Finance Act 2004

31 Exemptions for dormant companies and small and medium-sized enterprises

(1) Schedule 28AA to the Taxes Act 1988 (provision not at arm’s length) is amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph 1 (basic rule on transfer pricing etc) in sub-paragraph (2) (profits and losses to be computed as if the arm’s length provision had been made) after “Subject to paragraphs” insert “5A, 5B,”.

(3) After paragraph 5 insert—

“Exemption for dormant companies

5A (1) Paragraph 1(2) above does not apply in computing for any chargeable period the profits and losses of a potentially advantaged person if that person is a company which satisfies the condition in sub-paragraph (2) below.

(2) The condition is that—

(a) the company was dormant throughout the pre-qualifying period, and

(b) apart from paragraph 1 above, the company has continued to be dormant at all times since the end of the pre-qualifying period.

(3) In sub-paragraph (2) above “the pre-qualifying period” means—

(a) if there is an accounting period of the company that ends on 31st March 2004, that accounting period, or

(b) if there is no such accounting period, the period of 3 months ending with that date.

(4) In this paragraph “dormant” has the same meaning as in section 249AA of the Companies Act 1985 (see subsections (4) to (7) of that section).”.

(4) After paragraph 5A insert—

“Exemption for small or medium-sized enterprises

5B (1) Paragraph 1(2) above does not apply in computing for any chargeable period the profits and losses of a potentially advantaged person if that person is a small or medium-sized enterprise for that chargeable period (see paragraph 5D below).

(2) Exceptions to sub-paragraph (1) above are provided—

(a) in the case of a small enterprise, by sub-paragraphs (3) and (4) below, and

(b) in the case of a medium-sized enterprise, by sub-paragraphs (3) and (4) and paragraph 5C below.

(3) The first exception is where the small or medium-sized enterprise elects for sub-paragraph (1) above not to apply in relation to the chargeable period.

Any such election is irrevocable.

(4) The second exception is where, at the time when the actual provision is or was made or imposed,—

(a) the other affected person, or

(b) a party to a relevant transaction (see sub-paragraph (5) below),

is a resident (see sub-paragraph (6) below) of a non-qualifying territory (whether or not that person is also a resident of a qualifying territory).

(5) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (4) above, a “party to a relevant transaction” is a person who, in a case where the actual provision is or was imposed by means of a series of transactions, is or was a party to one or more of those transactions.

(6) In this paragraph “resident”, in relation to a territory,—

(a) means a person who, under the laws of that territory, is liable to tax there by reason of his domicile, residence or place of management, but

(b) does not include a person who is liable to tax in that territory in respect only of income from sources in that territory or capital situated there.

(7) The definitions of “qualifying territory” and “non-qualifying territory” are in paragraph 5E below.

Additional provisions for medium-sized enterprises

5C (1) Paragraph 5B(1) above does not apply as respects any provision made or imposed if—

(a) the potentially advantaged person in question is a medium-sized enterprise for the chargeable period in question, and

(b) the Board gives that person a notice under this sub-paragraph (a “transfer pricing notice”) requiring him to compute the profits and losses of that chargeable period in accordance with paragraph 1(2) above in the case of that provision.

(2) A transfer pricing notice may be given in respect of —

(a) any provision specified, or of a description specified, in the notice, or

(b) every provision in relation to which the assumption in paragraph 1(2) above would fall to be made apart from paragraph 5B(1) above.

(3) A transfer pricing notice may be given only after a notice of enquiry has been given to the potentially advantaged person in respect of his tax return for the chargeable period.

(4) A transfer pricing notice must identify the officer of the Board to whom any notice of appeal under this paragraph is to be given.

(5) A person to whom a transfer pricing notice is given may appeal against the decision to give the notice, but only on the grounds that the condition in sub-paragraph (1)(a) above is not satisfied.

(6) Any such appeal must be brought by giving written notice of appeal to the officer of the Board identified for the purpose in the transfer pricing notice in accordance with sub-paragraph (4) above.

(7) The notice of appeal must be given before the end of the period of 30 days beginning with the day on which the transfer pricing notice is given.

(8) A person to whom a transfer pricing notice is given may amend his tax return for the purpose of complying with the notice at any time before the end of the period of 90 days beginning with—

(a) the day on which the notice is given, or

(b) if he appeals against the notice, the day on which the appeal is finally determined or abandoned.

(9) Where a transfer pricing notice is given in the case of any tax return, no closure notice may be given in relation to that tax return until—

(a) the end of the period of 90 days specified in sub-paragraph (8) above, or

(b) the earlier amendment of the tax return for the purpose of complying with the notice.

(10) So far as relating to any provision made or imposed by or in relation to a person—

(a) who is a medium-sized enterprise for a chargeable period,

(b) who does not make an election under paragraph 5B(3) above for that period, and

(c) who is not excepted from paragraph 5B(1) above by virtue of paragraph 5B(4) above in relation to that provision for that period,

the tax return required to be made for that period is a return that disregards paragraph 1(2) above.

