CONVENTION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT
FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBLE TAXATION AND THE PREVENTION
OF FISCAL EVASION WITH RESP
颁布时间:1980-08-24
The Government of the United States of America and the Government of
the Arab Republic of Egypt, desiring to conclude a convention for the
avoidance of double taxation of income, the prevention of fiscal evasion
with respect to taxes on income, and the elimination of obstacles to
international trade and investment;
Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1
Taxes Covered
(1) The taxes which are the subject of this Convention are:
(a) In the case of the United States, the Federal income taxes imposed
by the Internal Revenue Code but excluding the accumulated earnings tax
and the personal holding company tax, and
(b) In the case of Egypt:
(i) Tax on income derived from immovable property (including the land
tax, the building tax, and the ghaffir tax);
(ii) Tax on income from movable capital;
(iii) Tax on commercial and industrial profits;
(iv) Tax on wages, salaries, indemnities, and pensions;
(v) Tax on profits from liberal professions and all other
noncommercial professions;
(vi) General income tax;
(vii) Defense tax;
(viii) National security tax;
(ix) War tax; and
(x) Supplementary taxes imposed as a percentage of taxes mentioned
above.
(2) This Convention shall also apply to taxes substantially similar to
those covered by paragraph (1) which are imposed in addition to, or in
place of, existing taxes after the date of signature of this Convention.
(3) For the purpose of Article 26 (Nondiscrimination), this Convention
shall also apply to taxes of every kind imposed at the national, state, or
local level. For the purpose of Article 28 (Exchange of Information), this
Convention shall also apply to taxes of every kind imposed at the national
level.
(4) The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall notify
each other promptly of any amendments of the tax laws referred to in
paragraph (1) and of the adoption of any taxes referred to in paragraph
(2) by transmitting the texts of any amendments or new statutes.
(5) The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall notify
each other promptly of the publication by their respective Contracting
States of any material concerning the application of this Convention,
whether in the form of regulations, rulings, or judicial decisions, by
transmitting the texts of any such materials.
ARTICLE 2
General Definitions
(1) In this Convention, unless the context otherwise requires:
(i) The term "United States" means the United States of America; and
(ii) When used in a geographical sense, the term "United States" means
the states thereof and the District of Columbia. Such term also includes:
(A) The territorial sea thereof, and
(B) The seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas adjacent to the
coast thereof, but beyond the territorial sea, over which the United
States exercises sovereign rights, in accordance with international law,
for the purpose of exploration for and exploitation of the natural
resources of such areas, but only to the extent that the person, property,
or activity to which the Convention is being applied is connected with
such exploration or exploitation.
(i) The term "Egypt" means the Arab Republic of Egypt; and
(ii) When used in a geographical sense the term "Egypt" includes:
(A) The territorial sea thereof, and
(B) The seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas adjacent to the
coast thereof, but beyond the territorial sea, over which Egypt exercises
sovereign rights, in accordance with international law, for the purpose of
exploration for and exploitation of the natural resources of such area,
but only to the extent that the person, property, or activity to which
this Convention is being applied is connected with such exploration or
exploitation.
(c) The term "Contracting State" means the United States or Egypt, as
the context requires.
(d) The term "State" means any national State, whether or not one of
the Contracting States.
(e) The term "person" includes an individual, a partnership, a
corporation, an estate, or a trust.
(i) The term "United States corporation" means a corporation (or any
unincorporated entity treated as a corporation for United States tax
purposes) which is created or organized under the laws of the United
States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia; and
(ii) The term "Egyptian corporation" means a corporation or any
unincorporated entity treated as a corporation for Egyptian tax purposes
which is created or organized under the laws of Egypt.
(g) The term "competent authority" means:
(i) In the case of the United States, the Secretary of the Treasury or
his delegate, and
(ii) In the case of Egypt, the Minister of Finance or his delegate.
(h) The term "tax" means tax imposed by the United States or Egypt
whichever is applicable, to which this Convention applies by virtue of
Article 1 (Taxes Covered).
