News
The OECD’s Discussion draft on changing the Commentary on Article 9 (and others)
Article 9 of the OECD Model Tax Convention deals with the (distribution of) taxation (rights in respect) of transactions between associated enterprises. The OECD now proposes changes to the Commentary…
News
Can MLI arbitration finally kick off?
First competent authority agreement regarding MLI arbitration published The Multilateral convention to implement tax treaty related measures to prevent base erosion and profit shifting (‘MLI’) provides the possibility for a…
News
E-commerce: Avoid VAT compliance obligations abroad and register now for the One Stop Shop (OSS)
From 1 July 2021, companies selling goods via web shops will have to deal with foreign VAT and the related obligations much sooner when selling goods to private individuals in…
News
New EU tax transparency rules for digital platform operators officially adopted and published: DAC 7 enters into force in 2023
The European Union Member States agreed to a new measure to tackle the challenges they face when taxing the digital economy. One of the crucial elements for this to succeed…
News
Covid-19 Telework: how to mitigate the fiscal impact?
Due to the Covid-19 government measures, most employees work mainly from their home offices from March 2020 onwards.
Publications
Overview of Digital Platform Reporting Obligations in the EU
After our publication on Belgium’s digital platforms reporting obligations (which you may read here), the WTS Global Digital Tax Law Center has analyzed whether other EU Member States have implemented…
News
Real estate abroad - fulfil your legal obligations in time!
On 11 February 2021, a draft bill was approved by the Belgian parliament amending the tax treatment of real estate located abroad. With this bill, the Belgian legislator aims to…
News
VAT on making cars available to employees: a headache ahead for cross border employers?
On February 11, 2021, the Luxembourg VAT authorities issued a circular with respect to the treatment applicable to making cars available to employees. The Circular offers clarifications upon the judgment…
News
Further clarifications on the exemption introduced for bonuses granted to employees
The 2021 budget law dated 19 December 2020 (the “Law”) added a §13a to article 115 of the Luxembourg Income Tax Law (“LITL”). This measure introduces a new tax regime…
News
Constitutional Court questions the application of the cayman tax to trusts
Previously, in its judgment of 11 March 2020 (A.R. no. 2018/4033/A unpublished)1, the Brussels court of first instance approved an agreement between the Belgium-resident founder of a Canadian trust and…
News
Draft bill to deny the deduction of interest and royalty payments to blacklisted countries as of 1 March 2021 has been passed.
The draft bill published on 30 March 2020 and introducing measures to deny the tax deduction of interest and royalty due to affiliated parties established in a blacklisted jurisdiction has…
News
FIDAL joins WTS Global in France
Tiberghien is pleased to announce a new development within the WTS Global network: since January 2021, the leading French law firm, FIDAL, has joined WTS Global. (read press release) This…
Publications
Real Estate Guide 2020
The WTS Global experts are happy to present to you the fifth edition of the Real Estate Investment Guide. As usual, the guide provides you with a comprehensive overview of…
Info COVID-19
What about import duties for the supply of medical devices?
In the light of decision 2020/491, the European Commission provides, next to the (temporarily) exemption of VAT for certain medical devices, an exemption of import duties that normally apply for…
News
Belgium anticipates DAC 7: New Belgian reporting obligations for digital platforms facilitating the provision of services
General Digital ‘collaboration’ platforms that connect suppliers of services to their customers are subject to new reporting obligations. These were introduced because many service providers (including Airbnb providers) allegedly do…
News
A Circular on interest limitation rules has been issued by the Luxembourg tax authorities
A new circular LIR 168bis/1 (the “Circular”), dated 8 January 2021, was published by the Luxembourg tax authorities on 8 January 2021. This Circular aims to clarify the interpretation and…
Publications
International Comparative Legal Guide - Private Client Laws and Regulations 2021
The International Comparative Legal Guide - Private Client covers common issues in private client laws – including pre-entry tax planning, connection factors, taxation issues on inward investment, succession planning, trusts…
Publications
Tiberghien comments on the OECD Blueprints on Pillar One and Pillar Two
Commenting on the OECD 'Blueprints' published on Monday 12 October, Koen Morbée, partner at Tiberghien Lawyers, and Andy Neuteleers, partner at Tiberghien Economics, urged the OECD Centre for Tax Policy…
News
HR tax & transfer pricing: an unexpected journey
Tiberghien and Tiberghien economics work together on HR tax and transfer pricing, which are two distinct fiscally- and economically-inspired disciplines that have more interaction than is often realised at first…
News
A new chapter in the UBO register saga: the Royal Decree of 23 September 2020
The implementation of the Belgian UBO register has turned into a real saga. The deadline for the first registration has been postponed up to three times (although the last time…
News
