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An Increasingly Less Remote Situation: New O.E.C.D. Model Treaty Commentary on Remote Workers

An Increasingly Less Remote Situation: New O.E.C.D. Model Treaty Commentary on Remote Workers

Remote work is one of COVID-19’s enduring legacies. What began as something necessary for health and safety reasons has become a fairly conventional practice. Not surprisingly, issues have arisen related to remote work locations as permanent establishments when an individual resides in Contracting State 1 and works for an employer based in Contracting State 2. In November, the O.E.C.D. issued additional guidance to the permanent establishment article of the Model Tax Convention on Income and on Capital, without changing any of the text of the article. The updated commentary emphasizes that general principles for determining the existence of a P.E. – such as the permanence of the premises and whether the premises are used to carry out core business functions rather than ancillary functions – apply in evaluating whether the employer based in Contracting State 2 maintains a P.E. in Contracting State 1 by reason of a home office of an employee located in Contracting State 1. In their article, Stanley C. Ruchelman and Wooyoung Lee explain that the new guidance focuses principally on two factors: time spent working out of a remote worker’s home and commercial reasons for being in another country. Five examples of typical fact patterns are provided, of which four provide favorable outcomes. Companies with remote workers are encouraged to use the examples in drafting – and enforcing -- a remote worker policy that parrots the examples that reach favorable outcomes. Failure to do so will prolong the current system that yields uncertainty.

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2016 Model Treaty – B.E.P.S. and Expatriated Entities

On February 17, 2016, the Treasury Department released its 2016 Model Treaty. The model serves as the baseline from which the U.S. initiates treaty negotiations. Various provisions are discussed in detail in this month’s Insights.

The 2016 Model Treaty adopts certain B.E.P.S. provisions, including those that eliminate double non-taxation through a splintered operation which divides a long-term project among several related parties and each party maintains the project for a limited time. That type of planning no longer works. Other B.E.P.S.-related revisions are missing. Sheryl Shah and Elizabeth V. Zanet explain what is out and what is in. They also address the way payments from expatriated entities are treated. It is not all bad news.

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2016 Model Treaty – Mandatory Arbitration

On February 17, 2016, the Treasury Department released its 2016 Model Treaty. The model serves as the baseline from which the U.S. initiates treaty negotiations. Various provisions are discussed in detail in this month’s Insights.

Taking a cue from the U.S.-Canada Income Tax Treaty, the 2016 Model Treaty provides for mandatory arbitration as part of the article on Mutual Agreement Procedure. I.R.S. statistics indicate that under the Canadian treaty 80% of cases were resolved by the competent authorities in lieu of risking an adverse decision through arbitration. Kenneth Lobo explains the revised provision and places it in context.

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U.S. Treasury Announces New U.S. Model Income Tax Treaty

On February 17, 2016, the Treasury Department released its 2016 Model Treaty. The model serves as the baseline from which the U.S. initiates treaty negotiations. Various provisions are discussed in detail in this month’s Insights.

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