taxation of the digital economy - uniglobal · suggested nexus rules –a critical review from the...
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T A X A T I O N O F
T H E D I G I T A L
E C O N O M Y
6 T H C O R P O R A T E
T A X S U M M I T
D O N A T A K O R E N
X A V I E R C A M P S
1 8 - 1 0 - 2 0 1 9
2
This material has been prepared for general informational and educational
purposes only and is not intended, and should not be relied upon, as
accounting, tax or other professional advice. Please refer to your advisors
for specific advice.
The views expressed by the presenter are not necessarily those of Zalando
SE or Electronics Arts.
D I S C L AI M E R
3
1. Introduction
2. OECD proposal
3. Status of the EU proposals
4. Summary
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T
4
1 . I N T R O D U C T I O N
5
> 400,000product choices
Z AL AN D O AT A G L AN C E : F Y 2 0 1 8
~ 5.4billion EURO
revenue 2018
> 80%of visits viamobile devices
> 300million
visitspermonth
> 27millionactive customers
> 15,500employees in Europe
17countries
~ 2,000brands
E L E C T R O N I C AR T S AT A G L AN C E : F Y 2 0 1 9
20 major
gamesConsolidated portfolio
~ 5.0billion USD
revenue 2019
> 50MRegular FIFA players
10,000employees worldwide
1.5 billion USD
Cash flow
7
• Three common characteristics of the digital economy
according to OECD:
• cross-jurisdictional scale without mass
• heavy reliance on intangible assets, especially intellectual
property (IP)
• the importance of data, user participation and their
synergies with IP
• Impossible to “ring-fence”: the BEPS Action 1 draft
says:
“In other words, because the digital economy is increasingly
becoming the economy itself, it would be difficult, if not
impossible, to ring-fence the digital economy from the rest of
the economy”
D I G I T AL E C O N O M Y ( 1 O F 2 )
The notion „digital
economy” was
coined in Don
Tapscott's 1995
best-seller Digital
economy: promise
and peril in the
age of networked
intelligence
8
D I G I T AL E C O N O M Y : T H E R O AD T O G L O B AL C O N S E N S U S
2015
• Report OECD
• BEPS Action 1
2016• Multilateral
• instrument
• (MLI) finalised
2017• Countries sign
• MLI
2018• 2 EU proposals
• on DST (short and
• long term)
• Interim OECD
• report on tax
• challenges
• arising from
• digitalisation
2019• European Council
• cannot reach an
• agreement on
• EU DST
• OECD publishes
• consultation
• documents in February (Pillar 1 & 2) and October (Pillar 1) and will publish in December (Pillar 2)
2020• Final OECD
• Report expected
BEPS Action
1 Report
9
2 . O E C D P R O P O S A L
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O E C D P U B L I C C O N S U L T AT I O N P AP E R
PILLAR 1
“USER
PARTICIPATION”
“MARKETING
INTANGIBLES”
“SIGNIFICANT
ECONOMIC
PRESENCE”
PILLAR 2
“INCOME
INCLUSION
RULE”
“TAX ON BASE
ERODING
PAYMENTS”
OECD
ADDRESSING THE TAX
CHALLENGES OF THE
DIGITALIZAT ION OF THE ECONOM Y
PUBLIC CONSULTATION DOCUMENT 03.2019
11
PILLAR ONE
Revised profit allocation and nexus rules
• User participation – social media platforms, search engines and online
marketplaces;
• Marketing intangibles – applicable to all businesses
• Significant economic presence – applicable to all businesses
Proposals to be discussed:
• new profit allocation rules:
• modified residual profit split method (‘MRPS’)
• fractional apportionment method
• distribution-based approaches
• new nexus rule - a concept of taxable business presence in a market
jurisdiction outside of physical presence requirements
• implementation and efficient administration of any ‘new taxing right’
O E C D P R O G R AM M E O F W O R K O N T H E T AX C H AL L E N G E S AR I S I N G F R O M
T H E D I G I T AL I S AT I O N O F T H E E C O N O M Y
PILLAR TWO
Global anti-base erosion
proposal
• Income inclusion rule
• Tax on base-eroding
payments
12
PILLAR ONE
Suggested nexus rules – a critical review from the entertainment industry