(i) The term "international traffic" means any voyage of a ship or
aircraft operated by a resident of one of the Contracting States except
where such voyage is confined solely to places within a Contracting State.
(2) Any other term used in this Convention and not defined in this
Convention shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the meaning
which it has under the laws of the Contracting State whose
tax is being determined. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the
meaning of such a term under the laws of one of the Contracting States is
different from the meaning of the term under the laws of the other
Contracting State, or if the meaning of such a term is not readily
determinable under the laws of one of the Contracting States, the
competent authorities of the Contracting States may, in order to prevent
double taxation or to further any other purpose of this Convention,
establish a common meaning of the term for the purpose of this Convention.
ARTICLE 3
Fiscal Residence
(1) In this Convention:
(a) The term "resident of Egypt" means:
(i) An Egyptian corporation, and
(ii) Any other person (except a corporation or an entity treated under
Egyptian law as a corporation) resident in Egypt for purposes of Egyptian
tax, but in the case of a partnership, estate, or trust only to the extent
that the income derived by such partnership, estate, or trust is subject
to Egyptian tax as the income of a resident either in the hands of the
respective entity or of its partners or beneficiaries.
(b) The term "resident of the United States" means:
(i) A United States corporation, and
(ii) Any other person (except a corporation or any entity treated as a
corporation for United States tax purposes) resident in the United States
for purposes of United States tax, but in the case of a partnership,
estate, or trust only to the extent that the income derived by such
partnership, estate, or trust is subject to United States tax as the
income of a resident either in the hands of the respective entity or of
its partners or beneficiaries.
(2) Where by reason of the provisions of paragraph (1) an individual
is a resident of both Contracting States, then his residence shall be
determined in accordance with the following rules:
(a) He shall be deemed to be a resident of that Contracting State in
which he maintains his permanent home. If he has a permanent home in both
Contracting States or in neither of the Contracting States, he shall be
deemed to be a resident of that Contracting State with which his personal
and economic relations are closest (center of vital interests);
(b) If the Contracting State in which he has his center of vital
interests cannot be determined, he shall be deemed to be a resident of
that Contracting State in which he has an habitual abode;
(c) If he has an habitual abode in both Contracting States or in
neither of the Contracting States, he shall be deemed to be a resident of
the Contracting State of which he is a citizen; and
(d) If he is a citizen of both Contracting States or of neither
Contracting State, the competent authorities of the Contracting States
shall settle the question by mutual agreement.
ARTICLE 4
Source of Income
For purposes of this Convention:
(1) Dividends shall be treated as income from sources within a
Contracting State only if paid by a corporation of that Contracting State.
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, a dividend shall be treated as
from sources within-
(a) Egypt if paid by a United States Corporation whose activities lie
solely or mainly in Egypt and to which paragraph (5) of Article 11
(Dividends) applies.
(b) The United States if paid by a corporation other than a United
States corporation if, for the 3-year period ending with the close of such
corporation's taxable year preceding the declaration of the dividend (or
for such part of that period as such corporation has been in existence),
at least 50 percent of such corporation's gross income from all sources
was industrial or commercial profits attributable to a permanent
establishment which such corporation had in the United States.
(2) Interest shall be treated as income from sources within a
Contracting State only if paid by such Contracting State, a political
subdivision or a local authority thereof, or by a resident of that
Contracting State. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if such
interest is paid on an indebtedness incurred in connection with a
permanent establishment which bears such interests, then such interest
shall be deemed to be from sources within the State (whether or not a
Contracting State) in which the permanent establishment is situated.
(3) Royalties described in paragraph (2) of Article 13 (Royalties) for
the use of, or the right to use, property or rights described in such
paragraph shall be treated as income from sources within a Contracting
State only to the extent that such royalties are for the use of, or the
right to use, such property or rights within that Contracting State.
(4) Income from real property (including royalties), described in
Article 7 (Income from Real Property) shall be treated as income from
sources within a Contracting State only if such property is situated in
that Contracting State.
