Tax avoidance through offshore structures
On Sunday evening, 4 October 2021, various media around the world simultaneously published the so-called "Pandora Papers", which once again accuse various individuals of tax evasion and tax avoidance through structures, be it in the form of foundations, trusts or companies based in so-called tax havens. There have been similar revelations before, namely in April 2016 in the "Panama Papers" and in November 2017 in the "Paradise Papers". What all these revelations have in common is that they are based on data leaks and target prominent people from politics, business, sports and entertainment with media attention. The revelations have led to an increased call for transparency and increasingly strict compliance regulations. However, the media also reveal that these offshore companies are legal structures used to optimise taxes, but not to evade them. Foundations and trusts are indeed legal structures that are usually not set up for purely tax considerations. Nevertheless, such (offshore) structures can lead to under-taxation if they are treated as fiscally transparent by the Swiss tax authorities and the founder/trustee and/or beneficiary resident in Switzerland has not declared the assets and income.
"Mother-daughter" arrangement between Italy and Switzerland
Opinion No. 537 of 6 August 2021 of the Italian tax authorities, described in this article, is a further sign of the "normalisation" of income tax relations between Italy and Switzerland.
Refund of withholding tax in international relations
The refund of withholding tax on dividends from Swiss companies by foreign shareholders can only be made on the basis of a double taxation agreement between Switzerland and the country of residence of the claimant. In order to claim relief from withholding tax under the applicable double taxation treaty, the residence of the claimant must be confirmed by the foreign tax authorities.
Transfer of the registered office to Switzerland - A case for the old reserve practice?
The problem of old reserves has become an integral part of daily tax consulting practice in Switzerland. The corresponding problem will be examined in this article on the basis of a transfer of the registered office of a foreign company to Switzerland. Here, too, the Federal Tax Administration (FTA) initially assumed that the "old reserves" brought into Switzerland were subject to Swiss abuse practice without restriction.
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Memorandum of Understanding between Switzerland and France on cross-border home office
According to media releases from the Federal Tax Administration (FTA) and the Federal Department of Finance (FDF) dated December 22, 2022, Switzerland and France have agreed on a solution for the taxation of home office income, which will apply from January 1, 2023. According to this, up to 40 percent of the working time per year can be performed in the home office without this having any impact on the state of taxation of income from employment - especially for cross-border commuters.
Home office - No extension of the mutual agreement between Switzerland and Italy
On December 22, 2022, the State Secretariat for International Financial Matters (SIF) announced that the mutual agreement between Switzerland and Italy of June 18-19, 2020, which includes, among other things, exceptional and temporary special rules for home office taxation, will remain in force only until January 31, 2023.
Entry into force of the Protocol of Amendment to the DTA with Japan
The Protocol of Amendment to the Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) between Switzerland and Japan has entered into force. With the exception of individual provisions, most of the amendments are applicable as of January 1, 2023.
Federal Council adopts dispatch on the amendment of the DTA with Tajikistan
On 16 November 2022, the Federal Council adopted the dispatch on the amending protocol to the DTA with Tajikistan. The protocol implements the minimum standards from the BEPS project.
Switzerland and United Arab Emirates sign protocol of amendment to DTA
Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates signed a protocol amending the agreement for the avoidance of double taxation (DTA) in the area of taxes on income in Abu Dhabi on November 5, 2022. The protocol implements the minimum standards from the BEPS project in matters of double taxation agreements.
Memorandum of Understanding between Switzerland and France
On October 27, 2022, SIF announced that the mutual agreement of July 18, 2022, on the taxation of telework between Switzerland and France will remain in force until December 31, 2022.
Memorandum of Understanding between Switzerland and the Kingdom of the Netherlands
On October 13, 2022, SIF published the "Mutual Agreement of September 6 and 29, 2022, respectively, on the procedural rules of the arbitration procedure provided for in Article 25 (Mutual Agreement Procedure), paragraph 5, of the Agreement of February 26, 2010, between the Swiss Confederation and the Kingdom of the Netherlands for the avoidance of double taxation in the field of taxes on income and for the prevention of fiscal fraud and tax evasion."
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Reimbursement in international circumstances - current practice and problem areas
Workshop on the occasion of the ISIS) seminar on 21 September 2020 entitled "Practical cases on withholding tax and outlook on current developments".
Current cases on intercantonal and international corporate tax law
Workshop from the ISIS) seminar on 2/3 March 2020 entitled "Corporate Tax Law 2020
Structuring of real estate assets with a view to estate planning
Workshop on the occasion of the ISIS) seminar of 28 November 2019 entitled "Tax Aspects of Estate Planning for Real Estate".
Possibilities and limits of securing tax planning (rulings, notifications, assurances, preliminary notices and the like), exchange of information, administrative and legal assistance
Workshop on the occasion of the ISIS seminar on 9/10 September 2019 entitled "Tax planning in the area of conflict between cost optimisation, tax compliance and Good citizenship - opportunities and risks".
