Shortcomings in the EU Merger Directive
Shortcomings in the EU Merger Directive

Author: Frederik Boulogne

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2016-03-23

Total Pages: 655

ISBN-13: 9041167145

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The European Union (EU) Merger Directive removes certain tax disadvantages encountered by companies and their shareholders in the course of a restructuring operation. However, in spite of amendments and European Court of Justice's (ECJ) interpretations of its provisions, various shortcomings remain. This thoroughgoing analysis, broader and deeper than any prior work on the subject, addresses all the Directive's subtopics methodically, following the paragraphs of Articles 1-15 in their logical succession. The author analyses the points in which the Merger Directive falls short of attaining its stated objective, and he also examines how these shortcomings could be scaled. To do so, he tests the Merger Directive against its own objective, primary EU law (the fundamental freedoms and the unwritten general principles of EU law) and non-discrimination provisions in relevant treaties. Each of the following questions is addressed and responded to in depth: – Which entities have access to the Merger Directive and which entities should have access to it? – Which operations are covered by the Merger Directive and which operations should be covered? – Which tax disadvantages to cross-border restructuring operations does the Merger Directive aim to remove, which tax disadvantages have been actually removed, which tax disadvantages remain, and how should the Merger Directive be amended to remove the remaining tax disadvantages? – How tax avoidance should be combated under Article 15(1)(a) of the Merger Directive, which possible types of tax avoidance can be identi¬fied, and how the Merger Directive should be amended? – Which cases of double taxation does a taxpayer engaging in cross-border restructuring operations potentially encounter, and how they can be taken away by the Merger Directive? The key shortcomings that are identifi¬ed are: the Merger Directive’s objective is not stated precisely; minimum harmonisation does not lead to a common tax system; exhaustive lists are used as legislative technique; the Merger Directive does not add much to the outcomes reached through negative harmonisation; and the de¬finitions of qualifying operations are not fully aligned with corporate law. Chapter 6 contains a deeply informed and viable proposal for the amendment of the Merger Directive. This is the fi¬rst treatment not only to evaluate the Directive's effi¬cacy in detail but also to offer real solutions to its shortcomings. It will be welcomed by policymakers, judges, practitioners and academics, and the recommendations it contains are sure to affect ongoing amendments and jurisprudence on the Merger Directive.

Cross-Border Mergers
Cross-Border Mergers

Author: Thomas Papadopoulos

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2019-09-28

Total Pages: 511

ISBN-13: 3030227537

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This edited volume focuses on specific, crucially important structural measures that foster corporate change, namely cross-border mergers. Such cross-border transactions play a key role in business reality, economic theory and corporate, financial and capital markets law. Since the adoption of the Cross-border Mergers Directive, these mergers have been regulated by specific legal provisions in EU member states. This book analyzes various aspects of the directive, closely examining this harmonized area of EU company law and critically evaluating cross-border mergers as a method of corporate restructuring in order to gain insights into their fundamental mechanisms. It comprehensively discusses the practicalities of EU harmonization of cross-border mergers, linking it to corporate restructuring in general, while also taking the transposition of the directive into account. Exploring specific angles of the Cross-border Mergers Directive in the light of European and national company law, the book is divided into three sections: the first section focuses on EU and comparative aspects of the Cross-border Mergers Directive, while the second examines the interaction of the directive with other areas of law (capital markets law, competition law, employment law, tax law, civil procedure). Lastly, the third section describes the various member states’ experiences of implementing the Cross-border Mergers Directive.

Time and Tax: Issues in International, EU, and Constitutional Law
Time and Tax: Issues in International, EU, and Constitutional Law

Author: Werner Haslehner

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2018-12-20

Total Pages: 434

ISBN-13: 9403501642

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Time is a crucial dimension in the application of any law. In tax law, however, where an environment characterized by rapid change on the national, European, and international levels complicates the provision of accurate legal advice, timing is particularly sensitive. This book is the first to analyse the relationship between time and three key areas of tax: treaties, EU law, and constitutional law issues, such as legal certainty and individual rights. Among the numerous timing issues arising out of applying tax rules, the book addresses the following: – time limits within which relief must be requested; – statutes of limitation for claiming a tax refund; – transitional issues relating to changes in tax treaties; – attribution of profits and expenses to a moving or closed-down business; – effect of tax-related CJEU decisions and EU directives; – compliance of exit tax regimes with free movement; – limits of retroactivity under principles protected by the EU Charter and the ECHR; and – conflict between efficiency of taxation and individual rights. Derived from a recent conference organized by the prestigious ATOZ Chair for European and International Taxation at the University of Luxembourg, the book brings together contributions from leading tax experts from various areas of tax practice, academia, and the judiciary. Among other issues, the book notably expands on how economic theory can inform a constitutional analysis of the timing of taxation. There is no other work that concentrates so usefully on the difficulties associated with applying tax rules – whether arising from treaties, jurisprudence, or policy – to changing circumstances over time. This book will quickly prove itself to be an indispensable resource for European tax lawyers, policymakers, company counsels, and academics.

