Information technology is a driving factor in the process of globalisation. Improvements in the early 1990s in computer hardware, software and telecommunications greatly increased people’s ability to access information. (The Levin Institute, 2013). Globalisation is not a new concept however the pace of integration of national economies and markets has substantially increased in recent years (OECD, 2013e: 7). It can be argued that ‘globalisation’ began with Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama (O’Rourke and Williamson, 2000), but the term has only been in existence since the 1960s (Jeffery, 2002). It can be said that information technology has been the most recent major catalyst for global integration (The Levin Institute, 2013) which has enabled globalisation to change the way in which companies do business (PWC, 2013a). In relation to the globalisation of the world’s economies, the concept of ‘a permanent establishment’ has gained significant importance worldwide, due to the direct impact on the tax revenue generated (Nayyar, 2010). In the current era of cross-border transactions and the increase in international trade and commerce among nations, there is a continuous movement of human capital across borders. One of the most significant results of globalisation is the noticeable impact of one country’s domestic tax policies on the economy of another country. Double taxation has an adverse effect on trade and services. Taxation of the same income by two or more countries (juridical double taxation) would constitute an unfair burden on the taxpayer. (Aimurie, 2013). Many countries agree that in order to eliminate double taxation, a base of clear and predictable international tax rules must be applied in order to give certainty to both governments and businesses (OECD, 2013e: 7). Hence the question of taxing rights is created. The possibility of creating a permanent establishment in a jurisdiction by a company or its employees or an agent arises as well as the taxing rights of the tax authorities. This research report will examine the concept of a permanent establishment and its application in commercial business activities, the building and construction industry and in the activities of an agent.

Business profits constitute the main part of income derived through international business and these profits are only to be taxed in the home state of the enterprise. However, if the enterprise conducts business in a host state through a PE, the profits attributable to the PE are taxable in the host state. Article 7 of the OECD Model Tax determines the profits attributable to the PE. Nevertheless, Member States have interpreted Article 7 of the OECD Model Tax Convention in various ways. In order to provide consensus the OECD adopted an authorised OECD approach for attributing profits to PEs. The first part of the purpose of this thesis is to study the Swedish approach for attributing profits to dependent agent PEs in relation to the authorised OECD approach. An enterprise from the home state can be considered to have a dependent agent PE in the host state if it conducts business in the host state through a dependent agent located therein. This is provided that the agent has the authority to conclude contracts in the name of the enterprise and exercises this authority regularly. Under the authorised OECD approach for profit attribution to dependent agent PEs it is possible to allocate profits to the PE in excess of the arm’s length remuneration paid to the dependent agent. Thereby, the OECD has adopted the dual taxpayer approach as the authorised OECD approach. According to the author’s opinion the Swedish perspective regarding profit attribution to dependent agent PEs differs from the authorised OECD approach as the dual taxpayer approach so far has not been applied in Sweden. Furthermore, it differs as the attribution of capital to PEs is not allowed according to case law and as far as the recognition of internal dealings is concerned. When the OECD adopted the dual taxpayer approach as the authorised OECD approach another method was available; the single taxpayer approach. In line with this approach no further profits in excess of the arm’s length remuneration to the dependent agent can be attributed to the dependent agent PE. However, the single taxpayer approach was rejected as the authorised OECD approach, which has lead to disagreement within the international tax community. Therefore, the second part of the purpose of this thesis is to study to what extent the authorised OECD approach is sustained. This is done by analysing reactions to the single and dual taxpayer approach among business and academic circles. The author believes that reactions against the dual taxpayer approach mainly arise in situations when an enterprise in the host state gives rise to a dependent agent PE. Therefore, the authorised OECD approach should have recognised that different types of dependent agent PEs might arise and the approach is only sustained to the extent that a person belonging to the foreign enterprise leads to the existence of a dependent agent PE.

In 2008 the Committee of Fiscal Affairs of OECD published its report on profit attributable to a permanent establishment. In 2010 article 7 of the OECD model tax convention was reformed, and the report was revised to better conform to the article. The authorised OECD approach is that a permanent establishment is a separate and independent entity, engaged in the same or similar activities under the same or similar conditions, taking into account the functions performed, assets used and risks assumed by the enterprise through the permanent establishment and through other parts of the enterprise. The approach is built on a two step analysis, the first is a functional and factual analysis and the second is determining the income of the permanent establishment. The authorised OECD approach is that the Transfer Pricing Guidelines should be applied by analogy in transactions between the permanent establishment and the rest of the enterprise. The Swedish Income Tax Law has the view that the permanent establishment is a separate and independent entity. The Swedish approach is a two step analysis; the basis is the accountings of the enterprise adjusted for internal dealings, and the second step is a functional analysis. The Swedish law does not allow allocation of “free” capital to a permanent establishment, nor does it allow a permanent establishment to deduct royalty payments to other parts of the enterprise. The Swedish provision regarding documentation of transactions between enterprises with economic interest in each other does not apply to permanent establishments. For reasons of certainty and predictability, the best thing would be for the legislator to reform the Swedish Income Tax Law. Seeing that a permanent establishment is obliged to have its own accounting, the burden and cost of obliging it to document internal dealings would not be that big.

