PROTOCOL TO THE CONVENTION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBLE TAXATION AND THE PREVENTION OF FISCAL EVASION WITH RESPECT T
颁布时间:1997-07-28
At the time of signing the Convention between the Government of the
United States of America and the Government of Ireland for the Avoidance
of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to
Taxes on Income and Capital Gains, the undersigned have agreed that the
following provisions shall form an integral part of the
Convention:
1. With reference to income, profit or gain derived by fiscally
transparent persons.
For the purposes of the Convention, where a resident of a
Contracting State is entitled to income, profit or gain in respect of an
interest in a person that derives income, profit or gain from the other
Contracting State, any income, profit or gain so derived will be
considered to be income, profit or gain of that resident to the extent
it is treated as such for purposes of the taxation laws of the first-
mentioned Contracting State.The aforementioned reference to
"person" shall not include a resident of a Contracting State within the
meaning of subparagraph 1 d) of Article 4 (Residence).
2. With reference to Article 2 (Taxes Covered).
For the purposes of paragraph 1, it is understood that this
Convention shall not apply to the Federal Excise Taxes imposed on
insurance premiums paid to foreign insurers where such premiums are not
subject to the generally applicable tax imposed on insurance
corporations in the Contracting State in which such insurers are
resident.
3. With reference to Article 6 (Income from Immovable Property (Real
Property)). A resident of a Contracting State who is liable to tax in
the other Contracting State on income from immovable property situated
in the other Contracting State may elect for any taxable year to compute
the tax on such income on a net basis in accordance with the law of that
other Contracting State. Any such election shall be binding for the
taxable year of the election and all subsequent taxable years unless
the competent authority of the other Contracting State, pursuant to a
request by the taxpayer, agrees to terminate the election.
4. With reference to Articles 7 (Business Profits), 10 (Dividends),
11 (Interest), 12 (Royalties), 13 (Capital Gains), 14 (Independent
Personal Services) and 22 (Other Income). In applying paragraphs 1 and 2
of Article 7, paragraph 6 of Article 10, paragraph 3 of Article 11,
paragraph 3 of Article 12, paragraph 3 of Article 13, Article 14 and
paragraph 2 of Article 22, any income or gain attributable to a
permanent establishment or fixed base during its existence is taxable in
the Contracting State where such permanent establishment or fixed base
is situated even if the payments are deferred until such permanent
establishment or fixed base has ceased to exist.
5. With reference to Article 10 (Dividends).
For the purposes of paragraph 5, the term "dividends" shall not
include interest which, by reason of the fact that it was paid to a
non-resident company, is treated as dividends under the domestic laws of
either Contracting State, to the extent that such interest does not
exceed the amount which would be expected to be paid between independent
parties dealing at arm's length.
6. With reference to Article 11 (Interest).
In accordance with section 871(h) (4) and 881(c) (4) of the Internal
Revenue Code, interest arising in the United States that is determined
with reference to the profits of the issuer or of one of its associated
enterprises, and paid to a resident of Ireland also may be taxed in the
United States, and according to the laws of the United States, but if
the beneficial owner is a resident of Ireland, the gross amount of the
interest may be taxed at a rate not exceeding the rate prescribed in
subparagraph b) of paragraph 2 of Article 10 (Dividends). Interest that
is an excess inclusion with respect to a residual interest in a real
estate mortgage investment conduit may be taxed by each State in
accordance with its domestic law.
7. With reference to Article 14 (Independent Personal Services).
In determining the income described in paragraph 1 that is taxable in
the other Contracting State, the principles of paragraph 3 of Article 7
(Business Profits) shall apply.
