Austria - Bosnia and Herzegovina Tax Treaty
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CONVENTION BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA AND BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBLE TAXATION WITH RESPECT TO TAXES ON INCOME AND ON PROPERTY
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The Republic of Austria and Bosnia and Herzegovina, desiring to conclude a Convention for the avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes on income and on property,
have agreed as follows:
Article 1 PERSONS COVERED
This Convention shall apply to persons who are residents of one or both of the Contracting States.
Article 2 TAXES COVERED
(1) This Convention shall apply to taxes on income and on property imposed on behalf of a Contracting State or of its local authorities, irrespective of the manner in which they are levied. (2) There shall be regarded as taxes on income and on property all taxes imposed on total income, on total property, or on elements of income or of property, including taxes on gains from the alienation of movable or immovable property, taxes on the total amounts of wages or salaries paid by enterprises, as well as taxes on capital appreciation. (3) The existing taxes to which the Convention shall apply are in particular: a) in Austria: (i) the income tax; (ii) the corporation tax; (iii) the land tax; (iv) the tax on agricultural and forestry enterprises; (v) the tax on the value of vacant plots, (hereinafter referred to as "Austrian taxes"); b) in Bosnia and Herzegovina: (i) the tax on income of individuals; (ii) the tax on profit of enterprise; (iii) the tax on property; (hereinafter referred to as "Bosnia and Herzegovina taxes").
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(4) The Convention shall apply also to any identical or substantially similar taxes that are imposed after the date of signature of the Convention in addition to, or in place of, the existing taxes. The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall notify each other of any significant changes that have been made in their taxation laws.
Article 3 GENERAL DEFINITIONS
(1) For the purposes of this Convention, unless the context otherwise requires: a) the terms "a Contracting State" and "the other Contracting State" mean the Republic of Austria or Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the context requires; b) the term "Austria" means the Republic of Austria; c) the term "Bosnia and Herzegovina" means the State Bosnia and Herzegovina; d) the term "person" includes an individual, a company and any other body of persons; e) the term "company" means any body corporate or any entity that is treated as a body corporate for tax purposes; f) the term "enterprise" applies to the carrying on of any business; g) the terms "enterprise of a Contracting State" and "enterprise of the other Contracting State" mean respectively an enterprise carried on by a resident of a Contracting State and an enterprise carried on by a resident of the other Contracting State; h) the term "international traffic" means any transport by a ship or aircraft operated by an enterprise that has its place of effective management in a Contracting State, except when the ship or aircraft is operated solely between places in the other Contracting State; i) the term "competent authority" means: (i) in Austria: the Federal Minister of Finance or his authorised representative; (ii) in Bosnia and Herzegovina: the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of Bosnia and Herzegovina or its authorised representative; j) the term "national" means: (i) any individual possessing the nationality of a Contracting State; (ii) any legal person, partnership or association deriving its status as such from the laws in force in a Contracting State; k) the term "business" includes the performance of professional services and of other activities of an independent character.
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(2) As regards the application of the Convention at any time by a Contracting State, any term not defined therein shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the meaning that it has at that time under the law of that State for the purposes of the taxes to which the Convention applies, any meaning under the applicable tax laws of that State prevailing over a meaning given to the term under other laws of that State.
Article 4 RESIDENT
(1) For the purposes of this Convention, the term "resident of a Contracting State" means any person who, under the laws of that State, is liable to tax therein by reason of his domicile, residence, place of management or any other criterion of a similar nature, and also includes that State and any local authority thereof. This term, however, does not include any person who is liable to tax in that State in respect only of income from sources in that State or property situated therein. (2) Where by reason of the provisions of paragraph 1 an individual is a resident of both Contracting States, then his status shall be determined as follows: a) he shall be deemed to be a resident only of the State in which he has a permanent home available to him; if he has a permanent home available to him in both States, he shall be deemed to be a resident only of the State with which his personal and economic relations are closer (centre of vital interests); b) if the State in which he has his centre of vital interests cannot be determined, or if he has not a permanent home available to him in either State, he shall be deemed to be a resident only of the State in which he has an habitual abode; c) if he has an habitual abode in both States or in neither of them, he shall be deemed to be a resident only of the State of which he is a national; d) if he is a national of both States or of neither of them, the competent authorities of the Contracting States shall endeavour to settle the question by mutual agreement. (3) Where by reason of the provisions of paragraph 1 a person other than an individual is a resident of both Contracting States, then it shall be deemed to be a resident only of the State in which its place of effective management is situated.
Article 5 PERMANENT ESTABLISHMENT
(1) For the purposes of this Convention, the term "permanent establishment" means a fixed place of business through which the business of an enterprise is wholly or partly carried on.