(5) Income from the rental of tangible personal (movable) property
shall be treated as income from sources within a Contracting State only if
such property is situated in that Contracting State.
(6) Income from the purchase and sale or exchange of intangible or
tangible personal property (other than gains defined as royalties by
paragraph (2) of Article 13 (Royalties)) shall be treated as
income from sources within a Contracting State only if such sale or
exchange is within that Contracting State.
(7) Income received by an individual for his performance of labor or
personal services whether as an employee or in an independent capacity,
shall be treated as income from sources within a Contracting State only to
the extent that such services are performed in that Contracting State.
Income from personal services performed aboard ships or aircraft operated
by a resident of one of the Contracting States in international traffic
shall be treated as income from sources within that Contracting State if
rendered by a member of the regular complement of the ship or aircraft.
Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this paragraph, remuneration
described in Article 21 (Governmental Functions) and payments described in
Article 20 (Social Security Payments) paid from the public funds of a
Contracting State or a political subdivision or local authority thereof
shall be treated as income from sources within that Contracting State
only.
(8) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) through (6), industrial or
commercial profits which are attributable to a permanent establishment
which the recipient, a resident of one of the Contracting States, has in
the other Contracting State shall be treated as income from sources within
that other Contracting State. Industrial or commercial profits
attributable to such permanent establishment include any item of income
described in paragraphs (1) through (6) to the extent provided in
paragraph (6) of Article 8 (Business Profits).
(9) The source of any item of income to which paragraphs (1) through
(8) are not applicable shall be determined by each of the Contracting
States in accordance with its own law. Notwithstanding the preceding
sentence, if the source of any item of income under the laws of one
Contracting State is different from the source of such item of income
under the laws of the other Contracting State or if the source of such
income is not readily determinable under the laws of one of the
Contracting States, the competent authorities of the Contracting States
may, in order to prevent double taxation or further any other purpose of
this Convention, establish a common source of the item of income for
purposes of this Convention.
ARTICLE 5
Permanent Establishment
(1) For the purpose of this Convention, the term "permanent
establishment" means a fixed place of business through which a resident of
one of the Contracting States engages in industrial or commercial
activity.
(2) The term "permanent establishment" includes but is not limited to:
(a) A seat of management;
(b) A branch;
(c) An office;
(d) A factory;
(e) A workshop;
(f) A mine, quarry, or other place of extraction of natural resources;
and
(g) The maintenance of a building site or construction or installation
project which exists for more than 6-months.
(3) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), a permanent establishment
shall not include a fixed place of business used only for one or more of
the following:
(a) The use of facilities for the purpose of storage, display, or
delivery of goods or merchandise belonging to the resident;
(b) The maintenance of a stock of goods or merchandise belonging to
the resident for the purpose of storage, display, or delivery;
(c) The maintenance of a stock of goods or merchandise belonging to
the resident for the purpose of processing by another person;
(d) The maintenance of a fixed place of business for the purpose of
purchasing goods or merchandise, or for collecting information, for the
resident;
(e) The maintenance of a fixed place of business for the purpose of
advertising, for the supply of information, for scientific research, or
for similar activities which have a preparatory or auxiliary character,
for the resident; and
(f) The maintenance of a building site or construction or installation
project which does not exist for more than 6-months.
(4) A person acting in one of the Contracting States on behalf of a
resident of the other Contracting State, other than an agent of an
independent status to whom paragraph (5) applies, shall be deemed to give
rise to a permanent establishment in the first-mentioned Contracting State
if such person has, and habitually exercises in the first-mentioned
Contracting State, an authority to conclude contracts in the name of that
resident, unless the exercise of such authority is limited to the purchase
of goods or merchandise for that resident.
(5) A resident of one of the Contracting States shall not be deemed to
have a permanent establishment in the other Contracting State merely
because such resident engages in industrial or commercial activity in that
other Contracting State through a broker, general commission agent, or any
other agent of an independent status, where such broker or agent is acting
in the ordinary course of his business.
