Switzerland and Ukraine sign tax treaty protocol

Switzerland and Ukraine government officials today signed a protocol amending their 2000 tax treaty.

The protocol, which is not yet in force, would reduce the threshold ownership interest in a distributing company for a dividend to be considered qualified participation.

Under the protocol, that threshold is set at 10 percent; the current standard of 20 percent.

The protocol also adds minimum standards agreed to by nations in the OECD/G20 base erosion profit shifting (BEPS) on tax treaty shopping. It also provides for arbitration of tax disputes.