Year-end transfer pricing adjustments and their impact on customs & VAT
As the end of 2020 fast approaches, we notice that many multinational companies during the coming weeks/months often perform an annual assessment of transfer prices. The key question asked is:…
Publications
Taxation of Crypto Assets
Taxation of Crypto Assets begins with an overview of the technology and characteristics of crypto assets as well as the key tax concepts and types of taxes that could apply…
News
Luxembourg – France double tax treaty : clarifications on the 29-day threshold
A Circular L.G. – Conv. D.I. n°61 (“the Circular”) has been issued by the Luxembourg tax authorities on 21 October 2020 bringing some clarifications on the point 3 of the…
News
Luxembourg draft Budget Law 2021 announces several new tax measures
The Luxembourg Finance Minister Pierre Gramegna has filed on 14 October 2020 with the Chamber of Deputies the draft budget law for 2021. This draft bill introduces several new tax…
Publications
Private client law in Belgium: overview and Q&A
This extensive Q&A gives a high level overview of tax; tax residence; inheritance tax; buying property; wills and estate management; succession regimes; intestacy; trusts; charities; co-ownership; familial relationships; minority and…
News
T/A economics becomes TIBERGHIEN ECONOMICS
A NEW, YET FAMILIAR BRAND TO UNDERSCORE OUR HOLISTIC VIEW ON OUR CLIENT'S CHALLENGES AND ASPIRATIONS. We are excited to announce that, as per 1 October 2020, T/A economics will…
Events
Webinar – Post-COVID reality: How to manage the risk of double taxation
Publications
The Transfer Pricing Law Review - Chapter 2: Belgium
Although the arm’s-length principle, which forms the basis of the framework of transfer pricing rules, has had a long international history, it was only explicitly introduced into Belgian legislation in…
Publications
European law restrictions on the temporal effect of national juidicial decisions: the case of the Belgian Constitutional Court
The Belgian Constitutional Court is a court of law watching over the observance of the Constitution by the legislative authorities of Belgium. It has the power to annul, to declare…
News
Luxembourg introduces register for trusts and fiduciary arrangements
A new Luxembourg law (the “Trusts Register Law”), dated 10 July 2020, was published on 13 July 2020 and is in force since 17 July 2020.
News
Luxembourg to postpone DAC6 and DAC2 reporting deadlines
On 4 June 2020, the Luxembourg government announced that the negotiations on the European Commission proposal1 for a directive amending Council Directive 2011/16/EU dated 15 February 2011 that aims to postpone…
News
The ECJ takes positive decision on Italian FTT
In its decision of 30 April 2020, dealing with the Italian Financial Transaction Tax (FTT), the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that there is no violation of the…
News
Is the 18% of withholding tax on income paid to foreign artists and sportspersons no longer due?
On 13 May 2020, the Belgian political party, CD&V, submitted a draft bill to relax the 18% final withholding tax regime on income paid to foreign artists and sportspersons.
Info COVID-19
The value of the underlying shares has decreased (materially), resulting in the stock options being “under water”, meaning it is currently not interesting to exercise the stock options. What can we do?
A first possibility is to extend the exercise period of the stock options. Depending on the significance of the decrease of stock value, however, such an extension, potentially, needs to…
Info COVID-19
Considering the COVID-19 pandemic, is it interesting to introduce a stock option scheme within my (management) company now?
The gain which could result from stock option schemes depends on several factors such as the company’s growth expectations, market trends, geopolitical events, …
News
Spain and Portugal: slightly less sunny tax-wise
In a context of increasing mobility within the European Union, Spain and Portugal are popular destinations for, among others, pensioners looking for a milder (tax) climate. There are however, in…
Info COVID-19
I recently donated my family business exempt from gift tax, but I had to cease my economic activity temporarily. Will the exemption be maintained? (Flemish Region, Brussels-Capital Region, Walloon Region)
Flemish Region In principle, an economic activity must be continued - without interruption - for a period of three years after the donation in order to maintain the exemption. A…
Info COVID-19
Is there a reduced VAT rate applicable for the supply of medical devices and PPE such as facemasks and hydroalcoholic gels?
:: Update 07/05/2020 :: In the context of the COVID-19 crisis, there is a great need for medicines and medical devices, such as facemasks, respirators, etc. An important question here…
Info COVID-19
In what situations and under what conditions can I donate goods for charity, without negative VAT consequences?
:: UPDATE - 16/02/2021 :: When VAT payers donate goods, this can have adverse tax consequences. As far as VAT is concerned, this may mean that VAT has to be…
Publications
CJEU in KPC Herning: The Supply of Land with a Building to Be Demolished Is not Necessarily a VAT Taxable Supply of Building Land
On 4 September 2019, the Court of Justice of the European Union delivered an interesting judgment on a real estate transaction relating to the sale of land together with a…
Info COVID-19
Can a partnership be incorporated without physical presence of the constitutors?