• User participation
• User identification issues: IP/Data privacy
• Cross-border gaming
• Online/social functionality value
• F2P modes. Profit allocation issues to market jurisdiction
• Marketing intangibles
• Marketing intangible of a jurisdiction - definition
• User identification issues, non-routine returns allocation under TP rules
• Significant economic presence
• Departure from international tax architecture – basis of factors
• Benchmarking
• Enforcing rules – withholding tax
O E C D P R O G R AM M E O F W O R K O N T H E T AX C H AL L E N G E S AR I S I N G F R O M
T H E D I G I T AL I S AT I O N O F T H E E C O N O M Y
13
UNIFIED APPROACH UNDER PILLAR 1 – SECRETARIAL PROPOSAL
Scope:
“consumer facing” multinationals
tthresholds (global & local) and exemptions
New nexus rules
sales to a country (not profits) - without physical presence - will be sufficient to allow to tax profits
Profit allocation rule – three-tier profit allocation
(Amount A) Residual profits of a global MNE are allocated to different market countries using a formula
(Amount B) In-country marketing and distribution functions are allocated a fixed-return (which is similar to the current TP
approach)
(Amount C) Tax authorities can agree an additional profit allocation for in-country functions which exceed the standard in-
country functions
Mandatory dispute regime & elimnation of double taxation
O E C D P R O G R AM M E O F W O R K O N T H E T AX C H AL L E N G E S AR I S I N G F R O M
T H E D I G I T AL I S AT I O N O F T H E E C O N O M Y
14
UNIFIED APPROACH UNDER PILLAR 1 – SECRETARIAL PROPOSAL
O E C D P R O G R AM M E O F W O R K O N T H E T AX C H AL L E N G E S AR I S I N G F R O M
T H E D I G I T AL I S AT I O N O F T H E E C O N O M Y
Step 1
• Identification of the MNE group’s profit from a consolidated SFS, possibly based on segments
Step 2
• Deduct from the identified profit approximation of the profit coming from routine activities
Step 3
• Split the non-routine profit applicable to the market jurisdiction and to other factors
Step 4
• Allocate the relevant portion of profit among the eligable market jurisdiction eg. with the factor „sales”
15
UNIFIED APPROACH – EXAMPLE 1
O E C D P R O G R AM M E O F W O R K O N T H E T AX C H AL L E N G E S AR I S I N G F R O M
T H E D I G I T AL I S AT I O N O F T H E E C O N O M Y
GROUP PROFIT FROM FINANCIAL STATEMENT
ROUTINE ACTIVITIES NON-ROUTINE ACTIVITIES
Consolidated SFS readily available
Cannot be easily manipulated
Operating segments available
Proposal: simple percentage +
variance by industry
CU
ST
OM
ER
DA
TA
BR
AN
D
AL
GO
RIT
HM
S
SO
FT
WA
RE
Proposal: simple percentage +
variance by industry
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4C
OU
NT
RY
X
CO
UN
TR
Y X
CO
UN
TR
Y Y
CO
UN
TR
Y Y
Allocate by allocation key
„sales”
16
UNIFIED APPROACH EXAMPLE 2
O E C D P R O G R AM M E O F W O R K O N T H E T AX C H AL L E N G E S AR I S I N G F R O M
T H E D I G I T AL I S AT I O N O F T H E E C O N O M Y
Country a
IP owner
Non routine
profits
Country c
Country b
Subsidiary
Support services
(marketing and
distribution)
“online sales”
from A
Parent co
Sub co
Country c
No A direct
presence
No Group
subsidiary
“online sales”
from A
Amount A
Amount B and C
Amount A
17
UNIFIED APPROACH vs VIDEOGAME INDUSTRY
A digital industry?
Evolution of the entertainment business. Role of R&D and marketing. Business decentralization;
presence vs value
Combined business models – background and history
• Traditional arcade game mode: The old good hardware days
• PC and console at home: Born of packaged good business. AAA games and franchises developed
• The internet era: Connectivity and online downloads. Online gaming. New cohort of digital native gamers
• Mobile gaming: Partnerships
• New modes: Social gaming, F2P. Online gaming. Connectivity issues. Development of AI.
