TPG2022 Chapter I paragraph 1.7

Category: B. Statement of the arm's length principle | Tag: ,
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It is important to put the issue of comparability into perspective in order to emphasise the need for an approach that is balanced in terms of, on the one hand, its reliability and, on the other, the burden it creates for taxpayers and tax administrations. Paragraph 1 of Article 9 of the OECD Model Tax Convention is the foundation for comparability analyses because it introduces the need for:

  • A comparison between conditions (including prices, but not only prices) made or imposed between associated enterprises and those which would be made between independent enterprises, in order to determine whether a re-writing of the accounts for the purposes of calculating tax liabilities of associated enterprises is authorised under Article 9 of the OECD Model Tax Convention (see paragraph 2 of the Commentary on Article 9); and
  • A determination of the profits which would have accrued at arm’s length, in order to determine the quantum of any re-writing of accounts.





Related Guidelines

  1. TPG2022 Chapter VI paragraph 6.2The purpose of this Chapter VI is to provide guidance specially tailored to determining arm’s length conditions for transactions that involve the use or transfer of intangibles. Article 9 of the OECD Model Tax Convention is concerned with the conditions of transactions between...
  2. TPG2022 Chapter I paragraph 1.8There are several reasons why OECD member countries and other countries have adopted the arm’s length principle. A major reason is that the arm’s length principle provides broad parity of tax treatment for members of MNE groups and independent enterprises. Because the arm’s...
  3. TPG2022 Chapter II paragraph 2.63A transactional profit method examines the profits that arise from particular controlled transactions. The transactional profit methods for purposes of these Guidelines are the transactional profit split method and the transactional net margin method. Profit arising from a controlled transaction can be a...
  4. TPG2022 Preface paragraph 9The main mechanisms for resolving issues that arise in the application of international tax principles to MNEs are contained in these bilateral treaties. The Articles that chiefly affect the taxation of MNEs are: Article 4, which defines residence; Articles 5 and 7, which...
  5. TPG2022 Chapter III paragraph 3.2As part of the process of selecting the most appropriate transfer pricing method (see paragraph 2.2) and applying it, the comparability analysis always aims at finding the most reliable comparables. Thus, where it is possible to determine that some uncontrolled transactions have a...
  6. TPG2022 Preface paragraph 18In seeking to achieve the balance between the interests of taxpayers and tax administrators in a way that is fair to all parties, it is necessary to consider all aspects of the system that are relevant in a transfer pricing case. One such...
  7. TPG2022 Chapter III paragraph 3.72The question arises whether and if so how to take account in the transfer pricing analysis of future events that were unpredictable at the time of the testing of a controlled transaction, in particular where valuation at that time was highly uncertain. The...
  8. TPG2022 Chapter I paragraph 1.34The typical process of identifying the commercial or financial relations between the associated enterprises and the conditions and economically relevant circumstances attaching to those relations requires a broad-based understanding of the industry sector in which the MNE group operates (e.g. mining, pharmaceutical, luxury...
  1. Guidance on the attribution of profits to permanent establishments 2008On 17 July 2008, the OECD Council approved the release the Report on the Attribution of Profits to Permanent Establishments. The Report includes a preface and four Parts. Part I sets out general considerations for attributing profits to permanent establishments, regardless of the...
  2. German TP-Legislation updated as of June 2021German legislation on transfer pricing has been updated to align the rules with the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines 2017. The new amendments are effective as of fiscal year 2022. The rules includes revised content on Substance over form Risk analysis Best method rule...

Related Case Law

  1. Romania vs “Milk and Dairy” A. SA, September 2020, Supreme Court, Case No 4702/2020In regards of transfer pricing A. SA had two activities – production of dairy products and distribution of milk – that had been subject to an audit by the tax authorities which resulted in an assessment of additional taxable income. The transfer pricing...
  2. Italy vs Promgas s.p.a., May 2022, Supreme Court, Cases No 15668/2022Promgas s.p.a. is 50% owned by the Italian company Eni s.p.a. and 50% owned by the Russian company Gazprom Export. It deals with the purchase and sale of natural gas of Russian origin destined for the Italian market. It sells the gas to...
  3. UK vs Union Castle Ltd, October 2018, UK Upper Tribunal, Case No 0316 (TCC)In this case, Union Castle Ltd. calimed a tax deduction of £ 39 million related to losses on derivative contracts. After acquiring derivative contracts, Union Castle issued bonus A shares to it’s parent company, Caledonia, which carried a dividend equal to 95% of...
  4. Italy vs SGL CARBON SPA, May 2023, Supreme Court, Case No 11625/2023SGL CARBON SPA paid interest on loans received from the German parent of the SGL Group. The tax authorities considered, that the interest rate applied to the intra-group loan was significantly higher than the average interest rate applied in the German market. The...