Thesis (M. Comm,)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, 2001. / Electronic commerce is a new technology, which is growing rapidly and has the ability to create a truly global digital economy. The extraordinary growth of the internet in the last few years has led to the birth of a world without borders, a place where free communication, a competitive market and extensive comparison shopping are a matter of course. This apparent lack of geography in cyberspace has raised complex problems regarding government tax policy. The rapid rise in sales over the internet and the fact that most internet buyers pay no income tax on transactions has ignited a considerable debate over taxes and the internet. The nature of the internet and the globalisation of the world economy mean that developments in e-commerce create legal problems concerning security of transactions and legal jurisdiction of transactions. There is a general concern that e-commerce provides taxpayers with the ability to move transactions outside a country's jurisdiction and thus avoid paying tax in that taxing jurisdiction. The advent of ecommerce has also given dishonest taxpayers the ability to structure their affairs to reduce or avoid paying tax in their jurisdictions. Rules written specifically to address the unique characteristics of electronic commerce are few and must be creatively adapted to the unique needs of e-commerce. As the volume of e-commerce increases, however, so will the number of rules. Many government committees and commissions devoted wholly or partly to make proposals and write the rules for e-commerce, exist throughout the world. In the United States the highest profile commission is the Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce. This commission has a mandate to recommend far-reaching changes to the taxation of electronic commerce, especially in the areas of sales and value-added tax ('Vat') and cross-border taxation. Research conducted by Austan Goolsbee has shown that applying the conventional tax policy to the internet commerce will reduce the number of buyers on the internet by up to 24 percent. Various countries are currently formulating their respective regulatory policies in an attempt to find solutions to problems posed by e-commerce.

Thesis (M.Com. (Taxation))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Accountancy, 2014. / With the international platform for cross border investment and economic development growing year on year at a steady pace, it has become apparent that bilateral income tax treaties do not always operate effectively in multilateral tax situations. Global transactions involving more than two states are certainly not uncommon and it could be said that the most fundamental issue in international taxation is double taxation resulting from the taxing rights of different tax jurisdictions that ‘overlap’ with regard to, generally speaking, one taxpayer or one declared income stream. Multilateral tax situations, commonly known as triangular cases, occur where tax incidence on a particular stream of income is triggered in three countries. These situations typically arise where a person who is a tax resident in two respective countries for tax purposes (a dual resident), or a person who is a tax resident in one country and has a permanent establishment in another, is earning revenue of which the source is in a third country. Taxing rights and jurisdictions of the three countries involved could potentially be in conflict with each other and therefore such situations may bring about lawful international triangular taxation or double taxation which will inevitably discourage enterprises from continuing investment and development internationally. Broad multilateral treaties in the income tax arena are not common1, and most treaties are still of a bilateral nature, i.e. generally addressing tax scenarios where only two specific countries are involved. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (’the OECD’)Model Tax Convention states this: There are no reasons to believe that the conclusion of a multilateral tax convention involving all Member countries could now be considered practicable. The Committee therefore considers that bilateral conventions are still a more appropriate way to ensure the elimination of double taxation at the international level.2

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Commerce (specialising in Taxation). / There has been significant advances in the international arena with regards to global economic growth and trade, as well as enormous competition by countries to attract inward foreign direct investment from multinational enterprises (MNEs) to ensure the sustainability of their own economies. Fundamentally the contentious issue is the possibility of double taxation (DT), due to the dual residency of the MNE. The MNE operates in various markets which results in cross-border transactions, whether physical or electronic, and this ultimately means that different tax jurisdictions will become applicable and enforceable by each relevant country. These dual resident MNEs could be seen as a tax resident in both countries and thus be liable for tax obligations in both of these countries. This would therefore lead to the same income incurring DT or double non-taxation (DNT), which would have a devastating impact on that MNE. This lead to the establishment of double taxation treaties, agreements and