O E C D P R O G R AM M E O F W O R K O N T H E T AX C H AL L E N G E S AR I S I N G F R O M
T H E D I G I T AL I S AT I O N O F T H E E C O N O M Y
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UNIFIED APPROACH vs ONLINE SALE OF GOODS
Role of R&D: what will happen to the old profit split method for tech industries/DEMPE analysis?
Identification of entrepreneurial vs routine function in highly digitalised tech environments
Keep it simple, Sherlock: new safe harbours emerging?
O E C D P R O G R AM M E O F W O R K O N T H E T AX C H AL L E N G E S AR I S I N G F R O M
T H E D I G I T AL I S AT I O N O F T H E E C O N O M Y
19
3 . S T A T U S O F T H E E U
P R O P O S A L S
20
E U C O M M I S S I O N P R O P O S AL :
AN I N T E R I M T AX O N C E R T AI N R E V E N U E F R O M D I G I T AL AC T I V I T I E S
21
E U C O M M I S S I O N P R O P O S AL :
A C O M M O N R E F O R M O F T H E E U ’ S
C O R P O R AT E T AX R U L E S F O R D I G I T AL AC T I V I T I E S
22
D I G I T AL S E R V I C E S T AX P R O P O S AL S I N E U R O P E
23
C H AL L E N G E S W I T H R E S P E C T T O T AX AT I O N O F D I G I T AL E C O N O M Y ( 1 O F 3 )
DESCRIPTION CHALLENGE COMMENTS
Compatibility with the double
taxation framework
Not included in the current
treaty framework
DST is not included in DTT or
MLI
Durability Interim proposal No sunset clause
Taxable events No unified notion of taxable
event
Taxable events may vary from
country to country
Size Ring-fencing Two criteria: global turnover
and revenues from digital
services
Tax rate 3-5% Tax on revenues not income,
also on loss making business
Compliance No unified enforcement
mechanism
Compliance and advisory
costs, no one-stop shop tool
24
C H AL L E N G E S W I T H R E S P E C T T O T AX AT I O N O F D I G I T AL E C O N O M Y ( 2 O F 3 )
DESCRIPTION CHALLENGE COMMENTS
Place of taxation Definition of taxable event Country of taxpayers’
residence vs. country where
value is created vs. country of
recipient
Arm’s lenght principle Allocation of taxable revenues Deviation from substance
principle to users principle
Double taxation Tax imposed twice No mechanism for deduction
of tax paid
Value creation Digitalisation of all businesses Brick-and-mortar vs. online
businesses
Data related value Question who creates value User vs. data collector vs. data
analyser vs. data purchaser
25
* Art.107 par.1 of TFEU: Save as otherwise provided in the Treaties, any aid granted by a Member State or through State resources in any form
whatsoever which distorts or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings or the production of certain goods shall, insofar as it
affects trade between Member States, be incompatible with the internal market”
C H AL L E N G E S W I T H R E S P E C T T O T AX AT I O N O F D I G I T AL E C O N O M Y ( 3 O F 3 )
DESCRIPTION CHALLENGE COMMENTS
Intercompany transactions May be subject to DST More scrutiny to set up the
intercompany pricing in a
correct way
State’s aid regulation* Repeal of the local DST
regulation
Qualification as state’s aid
regulation if differentation of
treatment is confirmed
Classification Type of tax Direct, indirect, WHT?
Disputes Dispute mechanism No reaty/dispute mechanism in
case of cross-border litigation
26
4 . S U M M A R Y
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• Implementing, computing, collecting, and monitoring will be extremely
challenging and complex for both tax payers and tax authorities.
• Taxpayers will be required to have systems, mechanisms or agreements
in place that will allow them to e.g. track user information.
• Taxpayers will have to comply with certain formal obligations, e.g. to
register in a special registry or to appoint a tax representative.
• The GDPR limits the possibilities and causes problems in terms of data
collection, storage, etc.
• Changes to the legal framework will be necessary.
S U M M AR Y
T A X A T I O N O F
T H E D I G I T A L
E C O N O M Y
Q & A
D O N A T A K O R E N
X A V I E R C A M P S
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