ICAEW’s Tax College welcomed HMRC proposals to make the UK laws extra intently aligned with OECD rules, however famous that there have been good causes to not absolutely undertake the OECD’s 2017 modifications to the everlasting institution definition.
HMRC’s session doc, printed on 19 June 2023, accommodates proposals for the reform of switch pricing, the definition of everlasting institutions, and diverted earnings tax.
Switch pricing
The session sought views on three key areas:
- The availability (considerations the financial relationship between the events).
- The participation situation (the definition of connectedness).
- The ‘one-way avenue’ (the tax benefit rule).
The college welcomed most of those proposals however raised considerations concerning modifications to the participation situation which, in its view, at present presents a excessive stage of certainty for companies attributable to its prescriptive and mechanical nature.
Re-introducing an exemption for UK-to-UK transactions was additionally welcomed. The college harassed that this needs to be made as broad as attainable. Whereas a return to the earlier blanket exemption is unlikely, exclusions that attempt to seize each scenario the place there are cash-tax variations may trigger the exemption to be unduly complicated.
Total, the modifications had been thought-about to make the UK a extra engaging jurisdiction to take a position or location a holding firm in.
Diverted earnings tax (DPT)
The session proposes to take away DPT as a separate tax and convey it throughout the switch pricing regime (ie, inside earnings chargeable to company tax (CT)).
The principle advantages of bringing DPT into the CT regime are simplification and entry to double taxation treaty aid. College members questioned the necessity to retain DPT within the mild of world options equivalent to pillars one and two, and wider OECD plans on taxing multinationals. To mitigate in opposition to any ambiguity and complexity, incorporation of DPT into the CT regime needs to be achieved by legislative modifications.
Everlasting institutions (PEs)
The session considers updating the prevailing definitions and revenue attribution guidelines (initially enacted in 2003) concerning UK PEs, to align extra intently with DTTs and the 2017 OECD mannequin conference.
The college shared the combined enter it had obtained from members on the proposals. Whereas some welcomed alignment with OCED rules, others expressed potential difficulties, particularly with a change within the definition of ‘dependent agent’ to incorporate these with a principal position in concluding contracts.
It was additionally famous that the definition of PE is completely different for company tax functions to the revenue and capital features tax definition. It will be extra constant to align these.
Learn ICAEW’s response
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