Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
This book provides clear guidance on what constitutes State Aid in the area of tax law. It clearly explains the situations in which beneficial tax provisions for the taxpayer - e.g., lower tax rates for certain industries or for certain economic zones, advantageous depreciation rules, or exemptions - can be declared void by the European Commission. The difficult controlling concept of 'selectivity' of an aid is dealt with extensively. Drawing on familiarity with the practice of the Commission, as well as the jurisprudence of the General Court and of the Court of Justice, thirteen knowledgeable contributors present valuable arguments in case the Commission requires the repayment of advantages received. Among the topics and issues covered are the following: how unregulated tax incentive competition between States leads to a 'win' by one State and a 'loss' by another; the legal uncertainty attached to the Commission's decision following notification of a proposed tax incentive; the role of the Commission's Code of Conduct; calculating the amount of recovery of illegal State Aid; application of State Aid rules in the area of indirect taxation (e.g., VAT and excise duties); investment fund regimes; subnational regional aid; 'patent box' regimes; foreign source income; and taxpayers' exclusion from infringement proceedings and subsequent appeals. Complete with case studies and analyses of the latest case law on selectivity, this invaluable resource will be welcomed by practitioners who, although they may be well-versed in tax law, are sure to benefit greatly from the authors' expert guidance on State Aid provisions and the rules on harmful tax competition.
Synopsis
Among the areas of incompatibility between EU law and national tax law, one of the more troublesome is the repayment obligation that can burden enterprises that have received advantages from State Aid deemed illegal by the Commission. The number of infringement proceedings against Member States for violation of the State Aid provisions is increasing, and as a result more and more taxpayers are exposed to severe financial risk.