conventions (DTA’s), between various countries which are aimed at addressing this imbalance. As technology advances at an alarming rate, so too does the possibility of abuse of tax treaties. Two important criteria are ‘the place of effective management’ (POEM) and the ‘permanent establishment’ (PE), which are critical to the determination of the correct tax jurisdiction where the dual resident MNE will incur various tax liabilities. These concepts, POEM and PE, can be confusing but are imperative, in order to prevent DT, and which could prejudice the relevant fiscus, as well as an attempt to avoid any conflict between the taxing regimes. An interesting facet of the POEM and PE conundrum is the interpretation by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (’the OECD’) Model Tax Convention (MTC) compared to the interpretations by the South African Revenue Service (SARS). Another area of contention for MNEs is the current enormous global focus on the concept of Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), which is under great scrutiny, and is of great concern for the majority of revenue authorities. These authorities are intensifying their focus on improving and enforcing anti-avoidance provisions to prevent taxation leakage in their respective tax jurisdictions. This shift in priorities opposes one of a MNE’s main business objectives which is to maximize profits, by either diverting, extracting and/or distributing profits out of a high tax paying jurisdiction into a lower tax paying jurisdiction. This will consequently create an additional business risk which emphasises the need for international tax expertise. The international tax expert is a valuable business team member, as their knowledge and expertise is imperative for the mitigation of possible tax risks, correct interpretation and application of the relevant tax legislation on the business flows of the MNEs as a result of operational expansion or any cross-border transactions or activities. Key Words: Taxation, Tax Treaties, Agreements, BEPS, Conventions; Cross-border, Double Taxation; Dual Residency; International tax, Multinational enterprises; Permanent Establishment, Place of Effective Management; OECD Model Tax Convention; Tax Intelligence, Tax Jurisdictions

JUDr. Petr Kotáb International Aspects of Taxation in the Czech Republic SUMMARY Economic life of the current period is marked by high level of globalization of the economy and ever growing volume of cross-border flows of labor, goods, services and capital. In this situation, issues of international taxation affect not only sporadic cross-border transactions of selected types of subjects but virtually daily tax relations of large numbers of tax subjects, legal entities and individuals. Principles and regularities of international taxation are spreading in an ever growing extent into the intrastate level and are influencing the production of tax laws and everyday application practice of tax administrators. International aspects of taxation project into intrastate tax relations when there is a certain foreign element present in the tax relation. Such foreign element can show on the level of the subject of a tax relation (e.g. a non-resident taxpayer, permanent establishment, etc.), or the object (e.g. foreign-sourced income), or as the case may be, the tax relation content (e.g. tax liability imposed by a foreign state and the necessity to reflect it in the inland for the purposes of prevention of double taxation, e.g. by a credit method). A foreign element in the tax relation usually indicates the danger of...

O tema da presente tese é o contexto referido no art. 3 da CM-OCDE para a interpretação e aplicação de termos não definidos nos textos de convenções fiscais. O Brasil e os seus acordos de bitributação são adotados como referenciais, embora também seja investigada a jurisprudência de uma série de outros países quanto à interpretação e aplicação de suas convenções fiscais. A Introdução apresenta o tema, o problema, a hipótese, o objetivo e as principais questões analisadas na tese, seguidas de considerações propedêuticas necessárias ao desenvolvimento de todo o trabalho. O Capítulo I se ocupa: (i) do sentido de contexto referido no art. 3 da CM-OCDE; (ii) do seu relacionamento com a cláusula de reenvio ao Direito doméstico prevista no mesmo dispositivo e; (iii) dos critérios formais, funcionais e materiais de reconhecimento de evidências sob o escopo do contexto. O Capítulo II analisa o chamado contexto intrínseco e identifica: (i) quais evidências seriam abrangidas pelo contexto intrínseco, a exemplo do texto do acordo de bitributação, seu preâmbulo e anexos, documentos elaborados em conexão com o tratado, protocolos e acordos posteriores celebrados pelos Estados contratantes, bem como; (ii) quais técnicas seriam úteis à exploração de tais evidências, como métodos sintáticos, semânticos de interpretação do texto do acordo como um todo, testes comparativos da função e do sentido dos termos no acordo de dupla tributação como um todo, a identificação dos objetivos e propósitos do acordo a partir de detalhes de cada uma de suas partes. O Capítulo III analisa o chamado contexto extrínseco primário, especialmente com vistas aos procedimentos amigáveis, às práticas seguidas pelos Estados (autoridades fiscais, judiciárias e legislativas) para a aplicação de acordos de dupla tributação e aos parallel treaties. O Capítulo IV aborda o chamado