Cap. 112BK 《稅務(關於收入稅項的雙重課稅寬免和防止逃稅)(文萊達魯薩蘭國)令》Inland Revenue (Double Taxation Relief and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income)(Brunei Darussalam) Order

1.

This Agreement shall apply to taxes on income imposed on behalf of a Contracting Party or of its political subdivisions or local authorities, irrespective of the manner in which they are levied.

2.

There shall be regarded as taxes on income all taxes imposed on total income, or on elements of income, including taxes on gains from the alienation of movable or immovable property, taxes on the total amounts of wages or salaries paid by enterprises, as well as taxes on capital appreciation.

3.

The existing taxes to which this Agreement shall apply are in particular:

4.

This Agreement shall apply also to any identical or substantially similar taxes that are imposed after the date of signature of this Agreement in addition to, or in place of, the existing taxes, as well as any other taxes falling within paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article which a Contracting Party may impose in future. The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall notify each other of any significant changes that have been made in their taxation laws within a reasonable period of time.

5.

1.

For the purposes of this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires:

2.

3.

As regards the application of this Agreement at any time by a Contracting Party, any term not defined therein shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the meaning that it has at that time under the law of that Contracting Party for the purposes of the taxes to which this Agreement applies, any meaning under the applicable tax laws of that Contracting Party prevailing over a meaning given to the term under other laws of that Contracting Party.

1.

For the purposes of this Agreement, the term “resident of a Contracting Party” means:

2.

Where by reason of the provisions of paragraph 1 an individual is a resident of both Contracting Parties, then his status shall be determined as follows:

3.

Where by reason of the provisions of paragraph 1 a person other than an individual is a resident of both Contracting Parties, then it shall be deemed to be a resident only of the Contracting Party in which its place of effective management is situated.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2, where a person - other than an agent of an independent status to whom paragraph 6 applies - is acting in a Contracting Party on behalf of an enterprise of the other Contracting Party, that enterprise shall be deemed to have a permanent establishment in the first-mentioned Contracting Party in respect of any activities which that person undertakes for the enterprise, if such a person:

6.

An enterprise shall not be deemed to have a permanent establishment in a Contracting Party merely because it carries on business in that Contracting Party through a broker, general commission agent or any other agent of an independent status, provided that such persons are acting in the ordinary course of their business.

7.

The fact that a company which is a resident of a Contracting Party controls or is controlled by a company which is a resident of the other Contracting Party, or which carries on business in that other Contracting Party (whether through a permanent establishment or otherwise), shall not of itself constitute either company a permanent establishment of the other.

1.

Income derived by a resident of a Contracting Party from immovable property (including income from agriculture, forestry or fishery) situated in the other Contracting Party may be taxed in that other Contracting Party.

2.

3.

The provisions of paragraph 1 shall apply to income derived from the direct use, letting, or use in any other form of immovable property.

4.

The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 3 shall also apply to the income from immovable property of an enterprise.

1.

The profits of an enterprise of a Contracting Party shall be taxable only in that Contracting Party unless the enterprise carries on business in the other Contracting Party through a permanent establishment situated therein. If the enterprise carries on business as aforesaid, the profits of the enterprise may be taxed in the other Contracting Party, but only so much of them as is attributable to that permanent establishment.

2.

Subject to the provisions of paragraph 3, where an enterprise of a Contracting Party carries on business in the other Contracting Party through a permanent establishment situated therein, there shall in each Contracting Party be attributed to that permanent establishment the profits which it might be expected to make if it were a distinct and separate enterprise engaged in the same or similar activities under the same or similar conditions and dealing wholly independently with the enterprise of which it is a permanent establishment.

3.

In determining the profits of a permanent establishment, there shall be allowed as deductions expenses which are incurred for the purposes of the permanent establishment, including executive and general administrative expenses so incurred, whether in the Contracting Party in which the permanent establishment is situated or elsewhere.

4.

Insofar as it has been customary in a Contracting Party to determine the profits to be attributed to a permanent establishment on the basis of an apportionment of the total profits of the enterprise to its various parts, nothing in paragraph 2 shall preclude that Contracting Party from determining the profits to be taxed by such an apportionment as may be customary; the method of apportionment adopted shall, however, be such that the result shall be in accordance with the principles contained in this Article.

5.

No profits shall be attributed to a permanent establishment by reason of the mere purchase by that permanent establishment of goods or merchandise for the enterprise.

6.

For the purposes of the preceding paragraphs, the profits to be attributed to the permanent establishment shall be determined by the same method year by year unless there is good and sufficient reason to the contrary.

7.