8. With reference to Article 21 (Offshore Exploration and
Exploitation Activities). Where a permanent establishment is deemed to
exist by virtue of that Article, a "balancing charge" under Chapter II
of Part XVI of the Income Tax Act, 1967 will not be imposed for the
reason only that the trade carried on through the permanent
establishment is treated as having permanently ceased because of the
termination of the relevant activities in Ireland, except to the extent
that the person carrying on the activities referred to in that Article
has made a claim under the laws of Ireland for accelerated capital
allowances in respect of machinery or plant used for the purposes of the
permanent establishment. Normal wear and tear allowances would, however,
be granted in respect of the machinery or plant concerned and no
balancing charge would be imposed with respect to such allowances.
9. With reference to Article 23 (Limitation on Benefits).
a) For the purposes of paragraph 2,
i) the shares in a class of shares or the units in a class of units
are considered to be substantially and regularly traded on one or more
recognized stock exchanges in a fiscal year if:
A) trades in such class are effected on one or more of such stock
exchanges other than in de minimis quantities during every quarter; and
B) the aggregate number of shares or units of that class traded on
such stock exchange or exchanges during the previous fiscal year is at
least 6 percent of the average number of shares or units outstanding in
that class during that taxable year, provided that if such class was not
listed on a recognized stock exchange in the previous fiscal year the
shares or units will be considered to have satisfied the requirement of
this subparagraph B);
ii) a Building Society incorporated in Ireland shall be deemed to be
a company the principal class of shares in which:
A) is listed on the Irish Stock Exchange, and
B) which in any fiscal year is substantially and regularly traded on
such exchange.
b) For the purpose of paragraph 3,
i) whether a resident of a Contracting State is engaged in the
active conduct of a trade or business will be determined on the basis of
an analysis of all the relevant facts and circumstances. In any case,
however,
A) a bank will be considered to be engaged in the active conduct of
a trade or business if it regularly accepts deposits from the public or
makes loans to the public. It is understood that a resident of a
Contracting State that, as of the date of signature of this Convention,
is licensed by the banking authorities in that State to engage in the
business of banking satisfies this requirement; and
B) an insurance company will be considered to be engaged in the
active conduct of a trade or business if its gross income consists
primarily of insurance or reinsurance premiums and investment income
attributable to such premiums;
ii) in determining whether a person is engaged in the active conduct
of a trade or business in a Contracting State, activities conducted by a
partnership in which that person is a partner and activities conducted
by persons connected to such person shall be deemed to be conducted by
such person A person shall be connected to another if one possesses at
least 50 percent of the beneficial interest in the other (or, in the
case of a company, at least 50 percent of the aggregate vote and value
of the company's shares or of the beneficial equity interest in the
company) or another person possesses, directly or indirectly, at least
50 percent of the beneficial interest (or, in the case of a company,
at least 50 percent of the aggregate vote and value of the company's
shares or of the beneficial equity interest in the company) in each
person. In any case, a person shall be considered to be connected to
another if, based on all the relevant facts and circumstances, one has
control of the other or both are under the control of the same
person or persons;
iii) a resident of a Contracting State does not have an ownership
interest in an activity in the other State merely because it supplies
goods, provides services or grants other facilities to that activity.
For example, a lessor who would not otherwise have an ownership interest
in an activity in the other State would not acquire such an interest
merely because it leased property for use by that activity.
10. With reference to Article 27 (Exchange of Information and
Administrative Assistance). For the purposes of paragraph 3, the
Contracting States consider that, at the date of signature of this
Convention, the laws and practices of Ireland do not permit its tax
authorities to carry out enquiries on behalf of any state where no
liability to Ireland's taxes as covered by this Convention are at issue.
However, if, after the date of signature of this Convention, the laws
and practices of Ireland in this respect change to permit such
enquiries, on behalf of any state, then, subject to the provisions of
Article 27, the tax authorities of Ireland shall carry out such
enquiries on behalf of the United States and exchange the information so
obtained.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being. duly authorized by their
respective Governments, have signed this Convention.
DONE at Dublin in duplicate, this 28 day of July, 1997.
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: IRELAND:
(s) Jean Kennedy Smith (s) Charlie McCreevy