<p>Business profits constitute the main part of income derived through international business and these profits are only to be taxed in the home state of the enterprise. However, if the enterprise conducts business in a host state through a PE, the profits attributable to the PE are taxable in the host state. Article 7 of the OECD Model Tax determines the profits attributable to the PE.</p><p>Nevertheless, Member States have interpreted Article 7 of the OECD Model Tax Convention in various ways. In order to provide consensus the OECD adopted an authorised OECD approach for attributing profits to PEs.</p><p>The first part of the purpose of this thesis is to study the Swedish approach for attributing profits to dependent agent PEs in relation to the authorised OECD approach. An enterprise from the home state can be considered to have a dependent agent PE in the host state if it conducts business in the host state through a dependent agent located therein. This is provided that the agent has the authority to conclude contracts in the name of the enterprise and exercises this authority regularly.</p><p>Under the authorised OECD approach for profit attribution to dependent agent PEs it is possible to allocate profits to the PE in excess of the arm’s length remuneration paid to the dependent agent. Thereby, the OECD has adopted the dual taxpayer approach as the authorised OECD approach.</p><p>According to the author’s opinion the Swedish perspective regarding profit attribution to dependent agent PEs differs from the authorised OECD approach as the dual taxpayer approach so far has not been applied in Sweden. Furthermore, it differs as the attribution of capital to PEs is not allowed according to case law and as far as the recognition of internal dealings is concerned.</p><p>When the OECD adopted the dual taxpayer approach as the authorised OECD approach another method was available; the single taxpayer approach. In line with this approach no further profits in excess of the arm’s length remuneration to the dependent agent can be attributed to the dependent agent PE. However, the single taxpayer approach was rejected as the authorised OECD approach, which has lead to disagreement within the international tax community.</p><p>Therefore, the second part of the purpose of this thesis is to study to what extent the authorised OECD approach is sustained. This is done by analysing reactions to the single and dual taxpayer approach among business and academic circles.</p><p>The author believes that reactions against the dual taxpayer approach mainly arise in situations when an enterprise in the host state gives rise to a dependent agent PE. Therefore, the authorised OECD approach should have recognised that different types of dependent agent PEs might arise and the approach is only sustained to the extent that a person belonging to the foreign enterprise leads to the existence of a dependent agent PE.</p>

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1 Abstract Title: The concept of the permanent establishment in the tax law Author: Marek Vaněk Supervisor: JUDr. Petr Kotáb, Ph.D. This thesis analyses the law concept of the permanent establishment, mainly the legislation contained in the OECD Model Tax Convention and in the Income Tax Act. The first part of the thesis analyses the types of permanent establishment (fixed, building and construction sites, service-based, agent-based and permanent establishment of the shareholders of partnerships and limited partnerships), separately according the OECD Model Tax Convention and according to the Income Tax Act. The thesis also analyses subsequent sources of law. The thesis includes a detailed analysis of conditions which are necessary for the existence of the permanent establishment, inclusive examples, including information of the Ministry of finance and the General Financial Directorate that have impact on the permanent establishment treatment. Furthermore, the thesis deals with the determination of the tax residency of persons and legal bodies which is a significant factor for the application of bilateral double taxation treaties (mainly with the circumstances of the existence of the permanent establishment), including the issues connected with proving of the tax residency of the tax transparent entities....

01 Double tax treaties aim to prevent double taxation. Double taxation of income is an undesirable phenomenon from the taxpayers' point of view. The most widespread way of preventing it is through bilateral agreements concluded between states under the OECD Model Agreement. In general, a prerequisite of taxation is either tax residency or the existence of a permanent establishment, which can take various forms. Double taxation treaties and the concept of a permanent establishment in which this master thesis is dedicated, have undergone a dynamic transformation over the past few years due to both Base Erosion and Profit Shifting reports (BEPS) and the Multilateral Instrument by OECD (MLI). This transformation is demonstrated in this thesis by comparing selected provisions of the OECD Model Agreement 2014 and 2017. This thesis addresses the current question of whether the current development of tax treaties is to avoid double taxation or avoid double non-taxation and artificial tax reduction. Double tax treaties, as practice shows, fulfill their traditional role. The first chapter deals with the system of national and international taxation in general. The second chapter deals with the issue of double taxation, methods of its avoidance and comparison of versions of the OECD Model Agreement 2014 and 2017. The...