Where profits include items of income which are dealt with separately in other Articles of this Agreement, then the provisions of those Articles shall not be affected by the provisions of this Article.

1.

The profits of an enterprise of a Contracting Party from the operation of ships or aircraft in international traffic shall be taxable only in that Contracting Party.

2.

The provisions of paragraph 1 shall also apply to profits from the participation in a pool, a joint business or an international operating agency.

1.

Where:

and in either case conditions are made or imposed between the two enterprises in their commercial or financial relations which differ from those which would be made between independent enterprises, then any profits which would, but for those conditions, have accrued to one of the enterprises, but, by reason of those conditions, have not so accrued, may be included in the profits of that enterprise and taxed accordingly.

2.

Where a Contracting Party includes in the profits of an enterprise of that Contracting Party - and taxes accordingly - profits on which an enterprise of the other Contracting Party has been charged to tax in that other Contracting Party and the profits so included are profits which would have accrued to the enterprise of the first-mentioned Contracting Party if the conditions made between the two enterprises had been those which would have been made between independent enterprises, then that other Contracting Party shall make an appropriate adjustment to the amount of the tax charged therein on those profits. In determining such adjustment, due regard shall be had to the other provisions of this Agreement and the competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall if necessary consult each other.

3.

The provisions of paragraph 2 shall not apply where judicial, administrative or legal proceedings have resulted in a final ruling that by actions giving rise to an adjustment of profits under paragraph 1, one of the enterprises concerned is liable to penalty with respect to fraud, gross negligence or willful default.

1.

Dividends paid by a company which is a resident of a Contracting Party to a resident of the other Contracting Party shall be taxable only in that other Contracting Party. This paragraph shall not affect the taxation of the company in respect of the profits out of which the dividends are paid.

2.

3.

The provisions of paragraph 1 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the dividends, being a resident of a Contracting Party, carries on business in the other Contracting Party of which the company paying the dividends is a resident through a permanent establishment situated therein, and the holding in respect of which the dividends are paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment. In such case the provisions of Article 7 shall apply.

4.

Where a company which is a resident of a Contracting Party derives profits or income from the other Contracting Party, that other Contracting Party may not impose any tax on the dividends paid by the company, except insofar as such dividends are paid to a resident of that other Contracting Party or insofar as the holding in respect of which the dividends are paid is effectively connected with a permanent establishment situated in that other Contracting Party, nor subject the company’s undistributed profits to a tax on the company’s undistributed profits, even if the dividends paid or the undistributed profits consist wholly or partly of profits or income arising in such other Contracting Party.

5.

The provisions of this Article shall not apply if it was the main purpose or one of the main purposes of any person concerned with the creation or assignment of the shares or rights in respect of which the dividend is paid to take advantage of this Article by means of that creation or assignment.

1.

Interest arising in a Contracting Party and paid to a resident of the other Contracting Party may be taxed in that other Contracting Party.

2.

However, such interest may also be taxed in the Contracting Party in which it arises and according to the laws of that Contracting Party, but if the beneficial owner of the interest is a resident of the other Contracting Party, the tax so charged shall not exceed:

The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall by mutual agreement settle the mode of application of these limitations.

3.

Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2, interest arising in a Contracting Party is exempt from tax in that Contracting Party, if it is paid:

4.

5.

The provisions of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the interest, being a resident of a Contracting Party, carries on business in the other Contracting Party in which the interest arises through a permanent establishment situated therein and the debt-claim in respect of which the interest is paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment. In such case the provisions of Article 7 shall apply.

6.

Interest shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting Party when the payer is a resident of that Contracting Party. Where, however, the person paying the interest, whether he is a resident of a Contracting Party or not, has in a Contracting Party a permanent establishment in connection with which the indebtedness on which the interest is paid was incurred, and such interest is borne by such permanent establishment, then such interest shall be deemed to arise in the Contracting Party in which the permanent establishment is situated.

7.

Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficial owner or between both of them and some other person, the amount of the interest exceeds, for whatever reason, the amount which would have been agreed upon by the payer and the beneficial owner in the absence of such relationship, the provisions of this Article shall apply only to the last-mentioned amount. In such case, the excess part of the payments shall remain taxable according to the laws of each Contracting Party, due regard being had to the other provisions of this Agreement.

8.

The provisions of this Article shall not apply if it was the main purpose or one of the main purposes of any person concerned with the creation or assignment of the debt-claim in respect of which the interest is paid to take advantage of this Article by means of that creation or assignment.

1.

Royalties arising in a Contracting Party and paid to a resident of the other Contracting Party may be taxed in that other Contracting Party.

2.

