Under the widely applied rules of the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines, allocation of the returns from the exploitation of intellectual property should be shared among all entities that contribute towards the profit-generating value of an intangible. This important book, in its detailed treatment of compliance with this principle – known as DEMPE (development, enhancement, maintenance, protection and exploitation) – describes exactly how both taxpayers and tax authorities can achieve an accurate assessment of transactions in order to arrive at an appropriate transfer pricing outcome. Analysing the legal, economic, and business management aspects of multinational enterprises activities, the book provides a comprehensive understanding of the DEMPE concept both in theory and in practice. Fully covered are such issues and topics as the following: role of the DEMPE concept within the framework of international tax law and transfer pricing; interplay of the DEMPE concept with the arm’s length principle; full description of each DEMPE function and analysis in the light of possible tax and transfer pricing consequences; modes of application of the DEMPE concept which can be directly implemented in practice; and additional tools (e.g., value chain analysis or RACI matrix) useful in applying the DEMPE concept. The book also provides the first in-depth analysis of the interplay between the DEMPE concept and the licence model in its various structural variations. Taking into account that intangibles amount to 84% of the market value of the S&P 500 companies and that over 80% of global trade transactions can be linked to value chains of multinational enterprises – and recognizing the scarcity of guidance heretofore on the application of the DEMPE concept – tax advisors, corporate counsels, tax authorities, and academics around the world are sure to appreciate and benefit greatly from this matchless and practical book.

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the rules governing the taxation of permanent establishments as implemented in the OECD Model Tax Convention and German national tax law. Deviations between the OECD approach and the German approach are identified and modifications to the rules as a result of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project are examined. Moreover, challenges imposed to the PE concept as a result of the digitalisation of the economy are identified and discussed. Against this background, the Pillar One Blueprint proposing a long-term solution to overcome the tax challenges arising from the digitalisation of the economy is presented and assessed against widely accepted overarching principles of tax policy.

Transfer pricing treatment of intangibles: Issues und developments In recent decades, intangibles have become one of the most relevant success factors for Multinational Enterprises (MNEs). Along with the increasing importance of intangibles for economies, their tax treatment has also been under scrutiny which includes inter alia respective transfer pricing issues. MNEs are seeking for the best ways to optimize their business arrangements with the related intangibles while, at the same time, getting the most tax-efficient treatment. On the other hand, tax authorities have become increasingly concerned with the ease that intangibles can be used in aggressive planning. These concerns have been noticed and addressed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development which presented its main findings with respect to transfer pricing aspects of intangibles in Action 8 of the BEPS Project in 2015 and in the 2017 OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines. This book is based on the outcomes of the presentations and discussions held during the WU Transfer Pricing Symposium, ‘Transfer Pricing and Intangibles: Current Developments, Relevant Issues and Possible Solutions’, that took place in October 2018 at the WU Vienna University of Economics and Business. The publication discusses the most important issues and recent developments related to transfer pricing treatment of intangibles. Starting with the definition of intangibles, it further deals with topics such as appropriate attribution of intangible-related profits, structuring of intangibles in MNEs, and proper valuation of intangibles. The authors, apart from providing a theoretical background to the discussed issues, also present case studies that show how certain issues can be approached in practice. Every chapter ends with a summary of the discussions held during the panels of the Transfer Pricing Symposium in which representatives of tax administrations, multinationals, and tax advisories presented their opinions on the issues at stake.

Intensive work on transfer pricing, one of the most relevant and challenging topics in the international tax environment, continues to increase worldwide at every level of government and international policy with a far-reaching impact on countries’ legislations, administrative guidelines, and jurisprudence. This book presents an in-depth, issue-by-issue analysis of the current state of developments along with suggestions for future solutions to the problems raised. Emerging from the research conducted by the WU Transfer Pricing Center at the Institute for Austrian and International Tax Law at WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business), this book offers eight topic-based chapters prepared by international experts on transfer pricing. Greatly helping to define recent transfer pricing issues around the world, this book encompasses the following topics: Global Transfer Pricing Developments. Transfer Pricing Developments in the European Union. Transfer Pricing Developments in the United States. Transfer Pricing Developments in Developing Countries and Emerging Economies. Recent Developments on Transfer Pricing in the Post-Covid-19 Era. Recent Developments on Transfer Pricing and Substance. Recent Developments on Transfer Pricing and Business Restructurings. Recent Developments on Transfer Pricing and New Technologies. The intense work of international organizations such as the OECD, UN, and other international organizations, as well as the intense work of the EU, is thoroughly analyzed in this book. The detailed analysis will be of immeasurable value to the various players, including international organizations, the business community and advisory firms, corporate CEOs and CFOs, and government officials as well as to tax lawyers, in-house counsel, and interested academics in facilitating efficient dialog and a coordinated approach to transfer pricing in the future.

