NewsletterJan2016 (PDF)




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Title: Microsoft PowerPoint - Fidinam HK newsletter_Jan 2016 [Sola lettura]
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International tax and corporate information

January 2016
Hong Kong

In this issue:
HONG KONG REMOVED FROM
ITALIAN BLACKLIST
EXPANSION OF HONG KONG'S
TREATY NETWORK
TAX INCENTIVES FOR CORPORATE
TREASURY CENTRE

Swiss Quality
& Asian Efficiency
瑞士品质 亚洲效率

EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION

HONG KONG REMOVED FROM ITALIAN BLACKLIST

The DTA includes an article about exchange of information upon
request, exclusively for the enforcement and prosecution of tax
matters. HKSAR has also committed to the common reporting
standard as per OECD automatic exchange of information. For
further information please contact Fidinam Hong Kong.

ITALY HAS AMENDED ITS BLACKLIST WITH EFFECT
STARTING FROM 30 NOVEMBER 2015: HKSAR has finally been
removed from the Italian Blacklist of non-cooperative countries for tax
purposes. The DTA signed by the two jurisdictions contains both
provisions for the avoidance of double taxation and the exchange of
information for the prevention of fiscal evasion.

HONG
KONG
SIGNED
A
DOUBLE
TAXATION
AGREEMENT WITH RUSSIA ON 18TH JANUARY 2016.

The announce by Italy is expected to have an effect on the business
relationship between the two countries: trading volumes are expected
to increase while HK entities will become an appealing vehicle for
Italian companies to invest in Asia.

Treaty highlights

WHAT ARE THE
PERSPECTIVE?

ADVANTAGES

FROM

AN

ITALIAN

-CFC provisions for blacklisted countries will not be applicable
anymore. Income from HK subsidiaries will only be taxed locally (if
fiscally resident) at the standard rate (16.5%)
-95% exemption from Italian tax for dividends received from
subsidiaries (effective tax rate in Italy of 1.375%)
-Deductibility of costs originated in HK for goods and/or services
(previously not allowed )
AND THE ADVANTAGES FROM THE HK PERSPECTIVE:
-Taxation on dividends distributed from Italy to HK will be capped to a
maximum of 10%, while royalty withholding tax and interest
withholding tax will be limited respectively to a maximum of 15% and
12.5%.
-No capital gain tax in Italy on disposal of shares of Italian companies
(unless more than 50% of the values of such shares derives from
Italian immovable properties).
- Clearer rules for the identification of tax residency thanks to tie
breaker rules.

EXPANSION OF HONG KONG'S TREATY NETWORK

"The treaty will help investors better assess their potential tax
liabilities from cross-border economic activities”, said Hong Kong’s
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, K C Chan.

- Personal incomes : in the absence of DTA, received by Russian
residents in Hong Kong may be taxed twice : both in Hong Kong and
Russia.
Under the agreement, individuals will be allowed to claim a credit to
the amount of tax paid in Hong Kong, against the Russian tax that is
payable on the same income.
- Corporate incomes : In some cases, the profits of Hong Kong
companies doing business through a permanent establishment in
Russia are currently subject to tax in both places.
The agreement will help avoid double taxation as the Russian tax
paid by the companies will be allowed as a credit against the tax
payable in Hong Kong.
- Passive incomes : The following table summarizes the applicable
withholding rates for the passive income received from Russia by a
Hong Kong resident as beneficial owner.
Tax rate
Actual

Under the Treaty

Dividends

15%

5% or 10%*

Royalties

20% (companies)
30% (individuals)
3%

*5% if the beneficial owner is a company which holds at least
15% of the capital, 10% in other cases

1

The agreement provides for exchange of information, which
enables Hong Kong to fulfil its international obligations on
enhancing tax transparency.

When it comes into force?
The tax treaty will come into force after the completion of
ratification procedures on both sides.
In Hong Kong, it has to be implemented by way of an order
made by the Chief Executive in Council under the Inland
Revenue Ordinance, submitted to the Legislative Council.
It is the 34th tax treaty that Hong Kong has signed and is
expected to participate in the expansion of Hong Kong’s network
of investment protection agreement and comprehensive double
tax agreement, desired by CY Leung.
Indeed, in his 2016 Policy Address, the Hong Kong Chief
Executive said that "Hong Kong will play and active role to
facilitate the implementation of the Belt and Road initiative".
Details of the Hong Kong-Russia DTA can be found on the IRD
website:
http://www.ird.gov.hk/eng/pdf/Agreement_Russia_HongKong.pd
f

TAX INCENTIVES FOR CORPORATE TREASURY
CENTRE
Announcement in the 2015-16 Government Budget

As announced by the Financial Secretary in the 2015-16 Budget
to promote Hong Kong's competitiveness in attracting the
treasury business, the Government has introduced into the
Legislative Council the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No. 4) Bill
2015 (the “Bill”) which was published in the Gazette on
December 4, 2015. The Bill is about the introduction of tax
incentives to qualifying corporate treasury centre (“CTC”).

