Africa
UN model treaty proposal would impose withholding tax on software payments
Jian-Cheng Ku and Xander Stubenrouch of DLA Piper Nederland N.V., Amsterdam, discuss a September 1 discussion draft under consideration by the UN Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters which proposes an amendment the UN model tax convention to include software payments in the definition of royalties . . .
The intercompany pricing of commodities: Alcoa versus the Australian Taxation Office
Dr. Harold McClure, an Economist based in New York City, discusses a transfer pricing dispute between the Australian Taxation Office and an Australian affiliate of US aluminum giant, Alcoa, which presents interesting questions regarding when comparable transactions should be considered uncontrolled transactions for transfer pricing purposes and how to select the best method for determining arm’s length prices for commodities such as alumina. . . .
Intercompany interest deductions in the extractive sector
Economist Dr. Harold McClure of New York City discusses the taxation of intercompany financing in the extractive sector, focusing on likely tax disputes concerning the financing of Australia’s Gorgon natural gas project, the UN’s recent guidance on transfer pricing in the extractive sector, and the ConocoPhillips and Chevron intercompany financing litigations . . .
Draft toolkit on the art of tax treaty negotiation offers tips for developing countries
Francesca Amaddeo, a researcher at the Tax Law Competence Centre (SUPSI), Manno, Switzerland, writes about a draft toolkit for tax administrations on tax treaty negotiation published on June 29 by the Platform for Collaboration on Tax, which is a joint initiative of the IMF, OECD, UN, and World Bank Group (WBG) . . .