A permanent establishment (PE) is a fixed place of business which generally gives rise to income or value-added tax liability in a particular jurisdiction. The term is defined in many income tax treaties and in most European Union Value Added Tax systems. The tax systems in some civil-law countries impose income taxes and value-added taxes only where an enterprise maintains a PE in the country concerned. Definitions of PEs under tax law or tax treaties may contain specific inclusions or exclusions.
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History
The concept of permanent establishment emerged in the German Empire after 1845, culminating with the German Double Taxation Act of 1909. Initially the objective was to prevent double taxation between Prussian municipalities and this was extended to the entire German federation. In 1889, the first bilateral tax treaty, including the concept of permanent establishment, was concluded between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Prussia, marking the first time the concept was used in international tax law. After years of preparatory works, in 1928, the League of Nations developed a model to tackle cross-border double taxation and to counter tax evasion. Since then, an extensive network of bilateral tax treaty was gradually established, particularly through the influence of the OECD Model Tax Convention, where this concept persisted.
Types of permanent establishments
In the OECD Model Tax Convention, essentially three types of PEs can be construed:
The UN Model Tax Convention, which gives greater consideration to developing countries, adds what is known by service permanent establishment in article 5(3)b. Some countries, such as Saudi Arabia, have been trying to extend the concept of service PE into a virtual service PE.
Under the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting project being developed by the OECD and endorsed by the G20, a new nexus based on significant digital presence is being considered under Action 1, aimed at Addressing the Tax Challenges of the Digital Economy.
Fixed place of business
The starting point for determination if a permanent establishment exists is generally a fixed place of business. The definition of permanent establishment in article 5 of the OECD Model Income Tax Treaty is followed in most income tax treaties.
The commentary indicates that a fixed place of business has three components:
The requirements of what constitutes a 'permanent establishment' within the scope of a particular treaty depend on what interpretation a particular country places on that term, in context of the text of that treaty. As per Article 3 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, no one is entitled to claim rights under a particular treaty unless otherwise authorised by the contracting state. Therefore, if a particular contracting state places a different meaning on the term 'permanent establishment' than what the taxpayer seeks to place, the taxpayer would be left with virtually no remedy within that state, other than to seek a mutual agreement to that dispute with the other contracting state to that treaty.
Indicative list of permanent establishments
The OECD Model Tax Convention includes a short indicative list of prima facie permanent establishments. These, however, are not automatically permanent establishments as the requirements set out, namely, for fixed place of business permanent establishment must be met. The list is as follows:
Specifically excluded places
Many treaties explicitly exclude from the definition of PE places where certain activities are conducted. Generally, these exclusions do not apply if non-excluded activities are conducted at the fixed place of business. Among the excluded activities are:
Construction or Project PE
Many treaties provide specific rules with respect to construction sites. Under those treaties, a building site or construction or installation project constitutes a PE only if it lasts more than a specified length of time. The amount of time varies by treaty.
Agency PE
In addition, the activities of a dependent agent may give rise to a PE for the principal. Dependent agents may include employees or others under the control of the principal. A company is generally not considered an agent solely by reason of ownership of the agent company by the principal. However, activities of an independent agent generally are not attributed to the principal.
Service PE
Some treaties deem a PE to exist for an enterprise of one country performing services in the other country for more than a specified length of time or for a related enterprise.
BEPS Action 7 and 15
In October 2015, the OECD released the final reports on the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project. Action 7 was targeted at Preventing the Artificial Avoidance of Permanent Establishment Status and proposes a large number of changes that are set to be included in the next version of the OECD Model Tax Convention. The OECD expects many of these changes to be applied to currently existing tax treaties through the work based on Action 15 on Developing a Multilateral Instrument to Modify Bilateral Tax Treaties. A large number of countries are involved in the negotiations that are expected to be concluded by the end of 2016.
The final report on Action 7 proposes substantial changes to the definition of Agency PE and stricter requirements to the exclusions provision:
"These changes will ensure that where the activities that an intermediary exercises in a country are intended to result in the regular conclusion of contracts to be performed by a foreign enterprise, that enterprise will be considered to have a taxable presence in that country unless the intermediary is performing these activities in the course of an independent business.
The changes will also restrict the application of a number of exceptions to the definition of permanent establishment to activities that are preparatory or auxiliary nature and will ensure that it is not possible to take advantage of these exceptions by the fragmentation of a cohesive operating business into several small operations; they will also address situations where the exception applicable to construction sites is circumvented through the splitting-up contracts between closely related enterprises."