The partnership is a commonly used control structure for estate planning purposes. A partnership is usually established between parents and children. Given the Covid-19 virus, the physical gathering is currently…
Info COVID-19
Do I get a deferment of payment for the assessment in the gift or inheritance tax (Flemish Region)?
No deferment, but a repayment plan Anyone who has received an assessment in gift or inheritance tax and who is experiencing financial difficulties can always apply for a repayment plan.…
Info COVID-19
Do I get a deferment for the filing of the inheritance tax return (Brussels-Capital Region)?
In view of the exceptional situation and the more stringent security measures, the Flemish Tax Administration has decided to extend the inheritance tax return period without incurring a tax increase.
Info COVID-19
Do I get a deferment for the filing of the inheritance tax return (Walloon Region)?
In view of the exceptional situation and the more stringent security measures, the Flemish Tax Administration has decided to extend the inheritance tax return period without incurring a tax increase.
Info COVID-19
Do I get a deferment for the filing of the inheritance tax return (Flemish Region)?
In view of the exceptional situation and the more stringent security measures, the Flemish Tax Administration has decided to extend the inheritance tax return period without incurring a tax increase.
Info COVID-19
My employees and/or directors are willing to temporary (partially) waive their salary to support the company. Are there any (negative) tax consequences to be taken into account?
Employees and directors may be asked to agree to a temporary renunciation of their wages considering liquidity challenges faced by many companies as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Such…
Info COVID-19
What is from a tax point of view the best way to accommodate my employees in view of their telework / working from home?
Employers can grant a temporary home working allowance to their employees as long the “COVID-19 measures” are in force (currently until 3 May 2020).
Info COVID-19
Are there any benefits I can grant in a tax-friendly way to my employees to keep them motivated?
There are several possibilities to support employees and keep them motivated :
Info COVID-19
To compensate my employees for their loss of income due to temporary employment, I would like to pay them a supplement on top of their (legal) unemployment benefits. What is the tax and social security treatment of these payments?
To soften the loss of income of the employees being confronted with temporary unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, employers may want to pay a supplement on top of the…
Info COVID-19
My employees are working overtime. Are there any tax incentives I could benefit from?
In a press release of 11 April 2020, the government announced a second wave of measures to support the Belgian economy. One of these measures which is soon to be…
Info COVID-19
My employees are working in shifts. Are there any tax incentives I could benefit from?
For several years now, Belgian tax law provides for a (partial) withholding tax exemption on wages paid to night and shift workers. This measure implies that employers employing employees on…
Info COVID-19
Can I still donate for a Dutch notary?
Now that the border between the Netherlands and Belgium is as good as closed, the question arises whether a Belgian resident can still make a donation of movable property before…
Info COVID-19
I'm sick: can the notary still come by to make a will?
In case you are sick and wish to draw up a will, a holographic will is the simplest way. However, sometimes a notarial will or an international will may be…
Info COVID-19
I'm not sick : how can i still make a will?
Many people are considering to make a will in these corona-times, just in case. However, the drawing up of a will is not obvious these days given the lockdown-measures to…
Info COVID-19
What are potential pitfalls for multinational groups when dealing with financial distress in times of COVID-19?
Parent companies of multinational groups or entities managing the group treasury function will consider their options to provide liquidity carefully in times of financial distress. When considering liquidity management through…
News
Filing a Belgian non-resident income tax return for the very first time? Register before 1 June 2020!
Individuals receiving income taxable in Belgium but who do not qualify as Belgian tax residents, are in principle required to file a so-called Belgian non-resident income tax return.
News
VAT and EU quick fixes: further guidance from the Belgian VAT authorities
Three months have passed since the entry into force of the EU quick fixes for VAT. As explained in our previous newsflashes, these quick fixes should simplify the VAT rules…
Info COVID-19
What is the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the applicable social security scheme?
On 30 March 2020, the European Commission published a fact sheet regarding frontier workers and posted workers affected by the restrictions on free movement of people within the EU as…
Info COVID-19
What are the VAT consequences if an effective refund is replaced by a new ticket or voucher for an event or booking at a later time in case an event or travel/hotel/restaurant or other booking is cancelled?
As a result of the imposed COVID-19 measures, numerous cancellations of events and bookings for flights, hotels, restaurants, etc. have occurred. In order to mitigate the loss of revenue due…
Info COVID-19
Do I already have to pay VAT on gift vouchers and other vouchers/coupons?
Gift vouchers and other coupons that can be redeemed as a full or partial consideration for the supply of a good or service may qualify as a "voucher" under the…
Tiberghien Tax Law Manual