(6) A resident of one of the Contracting States shall not be deemed to
have a permanent establishment in the other Contracting State merely
because such resident sells at the termination of a trade fair or
convention in such other Contracting State goods or merchandise which such
resident displayed at such trade fair or convention.
(7) In determining whether a resident of one Contracting State has a
permanent establishment in the other Contracting State there shall not be
taken into account the fact that such resident may be related to either a
resident of the other Contracting State or to any other person who engages
in business in that other Contracting State.
(8) The principles set forth in paragraphs (1) through (7) shall be
applied in determining for purposes of this Convention whether there is a
permanent establishment in a State other than one of the Contracting
States or whether a person other than a resident of one of the Contracting
States has a permanent establishment in one of the Contracting States.
ARTICLE 6
General Rules of Taxation
(1) A resident of one of the Contracting States may be taxed by the
other Contracting State on any income from sources within that other
Contracting State and only on such income, subject to any limitations set
forth in this Convention. For this purpose, the rules set forth in Article
4 (Source of Income) shall be applied to determine the source of income.
(2) The provisions of this Convention shall not be construed to
restrict in any manner any exclusion, exemption, deduction, credit, or
other allowance now or hereafter accorded-
(a) By the laws of one of the Contracting States in determination of
the tax imposed by that Contracting State, or
(b) By any other agreement between the Contracting States.
(3) Notwithstanding any provisions of this Convention except paragraph
(4), a Contracting State may tax its residents (as determined under
Article 3 (Fiscal Residence)) and its citizens as if this Convention had
not come into effect.
(4) The provisions of paragraph (3) shall not affect:
(a) The benefits conferred by a Contracting State under paragraph (3)
of Article 19 (Private Pensions and Annuities) and under Articles 20
(Social Security Payments), 25 (Relief from Double Taxation), 26
(Nondiscrimination), and 27 (Mutual Agreement Procedure); and
(b) The benefits conferred by a Contracting State under Articles 21
(Governmental Functions), 22 (Teachers), 23 (Students and Trainees), and
30 (Diplomatic and Consular Officers) upon individuals who are neither
citizens of, nor have immigrant status in, that Contracting State.
(5) The competent authorities of the two Contracting States may each
prescribe regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this
Convention.
ARTICLE 7
Income from Real Property
(1) Income from real property, including royalties and other payments
in respect of the exploitation of natural resources and gains derived from
the sale, exchange, or other disposition of such property or of the right
giving rise to such royalties or other payments, may be taxed by the
Contracting State in which such real property or natural resources are
situated. For purposes of this Convention, interest on indebtedness
secured by real property or secured by a right giving rise to royalties or
other payments in respect of the exploitation of natural resources shall
be regarded as income from real property.
(2) Paragraph (1) shall apply to income derived from the usufruct,
direct use, letting, or use in any other form of real property.
(3) For purposes of paragraph (1) of this Article and paragraph (4) of
Article 4 (Source of Income), gains from the alienation of shares of a
corporation or of an interest in a partnership, estate, or trust, the
property of which consists, directly or indirectly, principally of real
property situated in a Contracting State, shall be regarded as income from
real property.
(4) Income or gain referred to in this Article derived from sources in
a Contracting State by a resident of the other Contracting State may be
taxed by both Contracting States.
ARTICLE 8
Business Profits
(1) Industrial or commercial profits of a resident of one of the
Contracting States shall be exempt from tax by the other Contracting State
unless the resident has a permanent establishment in that other
Contracting State. If the resident has a permanent establishment in that
other Contracting State, tax may be imposed by that other Contracting
State on the industrial or commercial profits of the resident but only on
so much of them as are attributable to the permanent establishment.
(2) Where a resident of one of the Contracting States has a permanent
establishment in the other Contracting State, there shall in each
Contracting State be attributed to the permanent establishment the
industrial or commercial profits which would reasonably be expected to
have been derived by it if it were an independent entity engaged in the
same or similar activities under the same or similar conditions
and dealing wholly independently with the resident of which it is a
permanent establishment.