Introduction to European Tax Law: Direct Taxation
Introduction to European Tax Law: Direct Taxation

Author: Karoline Spies

Publisher: Spiramus Press Ltd

Published: 2023-01-02

Total Pages: 361

ISBN-13: 1913507467

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This handbook is a concise guide for all those who aim at obtaining a basic knowledge of European tax law. Designed for students, it should also be useful for experienced international tax specialists with little knowledge of European law, European law specialists who are reluctant to approach the technicalities of direct taxation and non-Europeans who deal with Europe for business or academic reasons and need to understand the foundations of European tax law. This book should also help academics without a legal background to approach the technical issues raised by European Union tax law. This edition contains selected relevant information available as of 30 June 2022. It retains all of the features and tools contained in the previous editions (including the final charts, which our readers very much appreciate). In this edition we have also included a list of relevant documents and a selection of reference textbooks on European tax law in five languages, which we found of potential interest to our readers.

National Legal Presumptions and European Tax Law
National Legal Presumptions and European Tax Law

Author: Claudia Sanò

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2016-04-24

Total Pages: 376

ISBN-13: 9041166238

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Determining the burden of proof in tax law cases is usually what contributes most to the case’s outcome. Legal presumptions – those inferences that are laid down in the law rather than being the result of the court’s reasoning – play a critical role in such determinations. This very useful book uncovers the details of such presumptions which are shared among European tax law systems, thus revealing a remarkably clear path through the course of a tax law case in any Member State in the context of EU law. Referring to both legal theory and relevant case law, the author assesses whether and to what extent national legal presumptions may be deemed to be consistent with EU law, and when this is not the case, under which conditions they may be reconciled. The analysis unfolds along such avenues as the following: – the meaning of the concept of legal presumption as developed by legal theory and authoritative academic literature; – special considerations regarding presumptions in customs law, VAT, and direct taxation (harmonized and unharmonized); – how tax authorities use presumptions to simplify the assessment of tax and tackle tax avoidance or evasion, particularly in cross-border situations; – justifications asserted by the Member States in relation to restrictions on fundamental freedoms; and – standards of compatibility for national legal presumptions with EU law resulting from CJEU case law. With reference to national experience, using Italy and Belgium as specific examples, the analysis culminates in an elaboration of criteria for legal presumptions capable of meeting the test of compatibility with EU law. As an in-depth investigation of possible inconsistencies and conditions for the coexistence of EU and Member State tax law, this book will be welcomed by both taxation authority officials and taxpayer counsel. The understanding it imparts on the actual impact of EU law on the recourse to legal presumptions by national tax legislatures and the protection of European taxpayers is unsurpassed.

Terra/Wattel – European Tax Law
Terra/Wattel – European Tax Law

Author: Peter J. Wattel

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2018-11-20

Total Pages: 588

ISBN-13: 9403505915

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The seventh edition of this two-volume set brings a comprehensive and systematic survey of European Tax Law up to January 2018. It provides a state of the art clarification and analysis of the implications of the EU Treaties and secondary EU law for national and bilateral tax law. From the consequences of the EU free movement rights - to the soft law meant to put a halt to harmful tax competition. The seventh edition of European Tax Law offers a cutting-edge analysis of the field surrounding tax law across Europe. It puts forward a thought-provoking discussion of the current EU tax rules, as well as of the EU Court’s case law in tax matters. Previous editions were highly regarded as a staple overview of EU tax law among EU tax law practitioners, policymakers, the judiciary and academics alike. With its updated legislation and case-law up to January 2018, this new edition maintains its unparalleled depth and clarity as the go-to reference book in the field. This first volume of the abridged student edition of ‘European Tax Law’ covers: 1. The consequences of the EU free movement rights, the EU State aid prohibition, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the general principles of EU law for national tax law, tax treaties, national (tax) procedure, State liability and relations with third States, as they appear from the case law of the Court of justice of the EU 2. Secondary EU law in force and proposed on direct taxes: the Parent-Subsidiary Directive, the Tax Merger Directive, the Interest and Royalties Directive, cross-border tax dispute settlement instruments, the Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive and the C(C)CTB proposal 3. The exchange of information and other administrative assistance in the assessment and recovery of taxes between the EU Member States 4. Soft Law on Harmful Tax Competition 5. Procedural matters and the extent of judicial protection The upcoming second volume of this set will cover harmonization of indirect taxation, energy taxation and capital duty, as well as administrative cooperation in the field of indirect taxation.

Introduction to European Tax Law on Direct Taxation
Introduction to European Tax Law on Direct Taxation

Author: Lukasz Adamczyk

Publisher: Linde Verlag GmbH

Published: 2024-09-26

Total Pages: 315

ISBN-13: 3709413508

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Basic knowledge of European Tax Law This concise handbook has become a traditional instrument for gaining basic knowledge of European tax law with emphasis on direct taxes. It is directed at students, experienced international tax specialists with little knowledge of European law, European law specialists and non-Europeans who deal with Europe for business or academic reasons and need to understand the foundations of European tax law. Moreover, this book can be useful to academics without a legal background in approaching technical issues raised by European Union tax law, as well as give inspiration to the most experienced European direct tax law experts. The eighth edition adds new updates on the most essential changes and new case law of the CJEU in the field of European direct taxation. Furthermore, due to its particular importance, the EU Global Minimum Tax Directive is now covered in a separate chapter.