contexto extrínseco secundário, que compreende as decisões de Cortes nacionais de terceiros Estados, a doutrina dos publicistas mais qualificados das diferentes Nações, a Convenção Modelo da OCDE e os seus respectivos Comentários, os trabalhos preparatórios, os atos unilaterais quanto à intenção dos Estados contratantes e as circunstâncias relacionadas à conclusão da convenção fiscal. / This thesis deals with the context referred to in the art. 3 (2) of the OECD Model Tax Convention to interpretation and application of terms not defined in tax treaties. It adopts the Brazilian system and its tax treaties as reference, although it also analyzes the cases law from a number of other countries regarding the interpretation and application of its tax treaties. The Introduction presents the theme, the problem, the hypothesis, the goal and the key issues addressed by the thesis, followed by propaedeutic considerations needed to develop the whole study. The Chapter I deals with: (i) the meaning of context referred to in the art. 3 (2) of the OECD Model Tax Convention; (ii) the precedence between the context and the domestic law (general renvoi clause) and; (iii) the formal, functional and material criteria for recognition of evidences under the scope of the context. The Chapter II examines the so-called intrinsic context, in order to: (i) identify some evidences under its scope, such as the tax treaty text, its preamble and annexes, materials prepared in connection with the convention, protocols and subsequent agreements concluded by the Contracting States, as well as; (ii) which methods would be useful to handle such materials, such as syntactic and semantic methods, comparative tests of the function and meaning terms at the whole treaty, as well the identification of the objectives and purposes of the agreement from the details of each of its parts. The Chapter III analyses the so-called primary extrinsic context, which includes mutual agreement procedures, practices followed by the fiscal, judicial and legislative authorities for the application of tax treaties and the parallel treaties. The Chapter IV deals with the so-called secondary extrinsic context, which comprises decisions of national courts of third States, the teachings of the most highly qualified publicists of the various nations, the OECD Model Tax Convention and their Commentaries, preparatory works, unilateral materials about the intention of the parts and circumstances occurred at the time of the conclusion of the tax treaty.

O objetivo do presente trabalho consiste em analisar a necessidade, a viabilidade e demais aspectos práticos inerentes à inserção de uma cláusula prevendo a submissão compulsória de litígios não solucionados pelo procedimento amigável, único método existente nos acordos de bitributação celebrados pelo Brasil, à arbitragem (mandatory arbitration), como forma de incrementar os mecanismos de solução de controvérsias hoje disponíveis nos acordos de bitributação. Para alcançar essa finalidade específica, iniciou-se o estudo (Capítulo 2), após breve introdução, a partir de uma aferição das espécies de controvérsias oriundas da interpretação e aplicação dos acordos de bitributação, notadamente em relação aos tratados celebrados pelo Brasil. Ato contínuo, procurou-se, no Capítulo 3 da tese, examinar mais detidamente o instituto do procedimento amigável, de maneira a demonstrar, ao final, as diversas deficiências inerentes ao referido mecanismo. Como forma de aprimorar o modelo de solução de controvérsias então existente, analisou-se, no Capítulo 4 da tese, as diversas propostas de inserção de uma arbitragem compulsória e suplementar ao procedimento amigável (two-step approach), entre elas a Convenção Europeia de Arbitragem (Convenção 90/436/EEC), bem como também os modelos de arbitragem apresentados pela OCDE e ONU, em seus respectivos modelos de convenção. Constituiu objeto precípuo de análise, igualmente, a aferição da experiência internacional existente em relação ao tema, mais especificamente nos acordos celebrados pelos Estados Unidos, Áustria, Alemanha. Reino Unido e Holanda. No Capítulo 5, por sua vez, com o objetivo específico de incrementar a eficácia do mecanismo, tratou-se de aspectos práticos inerentes à inclusão da arbitragem nos acordos celebrados pelo Brasil, mormente no que atine (i) ao escopo das convenções arbitrais, (ii) à ata de missão dos árbitros, (iii) à constituição do painel arbitral, (iv) ao sigilo e confidencialidade, (v) à escolha do procedimento aplicável e a instrução do processo, (vi) à definição da sede do tribunal, (vi) à participação do contribuinte, (vii) à aferição dos requisitos inerentes à sentença arbitral, (viii) à logística e aos custos do processo, bem como, também, (ix) à fonte jurídica disponível para a resolução dos litígios. No Capítulo 6, por sua vez, procurou-se demonstrar a inexistência de qualquer óbice à utilização do referido mecanismo de solução de controvérsias nos tratados celebrados pelo País. Feita a referida análise, tratou-se, no Capítulo 7, do tema atinente ao reconhecimento e execução da sentença arbitral, bem como de sua eventual relação com a Convenção de Nova Iorque. Por derradeiro, apresentou-se uma síntese conclusiva do raciocínio desenvolvido ao longo da tese em relação aos tópicos analisados. / The main purpose of this thesis is to analyze the necessity, feasibility and other practical matters inherent to the negotiation and