Corporate Tax Executives Handling Transfer Pricing Remotely

It goes without saying that the COVID-19 pandemic is the major concern of nearly all multinational enterprises (MNEs) at the moment. Radical containment measures continue to be put in place by governments around the world in efforts to slow the spread of the virus. Many of these measures center on the concept of ‘social distancing’ and have included closing businesses and organizations, cancelling events, prohibiting international and domestic travel, and quarantining cities and even regions. COVID-19 containment measures have disrupted business as usual, from manufacturing plant shutdowns to creating information inefficiencies and collaboration challenges at MNE headquarters and across global entities. These business disruptions create challenges for effectively managing transfer pricing information and workflows.

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iStock_000015914943XSmallAccording to a recent Deloitte webcast China is simplifying its procedures for outbound payments.

Bulletin [2013] No. 40 and Huifu [2013] No. 30 removes the requirements of tax clearance certificates for outbound payments.

Also, SAFE is allowing cross-border cash pooling for pilot multinational companies and state-owned enterprises. This allows for cross-border intercompany borrowing, lending and netting or cash pooling (within limits). Tax considerations include deductibility of intercompany interest expense, withholding tax on interest payments, and transfer pricing issues concerning intercompany charges.

Further, excess cash from the China operations of an MNC could be used to finance overseas cash needs of sister companies via equity or debt. Read More