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(2) The term "permanent establishment" includes especially: a) a place of management; b) a branch; c) an office; d) a factory; e) a workshop, and f) a mine, an oil or gas well, a quarry or any other place of extraction of natural resources. (3) A building site or construction or installation project constitutes a permanent establishment only if it lasts more than twelve months. (4) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Article, the term "permanent establishment" shall be deemed not to include: a) the use of facilities solely for the purpose of storage, display or delivery of goods or merchandise belonging to the enterprise; b) the maintenance of a stock of goods or merchandise belonging to the enterprise solely for the purpose of storage, display or delivery; c) the maintenance of a stock of goods or merchandise belonging to the enterprise solely for the purpose of processing by another enterprise; d) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely for the purpose of purchasing goods or merchandise or of collecting information, for the enterprise; e) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely for the purpose of carrying on, for the enterprise, any other activity of a preparatory or auxiliary character; f) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely for any combination of activities mentioned in subparagraphs a) to e), provided that the overall activity of the fixed place of business resulting from this combination is of a preparatory or auxiliary character. (5) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2, where a person - other than an agent of an independent status to whom paragraph 6 applies - is acting on behalf of an enterprise and has, and habitually exercises, in a Contracting State an authority to conclude contracts in the name of the enterprise, that enterprise shall be deemed to have a permanent establishment in that State in respect of any activities which that person undertakes for the enterprise, unless the activities of such person are limited to those mentioned in paragraph 4 which, if exercised through a fixed place of business, would not make this fixed place of business a permanent establishment under the provisions of that paragraph.
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(6) An enterprise shall not be deemed to have a permanent establishment in a Contracting State merely because it carries on business in that State through a broker, general commission agent or any other agent of an independent status, provided that such persons are acting in the ordinary course of their business. (7) The fact that a company which is a resident of a Contracting State controls or is controlled by a company which is a resident of the other Contracting State, or which carries on business in that other State (whether through a permanent establishment or otherwise), shall not of itself constitute either company a permanent establishment of the other.
Article 6 INCOME FROM IMMOVABLE PROPERTY
(1) Income derived by a resident of a Contracting State from immovable property (including income from agriculture or forestry) situated in the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State. (2) The term "immovable property" shall have the meaning which it has under the law of the Contracting State in which the property in question is situated. The term shall in any case include property accessory to immovable property, livestock and equipment used in agriculture and forestry, rights to which the provisions of general law respecting landed property apply, usufruct of immovable property and rights to variable or fixed payments as consideration for the working of, or the right to work, mineral deposits, sources and other natural resources; ships, boats and aircraft shall not be regarded as immovable property. (3) The provisions of paragraph 1 shall apply to income derived from the direct use, letting, or use in any other form of immovable property. (4) The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 3 shall also apply to the income from immovable property of an enterprise.
Article 7 BUSINESS PROFITS
(1) The profits of an enterprise of a Contracting State shall be taxable only in that State unless the enterprise carries on business in the other Contracting State through a permanent establishment situated therein. If the enterprise carries on business as aforesaid, the profits of the enterprise may be taxed in the other State but only so much of them as is attributable to that permanent establishment. (2) Subject to the provisions of paragraph 3, where an enterprise of a Contracting State carries on business in the other Contracting State through a permanent establishment situated therein, there shall in each Contracting State be attributed to that permanent establishment the profits which it might be expected to make if it were a distinct and separate enterprise engaged in the same or similar activities under the same or similar conditions and dealing wholly independently with the enterprise of which it is a permanent establishment.
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(3) In determining the profits of a permanent establishment, there shall be allowed as deductions expenses which are incurred for the purposes of the permanent establishment, including executive and general administrative expenses so incurred, whether in the State in which the permanent establishment is situated or elsewhere. (4) Insofar as it has been customary in a Contracting State to determine the profits to be attributed to a permanent establishment on the basis of an apportionment of the total profits of the enterprise to its various parts, nothing in paragraph 2 shall preclude that Contracting State from determining the profits to be taxed by such an apportionment as may be customary; the method of apportionment adopted shall, however, be such that the result shall be in accordance with the principles contained in this Article. (5) No profits shall be attributed to a permanent establishment by reason of the mere purchase by that permanent establishment of goods or merchandise for the enterprise. (6) For the purposes of the preceding paragraphs, the profits to be attributed to the permanent establishment shall be determined by the same method year by year unless there is good and sufficient reason to the contrary. (7) Where profits include items of income which are dealt with separately in other Articles of this Convention, then the provisions of those Articles shall not be affected by the provisions of this Article.