inclusion of a mandatory arbitration clause in Brazilian double tax treaties that could be triggered in cases where mutual agreement procedure, the only mechanism to solve disputes in such treaties, is not able to eliminate the controversies that may arise in this field. After a brief introduction, we began our study, on Chapter 2, by studying the main types of controversies derived from the interpretation and application of double tax treaties, specially with regard to the Brazilian experience. In this sense, we examined, on Chapter 3, the contours of the mutual agreement procedure in a way to demonstrate, in the end, the relevant deficiencies inherent to the such dispute resolution mechanism. On Chapter 4, we analyzed the different ways that such a mandatory arbitration clause, ancilar to the mutual agreement procedure (two-step approach), was inserted in the international context, namely in the EU Arbitration Convention (Convention 90/436/EEC), as well as in the OECD and UN proposals, with regard to their respectively model conventions. Also, we studied the international experience in the field, specifically in relation to the development observed in the tax treaty policies of some countries, such as the United States, Austria, Germany, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Subsequently, on Chapter 5 we explored the more practical matters related to such a mandatory arbitration clause, specially with regard to (i) the scope of the arbitration clause, (ii) the specific terms of reference, (iii) the selection of the arbitrators, (iv) confidenciality, (v) the establishment of procedural and evidentiary rules, (vi) the seat of the arbitration, (vii) the taxpayer participation in the procedure, (viii) the minimum requirements related to the award, (ix) the logistical arrengements and costs, (x) and the source of law that can be used by the arbitrators. On Chapter 6, we tried to demonstrate the absence of any constitucional barrier preventing the use of arbitration as a means of solving controversies related to taxation, specially with regard to Brazilian double tax treaties. On the last Chapter (Chapter 7), we dealt with the issues related to the recognition and enforcement of the award under Brazilian rules and also with regard to the New York Convention. Lastly, we presented a conclusive synthesis of the study.

This paper investigates the effects of double tax treaties (DTTs) on foreign direct investment (FDI) after controlling for their relevance in the presence of treaty shopping. DTTs cannot be considered a bilateral issue, but must be viewed as a network. We define tax distance as the cost of channelling corporate income from one country to another and, by considering treaty shopping through intermediate jurisdictions, we calculate the shortest (i.e. the cheapest) distance between any two countries. We show that relevant tax treaties-which reduce the direct tax distance both over domestic law and the entire existing treaty network-will increase FDI by about 18%.

Tax treaties to avoid the double taxation signed by a country have consequences for the future, but they can also modify the terms of treaties that are already in force, in case these contain most-favoured-nation clauses. In this line, taxpayers and companies, particularly, as well as the Tax Administration must be alert, regarding topotential modifications of the terms of the Peruvian tax treaties already in force; mainly about the withholding tax rate applied to royalties in the Convention subscribed with Chile and the withholding tax rates applied to dividends, interests and royalties in the Convention subscribed with Canada, taking into account that both of the mentioned tax treaties contain most-favoured-nation clauses for those kind of income. The Ministry of Economy, as the entity in charge of negotiations of the bilateral conventions, according to Law Decree 25883, has the responsibility of negotiating future treaties with full knowledge that the terms to be included could also cause the effect to decrease the withholding tax rates of the income tax in respect to conventions already in effect, as a consequence of the most-favoured-nation clause they contain. / Los convenios para evitar la doble imposición (CDI) que suscribe un Estado tienen efecto en el futuro. Sin embargo, también pueden modificar los términos de los convenios ya vigentes, en la medida que estos últimos contengan cláusulas de la nación más favorecida. En tal sentido, los contribuyentes y en particular el sector empresarial, así como la Administración Tributaria,tienen que estar alertas respecto a las potenciales modificaciones de los términos de los CDI vigentes en el Perú. En particular, se debe tener en cuenta la tasa de retención de regalías contenida en el CDI con Chile y las tasas de dividendos, intereses y regalías contenidas en el CDI con Canadá, debido a que, para tales tipos de rentas, ambos convenios incluyen cláusulas de la nación más favorecida. El Ministerio de Economía, como ente encargado de la negociación de CDI bilaterales —en virtud del decreto ley 25883— tiene la responsabilidad de negociar futuros CDI. Ello debe realizarse con el conocimiento pleno de que los términos por pactarse no solo repercutirán para el futuro, sino que pueden significar disminución de tasas de retención del impuesto a la renta respecto a CDI preexistentes ya vigentes, en función de las cláusulas de la nación más favorecida.

