OECD and BEPS – Global standard on information exchange.
For those in the cross border tax advisory arena, the world is a rapidly changing one. The changing face of business and cross border dealings including but not limited to e commerce is pregnant with issues of how business and the tax regimes can cooperate while not adding disproportionate costs (being only one of the concerns) in preserving the tax base.
Last week the OECD unveiled a uniform global standard for the automatic exchange of information between tax authorities worldwide.
Discussion about this new standard by some respected commentators and industry participants suggest that it does not achieve what it set out to do. One concern as expressed by PWC was that it caters for needs of the revenue authorities without regard to business. Concerns include costs and confidentiality. These aspects alone gives rise to serious reservations about the success of the standard.
Of particular concern was the 2 tier file system that business will need to maintain. Specifically the requirement to keep a file that meets country requirements as well as a separate “Master” file that will need additional documentation. One fear is that there will be a mismatch resulting in double taxation.
Some interesting points are also made in a paper put out by Bond University and whether the ‘modernisation’ provides a solution to BEPS or whether the solution to BEPS lies in international cooperation. The paper can be found at : http://epublications.bond.edu.au/rlj/vol23/iss1/3
Dirkis, Michael Dr. (2013) “On the eve of the global response to BEPS: Australia’s new transfer pricing rules,” Revenue Law Journal: Vol. 23: Iss. 1, Article 3.
According to the OECD, the standard is a “game changer” in terms of cooperation and transparency in the fight against tax evasion. The underlying thinking behind the strategy is an extension of the thinking behind the US legislation FATCA and general anti money laundering positions of many jurisdictions. The question is whether in fact it has given sufficient thought to the totality of the situation?
Annual data is to be automatically provided rather than on a request basis. The level of data to be provided by financial institutions and the taxpayers to whom it applies will be better known once the report is presented at the next G20 meeting in Australia on February 22nd / 23rd .
Apart from the strong reservations of PWC, other jurisdictions have made comment that they are reviewing the standard but they may not adopt it at this stage.
Hong Kong by way of example is of the view that their current legislation which was introduced in 2009 is adequate to protect against inappropriate taxation practices and in principle is in line with the OECD program. Hong Kong will seek feedback from stakeholders at this stage.