Article 8 INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT
(1) Profits from the operation of ships or aircraft in international traffic shall be taxable only in the Contracting State in which the place of effective management of the enterprise is situated. (2) Profits from the operation of boats engaged in inland waterways transport shall be taxable only in the Contracting State in which the place of effective management of the enterprise is situated. (3) If the place of effective management of a shipping enterprise or of an inland waterways transport enterprise is aboard a ship or boat, then it shall be deemed to be situated in the Contracting State in which the home harbour of the ship or boat is situated, or, if there is no such home harbour, in the Contracting State of which the operator of the ship or boat is a resident. (4) The provisions of paragraph 1 shall also apply to profits from the participation in a pool, a joint business or an international operating agency.
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Article 9 ASSOCIATED ENTERPRISES
(1) Where a) an enterprise of a Contracting State participates directly or indirectly in the management, control or capital of an enterprise of the other Contracting State, or b) the same persons participate directly or indirectly in the management, control or capital of an enterprise of a Contracting State and an enterprise of the other Contracting State, and in either case conditions are made or imposed between the two enterprises in their commercial or financial relations which differ from those which would be made between independent enterprises, then any profits which would, but for those conditions, have accrued to one of the enterprises, but, by reason of those conditions, have not so accrued, may be included in the profits of that enterprise and taxed accordingly. (2) Where a Contracting State includes in the profits of an enterprise of that State - and taxes accordingly - profits on which an enterprise of the other Contracting State has been charged to tax in that other State and the profits so included are profits which would have accrued to the enterprise of the first-mentioned State if the conditions made between the two enterprises had been those which would have been made between independent enterprises, then that other State shall make an appropriate adjustment to the amount of the tax charged therein on those profits. In determining such adjustment, due regard shall be had to the other provisions of this Convention and the competent authorities of the Contracting States shall if necessary consult each other.
Article 10 DIVIDENDS
(1) Dividends paid by a company which is a resident of a Contracting State to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State. (2) However, such dividends may also be taxed in the Contracting State of which the company paying the dividends is a resident and according to the laws of that State, but if the beneficial owner of the dividends is a resident of the other Contracting State, the tax so charged shall not exceed: a) 5 per cent of the gross amount of the dividends if the beneficial owner is a company (other than a partnership) which holds directly at least 25 per cent of the capital of the company paying the dividends; b) 10 per cent of the gross amount of the dividends in all other cases.
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The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall by mutual agreement settle the mode of application of these limitations. This paragraph shall not affect the taxation of the company in respect of the profits out of which the dividends are paid. (3) The term "dividends" as used in this Article means income from shares, "jouissance" shares or "jouissance" rights, mining shares, founders' shares or other rights, not being debt-claims, participating in profits, as well as income from other corporate rights which is subjected to the same taxation treatment as income from shares by the laws of the State of which the company making the distribution is a resident. (4) The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the dividends, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State of which the company paying the dividends is a resident through a permanent establishment situated therein and the holding in respect of which the dividends are paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment. In such case the provisions of Article 7 shall apply. (5) Where a company which is a resident of a Contracting State derives profits or income from the other Contracting State, that other State may not impose any tax on the dividends paid by the company, except insofar as such dividends are paid to a resident of that other State or insofar as the holding in respect of which the dividends are paid is effectively connected with a permanent establishment situated in that other State, nor subject the company's undistributed profits to a tax on the company's undistributed profits, even if the dividends paid or the undistributed profits consist wholly or partly of profits or income arising in such other State.
Article 11 INTEREST
(1) Interest arising in a Contracting State and paid to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State. (2) However, such interest may also be taxed in the Contracting State in which it arises and according to the laws of that State, but if the beneficial owner of the interest is a resident of the other Contracting State, the tax so charged shall not exceed 5 per cent of the gross amount of the interest. The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall by mutual agreement settle the mode of application of this limitation. (3) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2, any such interest as is mentioned in paragraph 1 shall be taxable only in the Contracting State of which the recipient is a resident, if such recipient is the beneficial owner of the interest and if such interest is paid: a) in connection with the sale on credit of any industrial, commercial or scientific equipment, b) in connection with the sale on credit of any merchandise by one enterprise to another enterprise, or
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c) on any loan of whatever kind granted, secured or guaranteed by the national or central bank. (4) The term "interest" as used in this Article means income from debt-claims of every kind, whether or not secured by mortgage and whether or not carrying a right to participate in the debtor's profits, and in particular, income from government securities and income from bonds or debentures, including premiums and prizes attaching to such securities, bonds or debentures. Penalty charges for late payment shall not be regarded as interest for the purpose of this Article. (5) The provisions of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the interest, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State in which the interest arises through a permanent establishment situated therein and the debt-claim in respect of which the interest is paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment. In such case the provisions of Article 7 shall apply. (6) Interest shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting State when the payer is a resident of that State. Where, however, the person paying the interest, whether he is a resident of a Contracting State or not, has in a Contracting State a permanent establishment in connection with which the indebtedness on which the interest is paid was incurred, and such interest is borne by such permanent establishment, then such interest shall be deemed to arise in the State in which the permanent establishment is situated. (7) Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficial owner or between both of them and some other person, the amount of the interest, having regard to the debt-claim for which it is paid, exceeds the amount which would have been agreed upon by the payer and the beneficial owner in the absence of such relationship, the provisions of this Article shall apply only to the last-mentioned amount. In such case, the excess part of the payments shall remain taxable according to the laws of each Contracting State, due regard being had to the other provisions of this Convention.
