On 17 July 2023, the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS released a package of documents as part of its continuing effort to implement the Two-Pillar Solution to Address the Tax Challenges Arising from the Digitalization of the Economy. On Pillar Two, this included further Administrative Guidance (including two new safe harbors) and the GLoBE Information Return, together with a report on the Subject to Tax Rule including a model treaty provision and accompanying commentary. We set out below our experts’ insights on these publications.

In this newest episode of Baker McKenzie’s Global Tax Policy Video Series, Kate Alexander, Miles Humphries and Nick Evans discuss recent UK perspectives on Pillar Two. They also discuss what UK businesses are doing now to prepare for implementation of the proposed Pillar Two changes, despite a welcome delay to the UK’s implementation schedule.

On 14 March 2022, the OECD published its long awaited commentary to the model GloBE rules. At more than 200 pages, the commentary will take some time to fully absorb. However, it appears that the guidance still leaves some fundamental issues unanswered, such as how the GloBE rules co-exist with the US’s GILTI regime, and what simplifications/safe-harbors will be available to taxpayers to reduce their compliance burden. It is expected that this will be further addressed in the implementation framework, for which a public consultation was launched on the same day.

On 11 January 2022, the UK government published a consultation on the implementation of the Pillar Two regime into UK domestic law. This follows the publication of the GloBE Model Rules by the OECD on 20 December 2021. The consultation is open until 4 April 2022, with the expectation that draft legislation will be published during the summer. The consultation indicates that an Income Inclusion Rule (IIR) would take effect in UK law from 1 April 2023, with the Undertaxed Profit Rule (UTPR) following on 1 April 2024.

On 8 October 2021, 136 member jurisdictions of the OECD’s Inclusive Framework signed up to a revised Statement on a Two-Pillar Solution to Address the Tax Challenges Arising from the Digitalisation of the Economy. The Statement confirms a number of issues left outstanding from the previous statement on 1 July. Notably, it confirms the amount of residual profits to be redistributed under Pillar One, the rates of tax under the new Global Minimum Tax regime and subject to tax rule, the calculation of the substance based carve out, and the timing of the implementation of the plan. The Inclusive Framework has been able to reach near unanimous political agreement on the broad architecture of the Two-Pillar solution and will now turn to the technical challenges of agreeing the finer details ahead of publication of implementation instruments.

The inaugural ‘Tax Day’ on 23 March saw a range of announcements on the future of UK tax compliance. One of most significant measures is the re-launch of the proposal to require Large Businesses to notify HMRC of uncertain tax treatments that they have adopted.

This second consultation addresses the criticisms expressed when the proposal was first put forward during 2020. The original trigger of HMRC “may not agree with/is likely to challenge” the treatment adopted by a taxpayer has been replaced with eight separate triggers designed to apply the reporting requirement on a more objective basis.

The revised proposal looks a step in the right direction, but there remain a number of practical concerns to be ironed out. We would recommend that Large Business taxpayers continue to engage with the proposal to ensure it is implemented on proportionate and practicable terms.

The intention is for the requirement to apply to returns that are due to be filed from 1 April 2022 onwards. Therefore, for annual taxes such as corporation tax, this is a live issue that affects the current financial period for the vast majority of taxpayers.

The inaugural ‘Tax Day’ on 23 March saw a range of announcements on the future of UK tax compliance. One of most significant measures is the re-launch of the proposal to require Large Businesses to notify HMRC of uncertain tax treatments that they have adopted.

This second consultation addresses the criticisms expressed when the proposal was first put forward during 2020. The original trigger of HMRC “may not agree with/is likely to challenge” the treatment adopted by a taxpayer has been replaced with eight separate triggers designed to apply the reporting requirement on a more objective basis.

The revised proposal looks a step in the right direction, but there remain a number of practical concerns to be ironed out. We would recommend that Large Business taxpayers continue to engage with the proposal to ensure it is implemented on proportionate and practicable terms.

The intention is for the requirement to apply to returns that are due to be filed from 1 April 2022 onwards. Therefore, for annual taxes such as corporation tax, this is a live issue that affects the current financial period for the vast majority of taxpayers.

HMRC has published its response to the recent consultation on the operation of the UK hybrid-mismatch rules along with draft legislation to amend the rules in various respects. Although the consultation document identified discrete areas where HMRC were seeking views, HMRC also welcomed broader feedback on the current operation of legislation to the extent it was not operating proportionately or as intended. 

HMRC’s proposals only offer partial solutions to many of the issues identified by stakeholders. In particular, US multinational groups may continue to suffer material disallowances under the double deduction rules in some common (and benign) commercial structures. It is clear from our recent discussions with HMRC that they have endeavored strike a balance between fixing some of the issues with the current legislation while ensuring the rules cannot be manipulated. The remaining pitfalls within the legislation which continue to lead to economic double taxation are therefore deliberate policy choices that HMRC intends to stick by irrespective of the harmful consequences for some taxpayers.