O objetivo do presente trabalho consiste em analisar a necessidade, a viabilidade e demais aspectos práticos inerentes à inserção de uma cláusula prevendo a submissão compulsória de litígios não solucionados pelo procedimento amigável, único método existente nos acordos de bitributação celebrados pelo Brasil, à arbitragem (mandatory arbitration), como forma de incrementar os mecanismos de solução de controvérsias hoje disponíveis nos acordos de bitributação. Para alcançar essa finalidade específica, iniciou-se o estudo (Capítulo 2), após breve introdução, a partir de uma aferição das espécies de controvérsias oriundas da interpretação e aplicação dos acordos de bitributação, notadamente em relação aos tratados celebrados pelo Brasil. Ato contínuo, procurou-se, no Capítulo 3 da tese, examinar mais detidamente o instituto do procedimento amigável, de maneira a demonstrar, ao final, as diversas deficiências inerentes ao referido mecanismo. Como forma de aprimorar o modelo de solução de controvérsias então existente, analisou-se, no Capítulo 4 da tese, as diversas propostas de inserção de uma arbitragem compulsória e suplementar ao procedimento amigável (two-step approach), entre elas a Convenção Europeia de Arbitragem (Convenção 90/436/EEC), bem como também os modelos de arbitragem apresentados pela OCDE e ONU, em seus respectivos modelos de convenção. Constituiu objeto precípuo de análise, igualmente, a aferição da experiência internacional existente em relação ao tema, mais especificamente nos acordos celebrados pelos Estados Unidos, Áustria, Alemanha. Reino Unido e Holanda. No Capítulo 5, por sua vez, com o objetivo específico de incrementar a eficácia do mecanismo, tratou-se de aspectos práticos inerentes à inclusão da arbitragem nos acordos celebrados pelo Brasil, mormente no que atine (i) ao escopo das convenções arbitrais, (ii) à ata de missão dos árbitros, (iii) à constituição do painel arbitral, (iv) ao sigilo e confidencialidade, (v) à escolha do procedimento aplicável e a instrução do processo, (vi) à definição da sede do tribunal, (vi) à participação do contribuinte, (vii) à aferição dos requisitos inerentes à sentença arbitral, (viii) à logística e aos custos do processo, bem como, também, (ix) à fonte jurídica disponível para a resolução dos litígios. No Capítulo 6, por sua vez, procurou-se demonstrar a inexistência de qualquer óbice à utilização do referido mecanismo de solução de controvérsias nos tratados celebrados pelo País. Feita a referida análise, tratou-se, no Capítulo 7, do tema atinente ao reconhecimento e execução da sentença arbitral, bem como de sua eventual relação com a Convenção de Nova Iorque. Por derradeiro, apresentou-se uma síntese conclusiva do raciocínio desenvolvido ao longo da tese em relação aos tópicos analisados. / The main purpose of this thesis is to analyze the necessity, feasibility and other practical matters inherent to the negotiation and inclusion of a mandatory arbitration clause in Brazilian double tax treaties that could be triggered in cases where mutual agreement procedure, the only mechanism to solve disputes in such treaties, is not able to eliminate the controversies that may arise in this field. After a brief introduction, we began our study, on Chapter 2, by studying the main types of controversies derived from the interpretation and application of double tax treaties, specially with regard to the Brazilian experience. In this sense, we examined, on Chapter 3, the contours of the mutual agreement procedure in a way to demonstrate, in the end, the relevant deficiencies inherent to the such dispute resolution mechanism. On Chapter 4, we analyzed the different ways that such a mandatory arbitration clause, ancilar to the mutual agreement procedure (two-step approach), was inserted in the international context, namely in the EU Arbitration Convention (Convention 90/436/EEC), as well as in the OECD and UN proposals, with regard to their respectively model conventions. Also, we studied the international experience in the field, specifically in relation to the development observed in the tax treaty policies of some countries, such as the United States, Austria, Germany, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Subsequently, on Chapter 5 we explored the more practical matters related to such a mandatory arbitration clause, specially with regard to (i) the scope of the arbitration clause, (ii) the specific terms of reference, (iii) the selection of the arbitrators, (iv) confidenciality, (v) the establishment of procedural and evidentiary rules, (vi) the seat of the arbitration, (vii) the taxpayer participation in the procedure, (viii) the minimum requirements related to the award, (ix) the logistical arrengements and costs, (x) and the source of law that can be used by the arbitrators. On Chapter 6, we tried to demonstrate the absence of any constitucional barrier preventing the use of arbitration as a means of solving controversies related to taxation, specially with regard to Brazilian double tax treaties. On the last Chapter (Chapter 7), we dealt with the issues related to the recognition and enforcement of the award under Brazilian rules and also with regard to the New York Convention. Lastly, we presented a conclusive synthesis of the study.