Article 12 ROYALTIES
(1) Royalties arising in a Contracting State and paid to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State. (2) However, such royalties may also be taxed in the Contracting State in which they arise and according to the laws of that State, but if the beneficial owner of the royalties is a resident of the other Contracting State, the tax so charged shall not exceed 5 per cent of the gross amount of the royalties. The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall by mutual agreement settle the mode of application of this limitation. (3) The term "royalties" as used in this Article means payments of any kind received as a consideration for the use of, or the right to use, any copyright of literary, artistic or scientific work including cinematograph films or films or tapes used for radio or television broadcasting, any patent, trade mark, design or model, plan, secret formula or process, or for information concerning industrial, commercial or scientific experience.
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(4) The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the royalties, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State in which the royalties arise through a permanent establishment situated therein and the right or property in respect of which the royalties are paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment. In such case the provisions of Article 7 shall apply. (5) Royalties shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting State when the payer is a resident of that State. Where, however, the person paying the royalties, whether he is a resident of a Contracting State or not, has in a Contracting State a permanent establishment in connection with which the indebtedness on which the royalties are paid was incurred, and such royalties are borne by such permanent establishment, then such royalties shall be deemed to arise in the State in which the permanent establishment is situated. (6) Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficial owner or between both of them and some other person, the amount of the royalties, having regard to the use, right or information for which they are paid, exceeds the amount which would have been agreed upon by the payer and the beneficial owner in the absence of such relationship, the provisions of this Article shall apply only to the last-mentioned amount. In such case, the excess part of the payments shall remain taxable according to the laws of each Contracting State, due regard being had to the other provisions of this Convention.
Article 13 CAPITAL GAINS
(1) Gains derived by a resident of a Contracting State from the alienation of immovable property referred to in Article 6 and situated in the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State. (2) Gains from the alienation of movable property forming part of the business property of a permanent establishment which an enterprise of a Contracting State has in the other Contracting State, including such gains from the alienation of such a permanent establishment (alone or with the whole enterprise), may be taxed in that other State. (3) Gains from the alienation of ships or aircraft operated in international traffic, boats engaged in inland waterways transport or movable property pertaining to the operation of such ships, aircraft or boats, shall be taxable only in the Contracting State in which the place of effective management of the enterprise is situated. (4) Gains from the alienation of any property other than that referred to in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, shall be taxable only in the Contracting State of which the alienator is a resident.
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Article 14 INCOME FROM EMPLOYMENT
(1) Subject to the provisions of Articles 15, 17, 18, 19 and 20 salaries, wages and other similar remuneration derived by a resident of a Contracting State in respect of an employment shall be taxable only in that State unless the employment is exercised in the other Contracting State. If the employment is so exercised, such remuneration as is derived therefrom may be taxed in that other State. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1, remuneration derived by a resident of a Contracting State in respect of an employment exercised in the other Contracting State shall be taxable only in the first-mentioned State if: a) the recipient is present in the other State for a period or periods not exceeding in the aggregate 183 days in the fiscal year concerned, and b) the remuneration is paid by, or on behalf of, an employer who is not a resident of the other State, and c) the remuneration is not borne by a permanent establishment which the employer has in the other State. (3) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Article, remuneration derived in respect of an employment exercised aboard a ship or aircraft operated in international traffic, or aboard a boat engaged in inland waterways transport, may be taxed in the Contracting State in which the place of effective management of the enterprise is situated.
Article 15 DIRECTORS' FEES
Directors' fees and other similar payments derived by a resident of a Contracting State in his capacity as a member of the board of directors of a company which is a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.