Since its announcement in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as the New Silk Road, has gradually gained international recognition. The project requires not only extensive investment in infrastructure and transportation but also an acceleration of the internationalization of multinationals and supply chains in Belt and Road countries. The project will, hopefully, lead governments and businesses in countries along the Belt and Road to compete, adopt best practices and improve transparency. The BRI marks a national push by China to increase economic links to Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Russia, the Baltic region (Central and Eastern Europe), Africa and Latin America, which will have major consequences for the way that tax systems interact. Emerging from the research conducted by the WU Global Tax Policy Center in cooperation with several Chinese universities, this book offers fourteen policy-relevant research papers prepared by international experts on the following issues: • The New Silk Road: Will Tax Be a Facilitator or a Barrier? • Neo-BEPS: China’s Prescription for International Tax Reform Embodying the Rationality of the Belt & Road Initiative; • International Taxation Coordination under China’s Belt and Road Strategy; • Tax Issues in the Main Belt and Road Countries and Industries of China’s Outward Foreign Direct Investment; • Preferential Arrangements under Chinese Tax Treaties with Belt and Road Countries and Disputes Regarding Their Applicability; • Tax Planning by Going-Global Enterprises for Cross-Border Earnings: Observations Based on Belt and Road Countries; • International Taxation Issues under the Belt and Road Initiative: Corporate Income Tax Laws and Tax Treaties; • Financial and Tax Operations in the Five Central Asian Countries; • The Role of Border-Crossing Procedures in the Transportation of Goods along the New Silk Road; • Transfer Pricing Issues Related to the Belt and Road Initiative; • Tax Treaties between Belt and Road Countries; • VAT Challenges in the Belt and Road Initiative; • Global Tax Policy Post-BEPS and the Perils of the Silk Road; and • Creating a Positive Tax Climate for Complex Multijurisdictional Investment Projects. Outcomes presented in the book consist of findings presented during Tax Policy Forum on the Belt and Road Initiative held on 12–13 June 2017 in Beijing, jointly organized with Peking University Tax Law Center and the Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing. These papers also formed the basis for input by WU Global Tax Policy Center at the first meeting of The Belt and Road Initiative Tax Cooperation Conference (BRITCC) held in Astana on 14–16 May 2018, in which it was agreed to establish a permanent forum to examine the tax issues that arise from the BRI. The WU Global Tax Policy Center will continue to provide inputs to this forum.

Transfer pricing and business restructurings: issues and developments In the ever-evolving global landscape, the ability of businesses to swiftly adapt is crucial for maintaining relevance and competitiveness. This imperative holds true for multinationals, which frequently engage in strategic restructuring of their operations, assets, and resources to realign with the dynamic shifts in market conditions. This dynamic approach enhances operational efficiency, cuts costs, and optimizes financial performance. However, the intricacies of restructuring, especially in the context of transfer pricing, pose considerable challenges. Despite elaborate guidance from the OECD and UN, transfer pricing considerations in business restructuring remain complex. Determining appropriate transfer pricing methodologies, finding comparable transactions, and ensuring accurate documentation present hurdles for both multinationals and tax administrations. This publication discusses the most important issues and recent developments related to this theme. It attempts to cover various issues related to business restructuring, including delineation and recognition, remuneration of restructuring and post-restructuring, and other relevant issues such as exit taxes, location savings, permanent establishments, and implications of COVID-19. This book is based on the outcomes of the presentations and discussions held during the WU Transfer Pricing Symposium, that took place in October 2022 at the WU Vienna University of Economics and Business. The authors, apart from providing a theoretical background to the discussed issues, also present case studies that show how those issues can be approached in practice.

Transfer pricing is one of the most relevant and challenging topics in international taxation. Over the last century, nearly every country in the world introduced transfer pricing rules into their domestic legislation. Indeed, it was estimated that profit shifting generated by the improper application of transfer pricing rules has resulted in global tax losses worth USD 500 billion for governments – 20% of all corporate tax revenues. It is thus imperative that all tax professionals thoroughly understand the nature of transfer pricing and how the growing body of applicable rules works in practice. In this crucially significant volume, stakeholders from government, multinational companies, international organisations, advisory groups and academia offer deeply informed perspectives, both general and specific, on the practical application of transfer pricing rules, taking into consideration all the most recent developments. With approximately 160 practical examples and 90 relevant international judicial precedents, the presentation proceeds from general to more specialised topics. Such aspects of the subject as the following are thoroughly analysed: what is transfer pricing and the purpose of transfer pricing rules; the arm’s length principle and its application; the consequences of a transaction not being in accordance with the arm’s length principle; the transfer pricing methods; the mechanisms to avoid and resolve disputes; the transfer pricing documentation; the attribution of profits to permanent establishments; the transfer pricing aspects of specific transactions, such as services, financing, intangibles and business restructurings. The application of transfer pricing legislation is arguably the most difficult task that taxpayers and tax authorities around the world must face. With this authoritative source of practical guidance, government officials, tax lawyers, in-house tax counsel, academics, advisory firms, the business community and other stakeholders worldwide will have all the detail they need to move forward in tackling this thorny aspect of the current tax environment.