International tax law forms in an increasingly globalized world a significant regulator applying to constantly expanding group of entities whose activities are not exclusively tied to the area of one country. On the contrary, due to the continuously increasing link between national economies these entities very often simultaneously operate across multiple territories which often results to not always clearly identifiable tax law implications. It may be noted that international cooperation between states got over long decades to the fairly high level, especially in terms of prevention of the negative effects of double taxation of income to the subject to income tax. These negative effects were seen, and indeed even today sometimes may be seen in the form of increased tax burden of tax subjects, which is related to unwillingness to cross-border activity. Also especially developed countries very often aim to support such cross-border activities due to a positive impact into their public budgets. On the other hand, it is still possible to see certain gaps which, if used appropriate by the tax entities open the way to circumvention of rules and general principles on which international cooperation on these issues is based. These problems are primarily based on the concept of tax sovereignty which...

This thesis analyses the Australian approach to taxation of goodwill and related intangibles. It asks the questions: 'Is the current Australian approach to taxation of goodwill coherent?'; and 'Could a different approach minimise any distortions?' The thesis identifies the increasing importance of goodwill and other intangible property in a modern information-based economy. It identifies benchmarks for a 'good' tax system ??? such as efficiency, simplicity, and equity. It emphasises the criteria of simplicity and efficiency but includes other criteria and specifically considers the issue of alignment of accounting and legal concepts. It concludes that the current misalignment makes it difficult for the tax system to deal with goodwill coherently. The thesis criticises the treatment of goodwill under various Australian taxes, including stamp duty; Goods and Services Tax; taxation of capital gains; and income tax. It specifically considers the treatment of intangible sources of goodwill and their relationship with goodwill itself. The discussion of income tax pays particular attention to the role of goodwill and other intangibles in international transfer pricing. The thesis draws conclusions about the treatment of goodwill in Australia and whether the Australian approach meets the benchmarks established at the outset. The thesis demonstrates that the current Australian approach leads, inter alia, to tax avoidance. The current approach also offends a number of other criteria of a 'good' system. The thesis considers the UK tax treatment of intangibles held by resident companies and considers this model for Australia. It also considers the abandoned 'Tax Value Method' previously proposed for Australia. From this and other material, it suggests possible new directions and an alternative approach to taxing goodwill in Australia. These include a consistent and coherent definition of goodwill for tax that is compatible with law and accounting. The thesis also urges the development of a consistent approach to taxing goodwill at both the state and federal levels; and suggests greater reliance on the existence of goodwill as a means to establish jurisdiction to impose tax in international tax situations.

The European Union (EU) is built on the principle of freedom of establishment, meaning that companies have the possibility to establish themselves as a company or by setting up a secondary establishment in other Member States. This right has been confirmed by the European Court of Justice through case law. A basic feature in domestic tax legislation is that losses are allowed to be set off against profits when calculating the tax liability of a company. At the moment cross-border loss compensation within the EU is restricted, unfeasible or just accepted on a temporary basis. This lack of recognition of loss-offset gives the fact that double taxation may occur and claims form two or more national tax systems leads to uncertainty in the way a company will be taxed. Depending on whether the secondary establishment is a subsidiary or a branch, the rules relating to loss compensation differs. Taxation of secondary establishments is based on the principle of whether or not they are considered as a resident or a non-resident of the state. In regards to taxation of secondary establishments, the PE is considered to be a non-resident and a subsidiary considered to be a resident. However, the European Court of Justice approach of non discriminatory treatment and equal treatment that has been developed and seen in the history of case law leads to the question if the Marks &amp; Spencer ruling that concerned secondary establishments in form of subsidiaries can be applied to permanent establishments. The most vital difference between a subsidiary and a permanent establishment is connected to the taxation of the two. The subsidiary is considered to become a resident of the establishing state while the permanent establishment is seen as a non-resident. This legal difference between the two leads to different treatment under tax law. Taxation under a tax treaty leads to the situation where one of the contracting states will either credit or exempt the income deriving from the permanent establishment. Permanent establishments are often taxed under the method of exemption. In the Marks &amp; Spencer case it was held that losses and profits were two sides of the same coin. Applying this statement to permanent establishments gives the notion that if a contracting state exempts an income, there will be a set off of the symmetry of having losses and profits within the same tax system. This lead to the fact that if applying the Marks &amp; Spencer ruling on permanent establishments that are taxed under the exemption method, allowing terminal losses to be taken into account at the head office will set off the symmetry. Therefore it can be considered as the Marks &amp; Spencer ruling shall not apply to permanent establishments.