Article 16 ARTISTES AND SPORTSPERSONS
(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 7 and 14, income derived by a resident of a Contracting State as an entertainer, such as a theatre, motion picture, radio or television artiste, or a musician, or as a sportsman, from his personal activities as such exercised in the other Contracting State, may be taxed in that other State. (2) Where income in respect of personal activities exercised by an entertainer or a sportsman in his capacity as such accrues not to the entertainer or sportsman himself but to another person, that income may, notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 7 and 14, be www.ris.bka.gv.at
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taxed in the Contracting State in which the activities of the entertainer or sportsman are exercised.
Article 17 PENSIONS
Subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 18, pensions and other similar remuneration paid to a resident of a Contracting State in consideration of past employment shall be taxable only in that State.
Article 18 GOVERNMENT SERVICE
(1) a) Salaries, wages and other similar remuneration, other than a pension, paid by a Contracting State or a local authority thereof to an individual in respect of services rendered to that State or authority, shall be taxable only in that State. b) However, such salaries, wages and other similar remuneration shall be taxable only in the other Contracting State if the services are rendered in that State and the individual is a resident of that State who: (i) is a national of that State; or (ii) did not become a resident of that State solely for the purpose of rendering the services. (2)
a) Any pension paid by, or out of funds created by, a Contracting State or a local authority thereof to an individual in respect of services rendered to that State or authority shall be taxable only in that State. b) However, such pension shall be taxable only in the other Contracting State if the individual is a resident of, and a national of, that State.
(3) The provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article shall likewise apply in respect of remuneration paid to the Austrian Foreign Trade Commissioner in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to the members of the staff of that Austrian Foreign Trade Commissioner. This provision shall also apply to the staff of an organisation of Bosnia and Herzegovina of a similar nature located in Austria. (4) The provisions of Articles 14, 15, 16, and 17 shall apply to salaries, wages and other similar remuneration, and to pensions, in respect of services rendered in connection with a business carried on by a Contracting State or a local authority thereof.
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Article 19 STUDENTS
(1) Payments which a student or business apprentice who is or was immediately before visiting a Contracting State a resident of the other Contracting State and who is present in the first-mentioned State solely for the purpose of his education or training receives for the purpose of his maintenance, education or training shall not be taxed in that State, provided that such payments arise from sources outside that State. (2) Remuneration which a student or business apprentice who is or was formerly a resident of a Contracting State derives from an employment which he exercises in the other Contracting State for a period or periods not exceeding in the aggregate 183 days in the fiscal year concerned shall not be taxed in that other State if the employment is directly related to his studies or apprenticeship carried out in the first-mentioned State. (3) In respect of grants and scholarships not covered by paragraph 1 of this Article, a student or business apprentice referred to in paragraph 1 shall, in addition, be entitled during such education or training to the same exemptions, reliefs or reductions in respect of taxes available to residents of the Contracting Sate which he is visiting.
Article 20 PROFESSORS AND TEACHERS
(1) An individual who visits a Contracting State for the purpose of teaching or carrying out research at a university, college, school or other recognised educational institution in that State and who is or was immediately before that visit a resident of the other Contracting State, shall be exempt from taxation in the first-mentioned Contracting State on remuneration for such teaching or research for a period not exceeding two years from the date of his first visit for that purpose, provided that such remuneration is derived by him from outside that State. (2) The provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article shall not apply to income from research if such research is undertaken not in the public interest but primarily for the private benefit of a specific person or persons.
Article 21 OTHER INCOME
(1) Items of income of a resident of a Contracting State, wherever arising, not dealt with in the foregoing Articles of this Convention shall be taxable only in that State. (2) The provisions of paragraph 1 shall not apply to income, other than income from immovable property as defined in paragraph 2 of Article 6, if the recipient of such income, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State through a permanent establishment situated therein and the right or property in respect of
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which the income is paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment. In such case the provisions of Article 7 shall apply. (3) Income derived by a resident of a Contracting State from the other Contracting State under a legal claim to maintenance may not be taxed in the first-mentioned State if such income would be exempt from tax according to the laws of the other Contracting State.
Article 22 PROPERTY
(1) Property represented by immovable property referred to in Article 6, owned by a resident of a Contracting State and situated in the other Contracting State, may be taxed in that other State. (2) Property represented by movable property forming part of the business property of a permanent establishment which an enterprise of a Contracting State has in the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State. (3) Property represented by ships or aircraft operated in international traffic and by boats engaged in inland waterways transport, and by movable property pertaining to the operation of such ships, aircraft and boats, shall be taxable only in the Contracting State in which the place of effective management of the enterprise is situated. (4) All other elements of property of a resident of a Contracting State shall be taxable only in that State.