Tax incentives introduced in the Bill
A CTC is generally regarded as an in-house bank of a
multinational corporation, providing treasury services for its
associated companies. To be a qualifying CTC under the Bill, a
corporation has to carry out in Hong Kong one or more
corporate treasury activities as listed below AND does not carry
out in Hong Kong any activity other than a corporate treasury
activity.
 intra-group borrowing and lending;
 cash and liquidity management;
 managing the associated corporations’ relationships with
financial institutions;
 advising on the management of investment of funds of the
associated corporations;
 managing investor relations;
 providing services in relation to the provision of guarantees
or remittances;
 providing assistance in the merger or acquisition of a
business by the associated corporation;
 providing corporate finance advisory services;
 processing of payments to vendors;
 supporting capital raising;
 risk management.

HONG KONG AND UAE AGREEMENT NOW ACTIVE
On January 19th, Hong Kong government announced that the
tax treaty between HK and the UAE signed on 11 December
2014 came into force on 10 December 2015, after completion of
ratification procedures on both sides.
When it will effectively apply ?
As from 1 January 2016 in UAE, on or after 1 April 2016 in Hong
Kong for any year of assessment.
The agreement provides methods for the elimination of double
taxation on personal and corporate incomes, which encourages
investment and business from each other.
The tax treaty also contains article related to the exchange of
information between the two countries.

The following tax incentives are introduced for a qualifying CTC:


Adjusting the existing interest expenses deduction rule
Under the current tax ordinance, if a CTC borrows from an
overseas associated corporation which is not subject to tax
in Hong Kong, the CTC will not generally be entitled to tax
deduction on the interest expenses paid to the associated
corporation. On the other hand, interest income received by
the CTC from the associated corporation, be it in Hong Kong
or overseas, is chargeable to profits tax if the CTC manages
the funds and the inter-company loan arrangements in Hong
Kong i.e. operations test will be applied to determine whether
the source of the interest income is in Hong Kong.

@ via EMAIL

If you are interested in receiving Fidinam HK NEWS in electronic format, simply connect to
the site www.fidinam.com.hk and request free subscription to the Fidinam HK News page.

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to guarantee the
accuracy of the information contained in this publication.
Nonetheless, we recommend addressing trusted consultants for
the examination relative to each concrete case. The information
contained is not binding in any way whatsoever and we
therefore decline all responsibility.

FIDINAM (HONG KONG) LIMITED
Room 1501, Prosperity Tower,
39 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong
Tel. +852 2110 0990 – Fax +852 3102 0007
E-mail: info@fidinam.com.hk

Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Nassau, Sydney,
Wellington, Lugano, Amsterdam, Barcelona,
Bellinzona, Genève, Istanbul, London, Luxembourg,
Madrid, Mendrisio, Milan, Monte Carlo, Nice,
Vaduz, Zug, Zürich

2

Under the Bill, interest expenses on money borrowed from a
non-Hong Kong associated corporation is deductible by a
qualifying CTC from its assessable profits provided that (i)
the corresponding interest received by the non-Hong Kong
associated corporation is subject to tax of substantially the
same nature of profits tax outside Hong Kong AND (ii)
foreign tax paid at a rate NOT lower than Hong Kong’s tax
rate which is 16.5% currently.


Allowing a 50% of the current corporate profits tax rate for
qualifying CTC
A concessionary tax rate, which is half of the ordinary profits
tax rate (i.e. 1/2 x 16.5% = 8.25%) will be offered to a
qualifying CTC.

Development of the Bill
The industry generally welcomes the above proposed measures
to strengthen Hong Kong's status as an international financial
centre and the preferred location for multinational corporations
to set up treasury centres. It is hope that the Legislative Council
would support the timely passage of the Bill, so as to foster the
development of Hong Kong as an international financial centre
and business hub and attract more multinational and Mainland
corporations to establish CTC in Hong Kong, thereby generating
demands for the financial and professional services sectors.

@ via EMAIL

If you are interested in receiving Fidinam HK NEWS in electronic format, simply connect to
the site www.fidinam.com.hk and request free subscription to the Fidinam HK News page.

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to guarantee the
accuracy of the information contained in this publication.
Nonetheless, we recommend addressing trusted consultants for
the examination relative to each concrete case. The information
contained is not binding in any way whatsoever and we
therefore decline all responsibility.

FIDINAM (HONG KONG) LIMITED
Room 1501, Prosperity Tower,
39 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong
Tel. +852 2110 0990 – Fax +852 3102 0007
E-mail: info@fidinam.com.hk

Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Nassau, Sydney,
3
Wellington, Lugano, Amsterdam, Barcelona,
Bellinzona, Genève, Istanbul, London, Luxembourg,
Madrid, Mendrisio, Milan, Monte Carlo, Nice,
Vaduz, Zug, Zürich






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