The challenges and opportunities of new technologies in the tax field Technological developments induced major reforms in the regulatory international and domestic tax landscapes as well as in the developments in the use of technology by tax administrations and taxpayers. New technology, especially the innovations in virtual asset-light cross-border business organizations, data analytics, service and process automation, on one hand, disrupted the well-established legal tax principles and rules and, on the other, stimulated informed data-driven and structured solutions in tax compliance. Technological advances affected nearly every area and each aspect of taxation: Direct tax regulations, indirect tax law, and tax procedures including tax compliance, and tax control functions. International organizations such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations (UN), and the European Commission as a supranational organization fostered critical legislative reforms and proposals among which are the OECD Two-Pillar Solution to Address the Tax Challenges Arising from Digitalisation of the Economy, Article 12B of the UN Model Tax Convention to tax automated digital services, new rules for tracing transfers of crypto-assets in the EU, as well as the EU ́s VAT e-commerce package and "VAT in the Digital Age" package. While these proposals aim to address a wide range of the benefits and challenges of Economy 4.0, certain questions arise concerning the consistency of the legislative developments with their initial objectives, the appropriateness of the legal form for the economic substance of the regulated relations for the effectiveness of the regulations as well as their coherence. This volume contains a collection of scientific chapters on the general topic "Tax and Technology" that were successfully completed by the 2022/2023 LL.M. graduates of the Institute for Austrian and International Tax Law, WU. The volume is divided into three parts that contain the contributions dealing with the impact of the technology on international tax law, indirect tax law, and procedural law. Each chapter provides an in-depth analysis of a unique research question aiming to innovatively contribute to the current debate and develop a practical approach for implementing the findings.

The book pays attention to the tax treatment of transfer pricing in a single perspective of analysis since the most important principles (the arm’s length -ALP- i.e. conditions that independent parties would share, and the sale country) are agreed worldwide. They must be applied in the same way regardless of the economic sector or industry. A country survey overlooks the most important issue of the fiscal problem, that is, the ability to project a unitary policy in compliance with the ALP (or with the sale country principle) and that should be audited by one sole (only theoretically) existing tax authority. The practical part and examples disclose how rules should be/have been applied, how legal proceedings can arise/arose regarding their application , how they were decided if litigation truly occurred, and finally the author’s motivated opinion with special focus on which is “the breaking point” of a specific analysis. The term “breaking point” is used to explain which can be the factual and/or the interpretative change that is able to modify such analysis and thus the solution. Extract from the preface of prof. Reuven Avi-Yonah: “this book is a must read for any serious student of the topic and an important contribution to understanding how the ALP is applied today as well as to how it should be applied. It is an invaluable contribution and should be read widely by both tax lawyers and accountants and by tax policy makers”.

Intensive work on transfer pricing, one of the most relevant and challenging topics in the international tax environment, continues to increase worldwide at every level of government and international policymakers, with a far-reaching impact on countries’ legislations, administrative guidelines, and jurisprudence. This book presents an in-depth, issue-by-issue analysis of the current state of developments, along with suggestions for future solutions to the problems raised. Emerging from the research conducted by the WU Transfer Pricing Center at the Institute for Austrian and International Tax Law at WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business), this book offers seven topic-based chapters prepared by international experts on transfer pricing. Greatly helping to define recent transfer pricing issues around the world, it encompasses the following topics: Global Transfer Pricing Developments; Transfer Pricing and Amount B; Transfer Pricing and BEFIT; The EC’s Transfer Pricing Directive Proposal; Transfer Pricing and Profit Attribution to New-Age Permanent Establishments; Transfer Pricing and ESG; and Transfer Pricing and New Technologies. The intense work of international organizations, such as the OECD, the UN, and the EU, is thoroughly analysed in this book. The detailed analysis will be of immeasurable value to the various players, including international organizations, the business community and advisory firms, corporate CEOs and CFOs, government officials and tax lawyers, in-house counsel, and interested academics in facilitating efficient dialogue and a coordinated approach to transfer pricing in the future.