This section provides specific guidance relating to a particular category of intra-group services referred to as low value-adding intra-group services. Section D. 1 contains the definition of low value-adding intra-group services. Section D.2 sets out an elective, simplified approach for the determination of arm’s length charges for low value-adding intra-group services, including a simplified benefits test. Section D.3 contains guidance on documentation and reporting requirements that should be met by an MNE group electing to apply this simplified approach. Finally, Section D.4 addresses some issues with regard to the levying of withholding taxes on charges for low value-adding intra-group services. In summary, the simplified approach recognises that the arm’s length price for low value-adding intra-group services is closely related to costs, allocates the costs of providing each category of such services to those group companies which benefit from using those services, and then applies the same mark-up to all categories of services. MNE groups not electing to apply the simplified approach set out in this section should address transfer pricing issues related to low-value-adding services under the provisions of Sections A and B, above.
TPG2017 Chapter VII paragraph 7.43
Category: D. Low value-adding intra-group services, OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines (2017), TPG2017 Chapter VII: Special Considerations for Intra-Group Services | Tag: Intra-group services, Low value-adding services (LVAS), Service fee, Services
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- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.44This section discusses the definitional issues related to low value-adding intra-group services for applying the elective, simplified approach discussed under Section D.2. It starts by indicating the characteristics that services must have in order to qualify as low-value-adding intra-group services for applying the...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.45Low value-adding intra-group services for the purposes of the simplified approach are services performed by one member or more than one member of an MNE group on behalf of one or more other group members which are of a supportive nature, are not...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.53Where a tax administration has not adopted the simplified approach, and as a consequence the MNE group complies with the local requirements in that jurisdiction, such compliance would not disqualify the MNE group from the application of the simplified approach to other jurisdictions....
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.62Subject to the provisions of paragraph 7.55, the charge for services to any member of the electing MNE group shall be the sum of (i) the costs incurred by another group member in providing services specifically to the member under the second step...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.54As discussed in paragraph 7.6, under the arm’s length principle an obligation to pay for an intra-group service arises only where the benefits test is satisfied, i.e. the activity must provide the group member expected to pay for the service with economic or...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.64An MNE group electing for application of this simplified methodology shall prepare the following information and documentation and make it available upon request to the tax administration of any entity within the group either making or receiving a payment for low value-adding intra-group...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.56The initial step in applying the simplified approach to low value-adding intra-group services is for the MNE group to calculate, on an annual basis, a pool of all costs incurred by all members of the group in performing each category of low value-adding...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.47The following activities would not qualify for the simplified approach outlined in this section: services constituting the core business of the MNE group; research and development services (including software development unless falling within the scope of information technology services in 7.49); manufacturing and...
- Spain releases report on application of their General Anti-Abuse Rule.The Spanish tax authorities have published a report on the applicability of their domestic General Anti-Abuse Rule (GAAR). In the report, a conduit arrangement aimed at benefiting from an exemption at source on the payment of interest to EU residents is described. ...
- A Toolkit on the Taxation of Offshore Indirect TransfersThe Platform for Collaboration on Tax (IMF, OECD, UN and the WBG) has published a toolkit on the taxation of Offshore Indirect Transfers. The tax treatment of ‘offshore indirect transfers’ (OITs) – in essence, the sale of an entity owning an asset located...
Related Case Law
- Poland vs “H. LVAS Sp. z oo”, September 2022, Administrative Court, Case No I SA / Go 234/22“H. LVAS Sp. z oo” had deducted expenses related to intra-group services in its taxable income. The services had been provided by its German parent company, H. GmbH. The services (supervision and management support, coordination of projects, support in accounting, controlling, IT and...
- Peru vs “Copper Corporation S.A.”, July 2011, Tax Tribunal, Case No 12609-8-2011“Copper Corporation S.A.” had deducted intra-group service payments in it’s taxable income. The Peruvian tax authorities determined that the documentation provided by the company did not sufficiently support the actual provision of these services. Hence, tax deductions for the expenses was denied. The...
- Italy vs Rohm and Haas Italia s.r.l, February 2020, Supreme Court, Case No 3599 13/02/2020At issue was deduction of VAT on purported costs incurred for intra-group services, which had been deemed non-deductible for tax as well as VAT purposes by the Italien Tax Authorities, as the taxpayer had not been able to prove the effectiveness and relevance...
- Romania vs A. Romania S.R.L., April 2021, Supreme Administrative Court, Case No 2644/2021A. Romania S.R.L. had purchased services from A. Nederland BV and A. CZ Holding sro, and the costs of the services had been deducted for tax purposes. At issue was whether these services had actually been provided to the benefit of A. Romania...