Fixed Establishments in European Value Added Tax: Base Erosion and Profit Shifting’s Side Effects?

Abstract:

The focus in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reports in the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project is on direct taxation. Still, the effects BEPS will have on indirect taxes should not be underestimated.

In this article the author addresses the effects the BEPS reports and developments will have on the concept of fixed establishment (FE) for indirect taxes. She addresses the changes in the concept of permanent establishment (PE) and how these may affect the interpretation of the concept of FE for Value Added Tax (VAT) purposes. On top of that, she discusses whether or not the issues addressed in BEPS for PEs need to be examined in a similar manner for FEs in European VAT.