PART 1Direct taxes

International matters

21Permanent establishments: preparatory or auxiliary activities

1

Section 1143 of CTA 2010 (permanent establishments: preparatory or auxiliary activities) is amended as follows.

2

In subsection (2), at the end insert “ and are not part of a fragmented business operation ”.

3

After subsection (2) insert—

2A

Activities are “part of a fragmented business operation” if—

a

they are carried on (whether at the same place or at different places in the same territory) by the company or a person closely related to the company,

b

they constitute complementary functions that are part of a cohesive business operation, and

c

subsection (2B) applies.

2B

This subsection applies if—

a

the overall activity resulting from the combination of the functions mentioned in subsection (2A)(b) is not activity that is only of a preparatory or auxiliary character, or

b

the company or a person closely related to the company has a permanent establishment in the territory by reason of carrying on any of those functions.

2C

A person who is not a company is to be treated for the purposes of subsection (2B)(b) as having a permanent establishment in a territory if, were the person a company, the person would have a permanent establishment in the territory.

2D

For the purposes of this section, one person (“A”) is closely related to another person (“B”) if—

a

A is able to secure that B acts in accordance with A's wishes (or vice versa),

b

B can reasonably be expected to act, or typically acts, in accordance with A's wishes (or vice versa),

c

a third person is able to secure that A and B act in accordance with the third person's wishes,

d

A and B can reasonably be expected to act, or typically act, in accordance with a third person's wishes, or

e

the 50% investment condition is met in relation to A and B.

2E

The 50% investment condition is met in relation to A and B if—

a

A has a 50% investment in B (or vice versa), or

b

a third person has a 50% investment in each of A and B,

and section 259ND of TIOPA 2010 (meaning of “50% investment”) applies for the purposes of determining whether a person has a “50% investment

4

In subsection (3), for “For this purpose” substitute “ In this section ”.

5

The amendments made by this section have effect in relation to accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2019.

6

For the purposes of subsection (5), if a company has an accounting period beginning before, and ending on or after, that date (“the straddling period”)—

a

so much of the straddling period as falls before that date, and so much of it as falls on or after that date, are treated as separate accounting periods, and

b

if it is necessary to apportion an amount for the straddling period to the two separate periods, it is to be apportioned—

i

on a time basis according to the respective length of the separate periods, or

ii

if that would produce a result that is unjust or unreasonable, on a just and reasonable basis.