O tema da presente tese é o contexto referido no art. 3 da CM-OCDE para a interpretação e aplicação de termos não definidos nos textos de convenções fiscais. O Brasil e os seus acordos de bitributação são adotados como referenciais, embora também seja investigada a jurisprudência de uma série de outros países quanto à interpretação e aplicação de suas convenções fiscais. A Introdução apresenta o tema, o problema, a hipótese, o objetivo e as principais questões analisadas na tese, seguidas de considerações propedêuticas necessárias ao desenvolvimento de todo o trabalho. O Capítulo I se ocupa: (i) do sentido de contexto referido no art. 3 da CM-OCDE; (ii) do seu relacionamento com a cláusula de reenvio ao Direito doméstico prevista no mesmo dispositivo e; (iii) dos critérios formais, funcionais e materiais de reconhecimento de evidências sob o escopo do contexto. O Capítulo II analisa o chamado contexto intrínseco e identifica: (i) quais evidências seriam abrangidas pelo contexto intrínseco, a exemplo do texto do acordo de bitributação, seu preâmbulo e anexos, documentos elaborados em conexão com o tratado, protocolos e acordos posteriores celebrados pelos Estados contratantes, bem como; (ii) quais técnicas seriam úteis à exploração de tais evidências, como métodos sintáticos, semânticos de interpretação do texto do acordo como um todo, testes comparativos da função e do sentido dos termos no acordo de dupla tributação como um todo, a identificação dos objetivos e propósitos do acordo a partir de detalhes de cada uma de suas partes. O Capítulo III analisa o chamado contexto extrínseco primário, especialmente com vistas aos procedimentos amigáveis, às práticas seguidas pelos Estados (autoridades fiscais, judiciárias e legislativas) para a aplicação de acordos de dupla tributação e aos parallel treaties. O Capítulo IV aborda o chamado contexto extrínseco secundário, que compreende as decisões de Cortes nacionais de terceiros Estados, a doutrina dos publicistas mais qualificados das diferentes Nações, a Convenção Modelo da OCDE e os seus respectivos Comentários, os trabalhos preparatórios, os atos unilaterais quanto à intenção dos Estados contratantes e as circunstâncias relacionadas à conclusão da convenção fiscal. / This thesis deals with the context referred to in the art. 3 (2) of the OECD Model Tax Convention to interpretation and application of terms not defined in tax treaties. It adopts the Brazilian system and its tax treaties as reference, although it also analyzes the cases law from a number of other countries regarding the interpretation and application of its tax treaties. The Introduction presents the theme, the problem, the hypothesis, the goal and the key issues addressed by the thesis, followed by propaedeutic considerations needed to develop the whole study. The Chapter I deals with: (i) the meaning of context referred to in the art. 3 (2) of the OECD Model Tax Convention; (ii) the precedence between the context and the domestic law (general renvoi clause) and; (iii) the formal, functional and material criteria for recognition of evidences under the scope of the context. The Chapter II examines the so-called intrinsic context, in order to: (i) identify some evidences under its scope, such as the tax treaty text, its preamble and annexes, materials prepared in connection with the convention, protocols and subsequent agreements concluded by the Contracting States, as well as; (ii) which methods would be useful to handle such materials, such as syntactic and semantic methods, comparative tests of the function and meaning terms at the whole treaty, as well the identification of the objectives and purposes of the agreement from the details of each of its parts. The Chapter III analyses the so-called primary extrinsic context, which includes mutual agreement procedures, practices followed by the fiscal, judicial and legislative authorities for the application of tax treaties and the parallel treaties. The Chapter IV deals with the so-called secondary extrinsic context, which comprises decisions of national courts of third States, the teachings of the most highly qualified publicists of the various nations, the OECD Model Tax Convention and their Commentaries, preparatory works, unilateral materials about the intention of the parts and circumstances occurred at the time of the conclusion of the tax treaty.