The Oxford Handbook of International Tax Law
The Oxford Handbook of International Tax Law

Author: Florian Haase

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2023

Total Pages: 1185

ISBN-13: 0192897683

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International Tax Law is at a turning point. Increased tax transparency, the tackling of Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), the reconstruction of the network of bilateral tax treaties, the renewed discussion about a fair and efficient allocation of taxing rights between States in a global, digitalized economy, and the bold push for minimum corporate taxation are some expressions of this shift. This new era also demonstrates the increased influence of international standard setters such as the OECD, the UN, and the EU. Each of these developments alone has the potential of being disruptive to the traditional world of international tax law, but together they have the potential to reshape the international tax system. The Oxford Handbook of International Tax Law provides a comprehensive exploration of these key issues which will shape the future of tax law. Divided into eight parts, this handbook traces the history of international tax law from its earliest days until the present, including reflections on the developments that have characterized the last one hundred years. The second section places tax law within the broader international context considering how it relates to public and private international law, as well as corporate, trade, and criminal law. Sections three and four consider key legal principles and issues such as regional tax treaty models, OECD dispute resolution, and transfer pricing versus formulary apportionment. Subsequent analysis places these issues within their European and cross-border contexts providing an assessment of the role of the ECJ, state aid, and cross-border VAT. Section seven broadens the scope of this analysis, asking how trends in recent major economies and regions have helped shape the current outlook. The final section considers emerging issues and the future of international tax law. With over sixty authors from 28 different countries, the Oxford Handbook of International Tax Law is an invaluable resource for scholars, academics, and practitioners alike.

Hybrid Entities in Tax Treaty Law
Hybrid Entities in Tax Treaty Law

Author: Sriram Govind

Publisher: Linde Verlag GmbH

Published: 2020-09-03

Total Pages: 696

ISBN-13: 3709410754

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Tax treaty law and EU tax law in connection with hybrid entities Hybrid entities have traditionally been used as an avenue for international tax planning, and extending benefits under tax treaties to such entities has been a source of controversy for many years now. Although the OECD Partnership Report provided solid policy footing on this issue, there was still no common legal basis that countries could rely on for such positions. The increasing focus of countries towards the curbing of tax avoidance and abuse involving hybrid mismatch arrangements culminated in a specific action plan in the BEPS Project being dedicated to the design of domestic rules and the development of treaty provisions that would neutralize the tax effects of such arrangements. This volume provides an in-depth analysis of various aspects of this topic. It is divided into two parts – the first dealing exclusively with tax treaty issues arising in connection with hybrid entities and the second dealing with EU tax law issues surrounding hybrid entities. The former part comprises chapters analysing how tax treaties have historically dealt with this issue with a focus on domestic court jurisprudence, the positions in the OECD and the UN Model Conventions, the developments that have come about owing to the BEPS Project, and the impact of several existing measures, regimes, and vehicles on these tax treaty provisions. The latter part comprises chapters on how hybrid entities are dealt with under primary EU law, under various secondary law directives including the newly enacted Anti-Tax Avoidance Directives, and an analysis of policy solutions offered in this direction.

The Role of Tax Law in Mergers and Acquisitions
The Role of Tax Law in Mergers and Acquisitions

Author: Chunyang Zhang

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2022-08-08

Total Pages: 207

ISBN-13: 9403537620

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Series on International Taxation, Volume 82 The economic value of China’s mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market is exceeded only by that of the United States. However, China’s rapid and somewhat chaotic economic transformation has made the task of taxing M&A transactions in a consistent and prudent manner difficult, leading to a patchwork of fragmented rules that are hard to grasp not only for taxpayers but even for tax professionals and tax officials. Responding to this complex situation, this groundbreaking book explores in detail how income derived from M&A transactions is taxed in China. Using empirical studies in order to provide a first-hand understanding of the context in which the tax law operates, the book critically examines China’s income tax regime for M&A and, based upon this examination, sets out reform proposals. In six informative chapters of great practical relevance, the author thoroughly describes and explains the intersection of such aspects as the following: M&A transactions in the eyes of tax law; disparities between ordinary and special tax treatment; eligibility for special tax treatment; applying taxation principles such as neutrality and equity; continuity of interest doctrine; stock acquisition versus asset acquisition; and adjustment to tax basis. In addition to its empirical research, the analysis makes use of an examination of the rules and theories on taxing M&A in other jurisdictions such as Australia and the United States as part of its proposed blueprint for improving China’s M&A taxation. Drawing on commonly recognized taxation principles, this book definitively sets up the normative criteria for evaluating the income taxation of M&A and reveals the fundamental problems encountered by China’s current regime. Its comprehensive analysis of the Chinese income tax rules for M&A and detailed disclosure of how they are both divergent from and convergent with that of some other major economies will prove of immeasurable value to in-house counsel for multinational corporations, business enterprises with interests in China, taxation consultants, taxation academics, and taxation authorities worldwide.