Section 69.
1After section 510 of the Taxes Act 1988 there shall be inserted—
(1)In this section “grouping” means a European Economic Interest Grouping formed in pursuance of [O.J. No. L199/1.] Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2137/85 of 25th July 1985, whether registered in Great Britain, in Northern Ireland, or elsewhere.
(2)Subject to the following provisions of this section, for the purposes of charging tax in respect of income and gains a grouping shall be regarded as acting as the agent of its members.
(3)In accordance with subsection (2) above—
(a)for the purposes mentioned in that subsection the activities of the grouping shall be regarded as those of its members acting jointly and each member shall be regarded as having a share of its property, rights and liabilities; and
(b)for the purposes of charging tax in respect of gains a person shall be regarded as acquiring or disposing of a share of the assets of the grouping not only where there is an acquisition or disposal of assets by the grouping while he is a member of it, but also where he becomes or ceases to be a member of a grouping or there is a change in his share of the property of the grouping.
(4)Subject to subsection (5) below, for the purposes of this section a member’s share of any property, rights or liabilities of a grouping shall be determined in accordance with the contract under which the grouping is established.
(5)Where the contract does not make provision as to the shares of members in the property, rights or liabilities in question a member’s share shall be determined by reference to the share of the profits of the grouping to which he is entitled under the contract (and if the contract makes no provision as to that, the members shall be regarded as having equal shares).
(6)Subject to subsection (7) below, where any trade or profession is carried on by a grouping it shall be regarded for the purposes of charging tax in respect of income and gains as carried on in partnership by the members of the grouping.
(7)Sections 111 and 114(4) shall not apply to the members of a grouping and section 112 shall have effect in relation to the members of a grouping as if the second reference in subsection (2) to the firm were a reference to the members and subsection (3) were omitted.
(8)Notwithstanding subsection (7) above, where a trade or profession is carried on by a grouping, the amount on which the members are chargeable to income tax in respect of it shall be computed (but not assessed) jointly.”
2After section 12 of the [1970 c. 9.] Taxes Management Act 1970 there shall be inserted—
(1)In this section “grouping” means a European Economic Interest Grouping formed in pursuance of [O.J. No. L199/1/] Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2137/85 of 25th July 1985 (“the Council Regulation”), whether registered in Great Britain, in Northern Ireland, or elsewhere.
(2)For the purposes of making assessments to income tax, corporation tax and capital gains tax on members of a grouping, an inspector may act under subsection (3) or (4) below.
(3)In the case of a grouping which is registered in Great Britain or Northern Ireland or has an establishment registered in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, an inspector may by a notice given to the grouping require the grouping—
(a)to make and deliver to the inspector within the time limited by the notice a return containing such information as may be required in pursuance of the notice, and
(b)to deliver with the return such accounts and statements as may be required in pursuance of the notice.
(4)In the case of any other grouping, an inspector may by a notice given to any member of the grouping resident in the United Kingdom, or if none is to any member of the grouping, require the member—
(a)to make and deliver to the inspector within the time limited by the notice a return containing such information as may be required in pursuance of the notice, and
(b)to deliver with the return such accounts and statements as may be required in pursuance of the notice,
and a notice may be given to any one of the members concerned or separate notices may be given to each of them or to such of them as the inspector thinks fit.
(5)Every return under this section shall include a declaration by the grouping or member making the return to the effect that the return is to the best of the maker’s knowledge correct and complete.
(6)A notice under this section may require different information, accounts and statements for different periods, in relation to different descriptions of income or gains or in relation to different descriptions of member.
(7)Notices under this section may require different information, accounts and statements in relation to different descriptions of grouping.
(8)Subject to subsection (9) below, where a notice is given under subsection (3) above, everything required to be done shall be done by the grouping acting through its manager or, where there is more than one, any of them; but where the manager of a grouping (or each of them) is a person other than an individual, the grouping shall act through the individual, or any of the individuals, designated in accordance with the Council Regulation as the representative of the manager (or any of them).
(9)Where the contract for the formation of a grouping provides that the grouping shall be validly bound only by two or more managers acting jointly, any declaration required by subsection (5) above to be included in a return made by a grouping shall be given by the appropriate number of managers.”
3(1)After section 98A of the [1970 c. 9.] Taxes Management Act 1970 there shall be inserted—
(1)In this section “grouping” means a European Economic Interest Grouping formed in pursuance of [O.J. No. L199/1.] Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2137/85 of 25th July 1985, whether registered in Great Britain, in Northern Ireland, or elsewhere.
(2)Subject to subsections (3) and (4) below, where a grouping or member of a grouping required by a notice given under section 12A above to deliver a return or other document fails to comply with the notice, the grouping or member shall be liable—
(a)to a penalty not exceeding £300; and
(b)if the failure continues after a penalty is imposed under paragraph (a) above, to a further penalty or penalties not exceeding £60 for each day on which the failure continues after the day on which the penalty under paragraph (a) above was imposed (but excluding any day for which a penalty under this paragraph has already been imposed).
(3)No penalty shall be imposed under subsection (2) above in respect of a failure at any time after the failure has been remedied.
(4)If a grouping to which, or member to whom, a notice is given proves that there was no income or chargeable gain to be included in the return, the penalty under subsection (2) above shall not exceed £100.
(5)Where a grouping or member fraudulently or negligently delivers an incorrect return, accounts or statement, or makes an incorrect declaration in a return delivered, under section 12A above, the grouping or member shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding £3000 multiplied by the number of members of the grouping at the time of delivery.”
(2)In section 100(2) of that Act (penalties which are imposed by Commissioners), after paragraph (d) there shall be inserted “or
(e)section 98B(2)(a) above.”
4(1)At the end of section 36 of the Taxes Management Act 1970 (extension of time for assessment in case of fraudulent or negligent conduct), there shall be added—
“(4)Any act or omission such as is mentioned in section 98B below on the part of a grouping (as defined in that section) or member of a grouping shall be deemed for the purposes of subsection (1) above to be the act or omission of each member of the grouping.”
(2)At the end of section 40 of that Act (extension of time for assessment in case of fraudulent or negligent conduct of person who has died), there shall be added—
“(4)Any act or omission such as is mentioned in section 98B below on the part of a grouping (as defined in that section) or member of a grouping shall be deemed for the purposes of subsection (2) above to be the act or omission of each member of the grouping.”
5This Schedule shall be deemed to have come into force on 1st July 1989.