(11) Sub-paragraph (10) above does not prevent a tax return for a period becoming incorrect if, in the case of any provision made or imposed,—

(a) a transfer pricing notice is given which has effect in relation to that provision for that period,

(b) the return is not amended in accordance with sub-paragraph (8) above for the purpose of complying with the notice, and

(c) the return ought to have been so amended.

(12) In this paragraph—

• “closure notice” means a notice under—

  (a)

  section 28A or 28B of the Management Act, or

  (b)

  paragraph 32 of Schedule 18 to the Finance Act 1998;

• “company tax return” means the return required to be delivered pursuant to a notice under paragraph 3 of Schedule 18 to the Finance Act 1998, as read with paragraph 4 of that Schedule;

• “notice of enquiry” means a notice under—

  (a)

  section 9A or 12AC of the Management Act, or

  (b)

  paragraph 24 of Schedule 18 to the Finance Act 1998;

• “tax return” means—

  (a)

  a return under section 8, 8A or 12AA of the Management Act, or

  (b)

  a company tax return.

Meaning of “small enterprise” and “medium-sized enterprise”

5D (1) In this Schedule—

(a) “small enterprise” means a small enterprise as defined in the Annex to the Commission Recommendation,

(b) “medium-sized enterprise” means an enterprise which—

(i) falls within the category of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises as defined in that Annex, and

(ii) is not a small enterprise as defined in that Annex,

but for these purposes that Annex has effect with the modifications set out in sub-paragraphs (3) to (6) of this paragraph.

(2) In this paragraph—

• “the Annex” means the Annex to the Commission Recommendation;

• “the Commission Recommendation” means Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6th May 2003 (concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises).

(3) Where any enterprise is in liquidation or administration, the rights of the liquidator or administrator (in that capacity) shall be left out of account when applying Article 3(3)(b) of the Annex in determining for the purposes of this Schedule whether—

(a) that enterprise, or

(b) any other enterprise (including that of the liquidator or administrator),

is a small or medium-sized enterprise.

(4) Article 3 of the Annex shall have effect with the omission of paragraph 5 (declaration in good faith where control cannot be determined etc).

(5) The first sentence of Article 4(1) of the Annex shall have effect as if the data to apply to—

(a) the headcount of staff, and

(b) the financial amounts,

were the data relating to the chargeable period in paragraph 5B(1) above (instead of the period described in that sentence) and calculated on an annual basis.

(6) Article 4 of the Annex shall have effect with the omission of the following provisions—

(a) the second sentence of paragraph 1 (data to be taken into account from date of closure of accounts);

(b) paragraph 2 (no change of status unless ceilings exceeded for two consecutive periods);

(c) paragraph 3 (bona fide estimate in case of newly established enterprise).

Meaning of “qualifying territory” and “non-qualifying territory”

5E (1) In this Schedule—

• “non-qualifying territory” means any territory which is not a qualifying territory;

• “qualifying territory” means—

  (a)

  the United Kingdom, or

  (b)

  any territory as respects which Condition 1 or Condition 2 below is satisfied.

(2) Condition 1 is that—

(a) arrangements to which section 788 applies (double taxation relief by agreement with other territories) have been made in relation to the territory;

(b) those arrangements contain a non-discrimination provision (see sub-paragraphs (4) and (5) below); and

(c) the territory is not designated as a non-qualifying territory for the purposes of this sub-paragraph in regulations made by the Treasury.

(3) Condition 2 is that—

(a) arrangements to which section 788 applies have been made in relation to the territory; and

(b) the territory is designated as a qualifying territory for the purposes of this sub-paragraph in regulations made by the Treasury.

(4) For the purposes of this paragraph a “non-discrimination provision”, in relation to any arrangement to which section 788 applies, is a provision to the effect that nationals of a state which is a party to those arrangements (a “contracting state”) are not to be subject in any other contracting state to—

(a) any taxation, or

(b) any requirement connected with taxation,

which is other or more burdensome than the taxation and connected requirements to which nationals of that other state in the same circumstances (in particular with respect to residence) are or may be subjected.

(5) In this paragraph, “national”, in relation to a contracting state, includes—

(a) any individual possessing the nationality or citizenship of the contracting state,

(b) any legal person, partnership or association deriving its status as such from the laws in force in that contracting state.

(6) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this paragraph shall not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the House of Commons.”.

(5) In paragraph 14(1) (general interpretation) insert each of the following definitions at the appropriate place—

““medium-sized enterprise” shall be construed in accordance with paragraph 5D above;”;

““non-qualifying territory” has the meaning given by paragraph 5E above;”;

““qualifying territory” has the meaning given by paragraph 5E above;”;

““small enterprise” shall be construed in accordance with paragraph 5D above;”.