Preventing Treaty Abuse

Analysis of notion, roots und measures of treaty abuse The OECD initiative on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting has put the issue of treaty abuse and the means to counter it on top of the global political agenda. Preventing treaty abuse is therefore currently one of the most debated topics in international tax law. Diverging national legal traditions in combatting abuse both under domestic and tax treaty law have led to a globally diversified legal framework in this respect and make the OECD’s agenda to harmonize these attempts even more challenging. The aim of this book is to analyze the notion of treaty abuse, its historical roots and the measures to counter it. The book’s topics cover a wide range of both policy and legal issues. The contributions’ main focus lies onanalyzing the proposals put forward by the OECD in BEPS action items 6 and 7. In addition, this book analyzes the lessons which can be learnt from the US tax treaty policy and elaborates on the effects the intensified fight against treaty abuse will have from a Non-OECD member state perspective. Also EU law is taken into account and the question raised which impact the fundamental freedoms might have on the development of new anti-avoidance rules. Finally the relation between domestic and treaty based anti-avoidance is analyzed in great detail, identifying the methodical problems of ensuring a sound and abuse safe legal framework. With this book, the authors and editors hope to contribute to the discussion on selected issues of preventing treaty abuse and the challenges they present to policy makers, judges, tax administrations and tax advisers.

The aim of this book is to analyze the notion of treaty abuse, its historical roots and the measures to counter it. The book?s topics cover a wide range of both policy and legal issues. The contributions? main focus lies on analyzing the proposals put forward by the OECD in BEPS action items 6 and 7. In addition, this book analyzes the lessons which can be learnt from the US tax treaty policy and elaborates on the effects the intensified fight against treaty abuse will have from a Non-OECD member state perspective. Also EU law is taken into account and the question raised which impact the fundamental freedoms might have on the development of new anti-avoidance rules. Finally the relation between domestic and treaty based anti-avoidance is analyzed in great detail, identifying the methodical problems of ensuring a sound and abuse safe legal framework. With this book, the authors and editors hope to contribute to the discussion on selected issues of preventing treaty abuse and the challenges they present to policy makers, judges, tax administrations and tax advisers.

Under the BEPS Action 6 minimum standard on treaty shopping, members of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS have committed to strengthen their tax treaties by implementing anti-abuse measures. This report reflects the outcome of the fifth peer review of the implementation of the BEPS Action 6 minimum standard on treaty shopping.

Under the BEPS Action 6 minimum standard on treaty shopping, members of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS have committed to strengthen their tax treaties by implementing anti-abuse measures. This report reflects the outcome of the sixth peer review of the implementation of the BEPS Action 6 minimum standard on treaty shopping.

Under the BEPS Action 6 minimum standard on treaty shopping, members of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS have committed to strengthen their tax treaties by implementing anti-abuse measures. This report reflects the outcome of the fourth peer review of the implementation of the BEPS Action 6 minimum standard on treaty shopping.

The BEPS Action 6 minimum standard on preventing the granting of treaty benefits in inappropriate circumstances, is one of the four BEPS minimum standards that all members of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS (Inclusive Framework) have committed to implement. This report reflects the outcome of the third peer review of the implementation of the Action 6 minimum standard on treaty shopping as approved by the Inclusive Framework.

The BEPS Action 6 minimum standard on preventing the granting of treaty benefits in inappropriate circumstances, is one of the four BEPS minimum standards that all members of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS (Inclusive Framework) have committed to implement. This report reflects the outcome of the third peer review of the implementation of the Action 6 minimum standard on treaty shopping as approved by the Inclusive Framework. It includes the aggregate results of the review and data on tax treaties concluded by each of the 137 members of the Inclusive Framework on 30 June 2020 and it contains the jurisdictional section for each member. The data compiled for this peer review demonstrate that the MLI has been the tool used by the vast majority of jurisdictions that have begun to implement the minimum standard and that the MLI has started to impact tax treaties of jurisdictions that have ratified it.

This report includes proposed changes to the OECD Model Tax Convention to prevent treaty abuse. Countries participating in the BEPS Project have agreed on a minimum standard to prevent treaty shopping and other strategies aimed at obtaining inappropriately the benefit of certain provisions of tax treaties. The report also ensures that tax treaties do not inadvertently prevent the application of legitimate domestic anti-abuse rules. The report clarifies that tax treaties are not intended to be used to generate double non-taxation and identifies the tax policy considerations that countries should consider before deciding to enter into a tax treaty with another country. The model provisions included in the report provide intermediary guidance as additional work is needed, in particular in relation to the limitation on benefits rule.

The BEPS Action 6 minimum standard on preventing the granting of treaty benefits in inappropriate circumstances, is one of the four BEPS minimum standards that all members of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS (Inclusive Framework) have committed to implement. This report reflects the outcome of the second peer review of the implementation of the Action 6 minimum standard on treaty shopping as approved by the Inclusive Framework.

This report includes changes to the OECD Model Tax Convention to prevent treaty abuse. It first addresses treaty shopping through alternative provisions that form part of a minimum standard that all countries participating in the BEPS Project have agreed to implement. It also includes specific treaty rules to address other forms of treaty abuse and ensures that tax treaties do not inadvertently prevent the application of domestic anti-abuse rules. The report finally includes changes to the OECD Model Tax Convention that clarify that tax treaties are not intended to create opportunities for non-taxation or reduced taxation through tax evasion or avoidance (including through treaty-shopping) and that identify the tax policy considerations that countries should consider before deciding to enter into a tax treaty with another country.