To identify the amount, if any, that has actually been charged for services, a tax administration will need to identify what arrangements, if any, have actually been put in place between the associated enterprises to facilitate charges being made for the provision of services between them.
Related Guidelines
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.18The fact that a payment was made to an associated enterprise for purported services can be useful in determining whether services were in fact provided, but the mere description of a payment as, for example, “management fees” should not be expected to be...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.16Another issue arises with respect to services provided “on call”. The question is whether the availability of such services is itself a separate service for which an arm’s length charge (in addition to any charge for services actually rendered) should be determined. A...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.4Intra-group services may vary considerably among MNE groups, as does the extent to which those services provide a benefit, or an expected benefit, to one or more group members. Each case is dependent upon its own facts and circumstances and the arrangements within...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.33Where a cost based method is determined to be the most appropriate method to the circumstances of the case, the analysis would require examining whether the costs incurred by the group service provider need some adjustment to make the comparison of the controlled...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.22An MNE group may be able to adopt direct charging arrangements, particularly where services similar to those rendered to associated enterprises are also rendered to independent parties. If specific services are provided not only to associated enterprises but also to independent enterprises in...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.23A direct-charge method for charging for intra-group services can be difficult to apply in practice. Consequently, some MNE groups have developed other methods for charging for services provided by parent companies or group service centres. In such cases, MNE groups may find they...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.27The compensation for services rendered to an associated enterprise may be included in the price for other transfers. For instance, the price for licensing a patent or know-how may include a payment for technical assistance services or centralised services performed for the licensee...
- TPG2022 Chapter VII paragraph 7.24In some cases, an indirect-charge method may be necessary due to the nature of the service being provided. One example is where the proportion of the value of the services rendered to the various relevant entities cannot be quantified except on an approximate...
- 2017: ATO transfer pricing issues related to centralised operating modelsThe Practical Compliance Guideline (Guideline) sets out the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO’s) compliance approach to transfer pricing issues related to the location and relocation of certain business activities and operating risks into a centralised operating model. The type of activities commonly centralised include...
- 2022: ATO Taxpayer Alert on Treaty shopping arrangements to obtain reduced withholding tax rates (TA 2022/2)The ATO is currently reviewing treaty shopping arrangements designed to obtain the benefit of a reduced withholding tax (WHT) rate under a double-tax agreement (DTA) in relation to royalty or dividend payments from Australia. Typically, this benefit is sought via the interposition of one...
Related Case Law
- 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...
- Canada vs Alberta Printed Circuits Ltd., April 2011, Tax Court of Canada, Case No 2011 TCC 232Alberta Printed Circuits Ltd (APC, the taxpayer) was a Canadian manufacturer of custom prototype circuit boards. The manufacturing process was initially manual and later automated. In 1996, a Barbados company, APCI Inc., was formed via a complex ownership structure. The Barbados company provided services...
- 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...
- India vs. Gemplus India Pvt. Ltd. March 2009, ITA case no. 352Gemplus India Pvt. Ltd. is a part of the Gemplus group, engaged in providing smart card solutions for the telecommunications industry, financial services industry and other e-businesses. The company entered into a intra group management services agreement for receipt of services in marketing...