Article 23 ELIMINATION OF DOUBLE TAXATION
Double taxation shall be eliminated as follows: (1) In Austria: a) Where a resident of Austria derives income or owns property which, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, may be taxed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria shall, subject to the provisions of subparagraph b) and paragraph 3, exempt such income or property from tax. b) Where a resident of Austria derives items of income which, in accordance with the provisions of Articles 10, 11 and 12, may be taxed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria shall allow as a deduction from the tax on the income of that resident an amount equal to the tax paid in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Such deduction shall not, however, exceed that part of the tax, as computed before the deduction is given, which is attributable to such items of income derived from Bosnia and Herzegovina. c) The provisions of subparagraph a) shall not apply to income derived or property owned by a resident of Austria where Bosnia and Herzegovina applies the
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provisions of this Convention to exempt such income or property from tax or applies the provisions of paragraphs 2 of Article 10, 11 and 12 to such income. (2) In Bosnia and Herzegovina: Where a resident of Bosnia and Herzegovina derives income or owns property, which in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, may be taxed in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina shall allow: a) as a deduction from the tax on income of that resident an amount equal to the tax on income paid in Austria; b) as a deduction from the tax on property of that resident, an amount equal to the tax on property paid in Austria. Such deduction in either case shall not, however, exceed that part of the income tax or property tax, as computed before the deduction is given, which is attributable, as the case may be, to the income or the property which may be taxed in Austria. (3) Where in accordance with any provision of the Convention income derived or property owned by a resident of a Contracting State is exempt from tax in that State, such State may nevertheless, in calculating the amount of tax on the remaining income or property of such resident, take into account the exempted income or property.
Article 24 NON-DISCRIMINATION
(1) Nationals of a Contracting State shall not be subjected in the other Contracting State to any taxation or any requirement connected therewith, 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. (2) Stateless persons who are residents of a Contracting State shall not be subjected in either Contracting State to any taxation or any requirement connected therewith, which is other or more burdensome than the taxation and connected requirements to which nationals of the State concerned in the same circumstances, in particular with respect to residence, are or may be subjected. (3) The taxation on a permanent establishment which an enterprise of a Contracting State has in the other Contracting State shall not be less favourably levied in that other State than the taxation levied on enterprises of that other State carrying on the same activities. This provision shall not be construed as obliging a Contracting State to grant to residents of the other Contracting State any personal allowances, reliefs and reductions for taxation purposes on account of civil status or family responsibilities which it grants to its own residents. (4) Except where the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 9, paragraph 7 of Article 11, or paragraph 6 of Article 12 apply, interest, royalties and other disbursements paid by an enterprise of a Contracting State to a resident of the other Contracting State shall, for the
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purpose of determining the taxable profits of such enterprise, be deductible under the same conditions as if they had been paid to a resident of the first-mentioned State. Similarly, any debts of an enterprise of a Contracting State to a resident of the other Contracting State shall, for the purpose of determining the taxable capital of such enterprise, be deductible under the same conditions as if they had been contracted to a resident of the first-mentioned State. (5) Enterprises of a Contracting State, the capital of which is wholly or partly owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by one or more residents of the other Contracting State, shall not be subjected in the first-mentioned State to any taxation or any requirement connected therewith which is other or more burdensome than the taxation and connected requirements to which other similar enterprises of the first-mentioned State are or may be subjected. (6) The provisions of this Article shall, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 2, apply to taxes of every kind and description.
Article 25 MUTUAL AGREEMENT PROCEDURE
(1) Where a person considers that the actions of one or both of the Contracting States result or will result for him in taxation not in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, he may, irrespective of the remedies provided by the domestic law of those States, present his case to the competent authority of the Contracting State of which he is a resident or, if his case comes under paragraph 1 of Article 24, to that of the Contracting State of which he is a national. The case must be presented within three years from the first notification of the action resulting in taxation not in accordance with the provisions of the Convention. (2) The competent authority shall endeavour, if the objection appears to it to be justified and if it is not itself able to arrive at a satisfactory solution, to resolve the case by mutual agreement with the competent authority of the other Contracting State, with a view to the avoidance of taxation which is not in accordance with the Convention. Any agreement reached shall be implemented notwithstanding any time limits in the domestic law of the Contracting States. (3) The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall endeavour to resolve by mutual agreement any difficulties or doubts arising as to the interpretation or application of the Convention. They may also consult together for the elimination of double taxation in cases not provided for in the Convention. (4) The competent authorities of the Contracting States may communicate with each other directly, including through a joint commission consisting of themselves or their representatives, for the purpose of reaching an agreement in the sense of the preceding paragraphs. (5) If it is not possible for the competent authorities to resolve difficulties or doubts arising as to the interpretation or application of the Convention in the course of the mutual agreement procedure according to the preceding paragraphs of this Article within a time
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limit of two years from the date on which the procedure was initiated, the case shall be presented, upon application of all taxpayers concerned, to an arbitration court by the competent authority of the Contracting State which has initiated the mutual agreement procedure. The arbitration court shall consist of one representative of each competent authority of the Contracting States and of one independent person from each Contracting State who shall be appointed from a list of arbitrators in the order of their ranking. The arbitrators shall elect another person as chairman who must possess the qualifications required for the appointment to the highest judicial offices in his country or be a juriconsult of recognised competence. Each State shall nominate five competent persons for the list of arbitrators. The taxpayer shall be heard before the arbitration court at his request. The arbitration court shall deliver its decision not more than six months from the date on which the matter was referred to it. The decision shall be binding with regard to the individual case on both Contracting States and all taxpayers concerned.
