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News

Update UBO-register: publicatie conceptbesluit

Op 31 januari 2018 heeft de Nederlandse regering, in het kader van de invoering van het UBO-register, het concept uitvoeringsbesluit Wwft 2018 (“Conceptbesluit”) gepubliceerd, waarin wordt aangegeven welke categorieën personen in ieder geval als uiteindelijk belanghebbenden (Ultimate Beneficial Owner oftewel UBO) moeten worden aangemerkt.

De in dit Conceptbesluit gebruikte UBO-definitie zal naar alle waarschijnlijkheid overeenkomen met de definitie voor het UBO-register, ook al heeft het Conceptbesluit specifiek betrekking op de verplichte identificatie van de UBO’s achter een rechtspersoon of samenwerkingsverband in het kader van de dienstverlening door bepaalde instellingen.

Read MoreUpdate UBO-register: publicatie conceptbesluit

Geen vermogensrendementsheffing indien dit leidt tot een individuele en buitensporige last

A-G Niessen concludeert op 15 december 2017 (publicatiedatum 5 januari 2018, zie ELCI:NL:PHR:2017:1397) dat de box 3 heffing onder omstandigheden onredelijk is en buiten toepassing moet worden gesteld indien dit leidt tot een individuele en buitensporige last. De A-G adviseert de Hoge Raad de zaak te verwijzen naar een ander gerechtshof om te om te onderzoeken of er sprake is van een individuele en buitensporige last.  

Read MoreGeen vermogensrendementsheffing indien dit leidt tot een individuele en buitensporige last

Favourable judgement for EU holding companies – ECJ limits too general anti-abuse

In a recent decision, the European Court of Justice (“ECJ”) issued a favourable judgement regarding too general anti-abuse legislation for holding companies. For the ECJ, both the treatment of the EU parent company’s shareholders and the nature of the economic activities of the EU parent company – criteria adopted by the German anti-abuse provisions under question – are irrelevant for pre-assessing abuse. This decision could have a major impact on the applicability of anti-abuse provisions and substance requirements for holding companies within the EU, including the Netherlands.

Read MoreFavourable judgement for EU holding companies – ECJ limits too general anti-abuse

Supreme Court rejects fiscal unity between Dutch sister companies with a joint non-EU parent company

On 15 December, 2017 the Dutch Supreme Court ruled that a request to create a fiscal unity between Dutch sister companies with a joint parent company established in a third non- EU/EEA country does not have to be granted by the Dutch Tax Authorities. The judgement follows the earlier Opinion of the Advocate-General, but is opposed to the judgement of the Court of Appeal Arnhem-Leeuwarden.

Read MoreSupreme Court rejects fiscal unity between Dutch sister companies with a joint non-EU parent company

Proposed Dutch legislation changing the scope of dividend withholding taxes and exemptions

Kristel Tijsterman and Pieter Frolichs have written an article in edition 88 (December 2017) of the Tax Notes International. In this article Kristel and Pieter analyze proposed changes to the Dutch Dividend Withholding Tax Act and examine how the new rules may affect a range of entities.

Read MoreProposed Dutch legislation changing the scope of dividend withholding taxes and exemptions

US Tax reform bill: Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts

On November 2, the House Republican's tax reform bill – the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act – was released. This bill is 429 pages and should provide for extensive tax reform. The bill would immediately reduce the statutory tax rate to 20% and move to a territorial system of taxing foreign profits with anti-base erosion provisions for both US-based and foreign-based multinational companies. A new excise tax of 20% will be introduced on deductible payments from US companies to related foreign companies that in fact acts similar to the border adjustment in the House Republican Blueprint, but only for outbound payments. A brief summary of the other key provisions is provided below. President Trump intends to sign the bill before the Thanksgiving holiday, but there are several unpopular provisions that will potentially get push-back and changes are likely to be made. Given the current political US landscape and the unprecedented situation, the last major US tax reform took place in 1986, this seems an optimistic outlook. Of course we will keep you posted on updates following the legislative process.

Read MoreUS Tax reform bill: Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts

Advocate General CJEU on the compatibility of the Dutch fiscal unity regime with the fundamental freedoms followed by Dutch Government emergency response measures

On 25 October 2017, Advocate General (AG) Campos Sánchez-Bordona issued his opinion in the Joined Cases C‐398/16 and C‐399/16 X BV & X NV versus the Dutch State Secretary of…

Read MoreAdvocate General CJEU on the compatibility of the Dutch fiscal unity regime with the fundamental freedoms followed by Dutch Government emergency response measures