also. The planned law is to be re-evaluated five years after its entry into force to examine whether its aims, in particular its contribution to the promotion of Germany as a centre of innovation, are met. Continue reading
According to various statements of the German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz on 22 May 2019, a system of international minimum taxation will be discussed at the forthcoming G20 (June 2019) and G7 (August 2019) meetings. The aim is to agree such a system (within the terms of the Global Anti-Base Erosion “GloBE” agenda and given the name “BEPS 2.0”) with the other 128 states of the OECD in the Summer of 2020. Continue reading
According to Section 6(1) no. 3 Income Tax Act, non-interest-bearing liabilities with terms of at least 12 months, which do not constitute a deposit or advance payment, are to be discounted, i.e. a fictitious interest component (interest rate 5.5%) is initially deducted from profits and added back to profits in subsequent years as notional interest over the term of the loan.
The directive states that, for certain liabilities of banks, no discounting within the meaning of Section 6(1) no. 3 Income Tax Act should occur. Continue reading
The Ministry of Finance has published a new form for reporting foreign relationships according to Section 138 (2) of the General Tax Code (GTC). The new form replaces the form originally included in the Ministry of Finance’s guidelines on the application of Section 138 (2) and Section 138b of the GTC dated 5 February 2018. Continue reading
In a French case the ECJ held that failure by a taxable person to provide additional information on the VAT refund application and to answer further questions within the one-month period provided for under Council Directive 2008/9 does not automatically lead to the forfeiture of his entitlement to a VAT refund. Continue reading
According to the Supreme Tax Court in its ruling of 27 February 2019, published on 15 May 2019, and contrary to its previous case law, Article 9 (1) of the OECD Model Tax Convention, does not prohibit an income adjustment under domestic transfer pricing rules, where the write-off of an unsecured group loan is not recognised as a deduction from taxable profits. Continue reading
Gains realised by financial undertakings resident in third countries on the disposal of shares are fully exempt from corporation tax. In these proceedings,the Hessian Tax Court considered whether the exclusion from the benefit of the participation exemption under Section 8b (7) of the Corporation Tax Act also applied to credit institutions and financial services institutions not resident in the EU/EEA. Continue reading
Following the discussions of the Conference of Finance Ministers of the Federal States, the government has included in the Finance Bill 2019 amended regulations in respect of so-called “share deals” in real estate transactions. Aim of the proposed rules is a tightening of the financial framework around the indirect “transfers” of real estate held through companies and other associations of persons. The draft bill includes the following amendments: Continue reading