Article 26 EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION (1) The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall exchange such information as is foreseeably relevant for carrying out the provisions of this Convention or to the administration or enforcement of the domestic laws concerning taxes of every kind and description imposed on behalf of the Contracting States, or of their political subdivisions or local authorities, insofar as the taxation thereunder is not contrary to the Convention. The exchange of information is not restricted by Articles 1 and 2. (2) Any information received under paragraph 1 by a Contracting State shall be treated as secret in the same manner as information obtained under the domestic laws of that State and shall be disclosed only to persons or authorities (including courts and administrative bodies) concerned with the assessment or collection of, the enforcement or prosecution in respect of, the determination of appeals in relation to the taxes referred to in paragraph 1, or the oversight of the above. Such persons or authorities shall use the information only for such purposes. They may disclose the information in public court proceedings or in judicial decisions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, information received by a Contracting State may be used for other purposes when such information may be used for such other purposes under the laws of both States and the competent authority of the supplying State authorises such use. (3) In no case shall the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 be construed so as to impose on a Contracting State the obligation: a) to carry out administrative measures at variance with the laws and administrative practice of that or of the other Contracting State; b) to supply information which is not obtainable under the laws or in the normal course of the administration of that or of the other Contracting State; c) to supply information which would disclose any trade, business, industrial, commercial or professional secret or trade process, or information, the disclosure of which would be contrary to public policy (ordre public) or to the fundamental rights granted by a State, in particular in the area of data protection. (4) If information is requested by a Contracting State in accordance with this Article, the other Contracting State shall use its information gathering measures to obtain the requested
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information, even though that other State may not need such information for its own tax purposes. The obligation contained in the preceding sentence is subject to the limitations of paragraph 3 but in no case shall such limitations be construed to permit a Contracting State to decline to supply information solely because it has no domestic interest in such information. (5) In no case shall the provisions of paragraph 3 be construed to permit a Contracting State to decline to supply information solely because the information is held by a bank, other financial institution, nominee or person acting in an agency or a fiduciary capacity or because it relates to ownership interests in a person.
Article 27 MEMBERS OF DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS AND CONSULAR POSTS
Nothing in this Convention shall affect the fiscal privileges of members of diplomatic missions or consular posts under the general rules of international law or under the provisions of special agreements.
Article 28 ENTRY INTO FORCE
(1) This Convention shall be ratified and the instruments of ratification shall be exchanged as soon as possible. (2) The Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the third month next following that in which the exchange of instruments of ratification takes place. (3) Its provisions shall have effect in respect of taxes for any fiscal year beginning on or after the first day of January of the calendar year next following that in which the exchange of instruments of ratification takes place.
Article 29 TERMINATION
(1) This Convention shall remain in force indefinitely. (2) Either Contracting State may terminate the Convention, through diplomatic channels, by giving written notice of termination on or before the thirtieth day of June in a calendar year after the first year from the date of entry into force of the Convention. (3) In such event, the Convention shall cease to have effect in respect of the taxes for any fiscal year beginning on or after the first day of January of the calendar year next following that in which the notice of termination has been given.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Plenipotentiaries of the two Contracting States, duly authorised thereto, have signed this Convention. DONE in duplicate in Sarajevo, on the 16th day of December 2010, in the German, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the English text shall prevail.
For the Republic of Austria: Köck m.p.
For Bosnia and Herzegovina: Vrankic m.p.