(3) In the determination of the industrial or commercial profits of a
permanent establishment, there shall be allowed as deductions expenses
which are reasonably connected with such profits, including executive and
general administrative expenses, whether incurred in the Contracting State
in which the permanent establishment is situated or elsewhere.
(4) No profits shall be attributed to a permanent establishment of a
resident of one of the Contracting States in the other Contracting State
merely by reason of the purchase of goods or merchandise by that permanent
establishment, or by the resident of which it is a permanentestablishment,
for the account of that resident.
(5) The term "industrial or commercial profits" includes, but is not
limited to, income derived from manufacturing, mercantile, banking,
insurance, agricultural, fishing or mining activities, the operation of
ships or aircraft, the furnishing of services, the rental of tangible
personal (movable) property, and the rental or licensing of motion picture
films or films or tapes used for radio or television broadcasting.
Such term does not include the performance of personal services by an
individual either as an employee or in an independent capacity.
(6) For purposes of paragraph (1), industrial or commercial profits
which are attributable to a permanent establishment include income from
dividends, interest, royalties (as defined in paragraph (2) of Article 13
(Royalties)), and capital gains and income derived from property and
natural resources, but only if such income is effectively connected with
the permanent establishment. To determine whether income is effectively
connected with a permanent establishment, the factors taken into account
shall include whether the rights or property giving rise to such income
are used in or held for use in carrying on an activity giving rise to
industrial or commercial profits through such permanent establishment and
whether the activities carried on through such permanent establishment
were a material factor in the realization of such income. For this
purpose, due regard shall be given to whether or not such property or
rights or such income were accounted for through such permanent
establishment.
(7) Where industrial or commercial profits include items of income
which are dealt with separately in other articles of this Convention, the
provisions of those articles shall, except as otherwise provided therein,
supersede the provisions of this Article.
ARTICLE 9
Shipping and Air Transport
(1) Notwithstanding Article 8 (Business Profits), profits derived by a
resident of a Contracting State from the operation of ships or aircraft in
international traffic shall be taxable only in that Contracting State.
(2) For purposes of this Article, income derived from the operation in
international traffic of ships or aircraft does not include dividends
received by a person by virtue of an ownership interest in a corporation
engaged in the operation of ships or aircraft in international traffic,
and includes-
(a) Income derived from the rental of ships or aircraft operated in
international traffic if such rental income is incidental to other income
described in paragraph (1); and
(b) Income derived from the use, maintenance, and lease of-
(i) Containers,
(ii) Trailers for the inland transport of containers, and
(iii) Other related equipment in connection with the operation by the
resident in international traffic of ships or aircraft described in
paragraph (1).
(3) The existing exemption of United States air transport enterprises
afforded by Decree of the Egyptian Council of Ministers shall cease to
have effect upon the entry into force of this Convention.
ARTICLE 10
Related Persons
(1) Where a person subject to the taxing jurisdiction of one of the
Contracting States and any other person are related and where such related
persons make arrangements or impose conditions between themselves which
are different from those which would be made between independent persons,
any income, deductions, credits, or allowances which would, but for those
arrangements or conditions, have been taken into account in computing the
income (or loss) of, or the tax payable by, one of such persons, may be
taken into account in computing the amount of the income subject to tax
and the taxes payable by such person.
(2) Where a redetermination has been made by one Contracting State of
the income of one of its residents in accordance with paragraph (1), then
the other Contracting State shall, if it agrees with such redetermination
and if necessary to prevent double taxation, make a corresponding
adjustment to the income of a person in such other Contracting State
related to such resident. In the event the other Contracting State
disagrees with such redetermination, the two Contracting States shall
endeavor to reach agreement in accordance with the mutual agreement
procedure in paragraph (2) of Article 27 (Mutual Agreement Procedure).
(3) For purposes of this Convention, a person is related to another
person if either person owns or controls directly or indirectly the other,
or if any third person or persons own or control directly or indirectly
both. For this purpose, the term "control" includes any kind of control,
whether or not legally enforceable, and however exercised or exercisable.