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PROTOCOL At the moment of signing the Convention between the Republic of Austria and Bosnia and Herzegovina for the Avoidance of Double Taxation with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Property, the undersigned have agreed that the following provisions shall form an integral part of the Convention:
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Interpretation of the Convention It is understood that provisions of the Convention which are drafted according to the corresponding provisions of the OECD Model Convention on income and on capital shall generally be expected to have the same meaning as expressed in the OECD Commentary thereon. The understanding in the preceding sentence will not apply with respect to the following: a) any reservations or observations to the OECD Model or its Commentary by either Contracting State; b) any contrary interpretation in a published explanation by one of the Contracting States that has been provided to the competent authority of the other Contracting State prior to the entry into force of the Convention; and c) any contrary interpretation agreed to by the competent authorities after the entry into force of the Convention. The Commentary - as it may be revised from time to time - constitutes a means of interpretation in the sense of the Vienna Convention of 23 May 1969 on the Law of Treaties.
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Ad Article 11 It is understood that the provisions of Article 11 paragraph 3 will also apply to loans granted, secured or guaranteed by the Oesterreichische Kontrollbank AG or Investment Guarantee Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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Ad Article 26 (1) The competent authority of the applicant State shall provide the following information to the competent authority of the requested State when making a request for information under the Convention to demonstrate the foreseeable relevance of the information to the request: (a) the identity of the person under examination or investigation; (b) a statement of the information sought including its nature and the form in which the applicant State wishes to receive the information from the requested State; (c) the tax purpose for which the information is sought; (d) grounds for believing that the information requested is held in the requested State or is in the possession or control of a person within the jurisdiction of the requested State; (e) the name and address of any person believed to be in possession of the requested information;
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(f) a statement that the applicant State has pursued all means available in its own territory to obtain the information, except those that would give rise to disproportionate difficulties. (2) It is understood that the exchange of information provided in Article 26 does not include measures which constitute “fishing expeditions”. (3) It is understood that paragraph 5 of Article 26 does not require the Contracting States to exchange information on a spontaneous or automatic basis. (4) It is understood that – in addition to the above mentioned principles – for the interpretation of Article 26 the principles established in the OECD Commentaries including the technical note prepared by the OECD Secretariat, which is added as an Annex to this Additional Protocol, shall be considered as well.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Plenipotentiaries of the two Contracting States, duly authorised thereto, have signed this Protocol. DONE in duplicate in Sarajevo, on the 16th day of December 2010, in the German, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the English text shall prevail.
For the Republic of Austria:
For Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Köck m.p.
Vrankic m.p.
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Annex Technical note on paragraph 5 of Article 26 of the OECD Model Tax Convention
Paragraph 5 of Article 26 of the OECD Model Tax Convention provides that bank secrecy cannot be an obstacle to exchange of information for tax purposes. Article 26 also provides for important safeguards in order to protect the confidentiality of taxpayers’ information. The standard requires information exchange on request only. Where information is requested, it must be exchanged only where it is “foreseeably relevant” to the administration or enforcement of the domestic laws of the treaty partner. Countries are not at liberty to engage in “fishing expeditions” or to request information that is unlikely to be relevant to the tax affairs of a given taxpayer. In formulating their requests, competent authorities should demonstrate the foreseeable relevance of the requested information. It would, for instance, not be possible for a State to request information randomly on bank accounts held by its residents in banks located in the other State. Also, even when auditing a taxpayer, a tax administration would not request information on a specific taxpayer when no transaction or indication of possible transactions has been identified as involving an nexus with the other state. On the other hand, for example, when a tax administration assesses the tax liability of a specific taxpayer and suspects that this taxpayer has a bank account in the other State, then the competent authority may request information on this specific taxpayer. This could also be the case where a number of taxpayers have been identified, for example, as holding offshore credit cards from banks located in the other state. The requesting State should, however, have pursued all domestic means to access the requested information. For further details, you may wish to consult the commentaries to the Article 26 of the OECD Model Tax Convention and Article 5 of the Model Agreement on Exchange of Information. Where information is exchanged it is subject to strict confidentiality rules. It is expressly provided in Article 26 that information communicated shall be treated as secret. It can only be used for the purposes provided for in the convention. Sanctions for the violation of such secrecy are governed by administrative and penal laws in all states. Typically, unauthorised disclosure of tax related information received from another country is a criminal offence punishable by a jail sentence. As you can see from these explanations, which you can find in the OECD Model Tax Convention commentary, as well as in the OECD Manual on Information exchange, bank secrecy is not incompatible with effective exchange of information for tax purposes. All countries have bank secrecy or confidentiality rules. Meeting the internationally agreed standard on exchange of information requires only limited exceptions to bank secrecy rules and would not undermine the confidence of citizens in the protection of their privacy.