However, such royalties may also be taxed in the Contracting Party in which they arise and according to the laws of that Contracting Party, but if the beneficial owner of the royalties is a resident of the other Contracting Party, the tax so charged shall not exceed five (5) per cent of the gross amount of the royalties. The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall by mutual agreement settle the mode of application of this limitation.

3.

4.

The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the royalties, being a resident of a Contracting Party, carries on business in the other Contracting Party in which the royalties arise through a permanent establishment situated therein, and the right or property in respect of which the royalties are paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment. In such case the provisions of Article 7 shall apply.

5.

Royalties shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting Party when the payer is a resident of that Contracting Party. Where, however, the person paying the royalties, whether he is a resident of a Contracting Party or not, has in a Contracting Party a permanent establishment in connection with which the liability to pay the royalties was incurred, and such royalties are borne by such permanent establishment, then such royalties shall be deemed to arise in the Contracting Party in which the permanent establishment is situated.

6.

Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficial owner or between both of them and some other person, the amount of the royalties exceeds, for whatever reason, the amount which would have been agreed upon by the payer and the beneficial owner in the absence of such relationship, the provisions of this Article shall apply only to the last-mentioned amount. In such case, the excess part of the payments shall remain taxable according to the laws of each Contracting Party, due regard being had to the other provisions of this Agreement.

7.

The provisions of this Article shall not apply if it was the main purpose or one of the main purposes of any person concerned with the creation or assignment of the shares or rights in respect of which the royalties are paid to take advantage of this Article by means of that creation or assignment.

1.

Technical fees arising in a Contracting Party which are derived by a resident of the other Contracting Party may be taxed in that other Contracting Party.

2.

However, such technical fees may also be taxed in the Contracting Party in which they arise and according to the laws of that Contracting Party, but if the beneficial owner of the technical fees is a resident of the other Contracting Party, the tax so charged shall not exceed fifteen (15) per cent of the gross amount of the technical fees.

3.

4.

The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the technical fees, being a resident of a Contracting Party, carries on business in the other Contracting Party in which the technical fees arise through a permanent establishment situated therein and the technical fees are effectively connected with such permanent establishment. In such case, the provisions of Article 7 shall apply.

5.

Technical fees shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting Party when the payer is a resident of that Contracting Party. Where, however, the person paying the technical fees, whether he is a resident of that Contracting Party or not, has in that Contracting Party a permanent establishment in connection with which the liability to pay the technical fees was incurred, and such technical fees are borne by such permanent establishment, then such technical fees shall be deemed to arise in the Contracting Party in which the permanent establishment is situated.

6.

Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficial owner or between both of them and some other person, the amount of the technical fees paid exceeds, for whatever reason, the amount which would have been agreed upon by the payer and the beneficial owner in the absence of such relationship, the provisions of this Article shall apply only to the last-mentioned amount. In such case, the excess part of the payments shall remain taxable according to the laws of each Contracting Party, due regard being had to the other provisions of this Agreement.

7.

The provisions of this Article shall not apply if it was the main purpose or one of the main purposes of any person concerned with the creation or assignment of the rights in respect of which the technical fees are paid to take advantage of this Article by means of that creation or assignment.

1.

Gains derived by a resident of a Contracting Party from the alienation of immovable property referred to in Article 6 and situated in the other Contracting Party may be taxed in that other Contracting Party.

2.

Gains from the alienation of movable property forming part of the business property of a permanent establishment which an enterprise of a Contracting Party has in the other Contracting Party, including such gains from the alienation of such a permanent establishment (alone or with the whole enterprise), may be taxed in that other Contracting Party.

3.

Gains derived by an enterprise of a Contracting Party from the alienation of ships or aircraft operated in international traffic, boats engaged in inland waterways transport or movable property pertaining to the operation of such ships or aircraft shall be taxable only in that Contracting Party.

4.

Gains derived by a resident of a Contracting Party from the alienation of shares deriving more than 50 per cent of their value directly or indirectly from immovable property situated in the other Contracting Party may be taxed in that other Contracting Party. However, this paragraph does not apply to gains derived from the alienation of shares:

5.

Gains from the alienation of any property, other than that referred to in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4, shall be taxable only in the Contracting Party of which the alienator is a resident.

1.

Subject to the provisions of Articles 16, 18 and 19, salaries, wages and other similar remuneration derived by a resident of a Contracting Party in respect of an employment shall be taxable only in that Contracting Party unless the employment is exercised in the other Contracting Party. If the employment is so exercised, such remuneration as is derived therefrom may be taxed in that other Contracting Party.

2.

Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1, remuneration derived by a resident of a Contracting Party in respect of an employment exercised in the other Contracting Party shall be taxable only in the first-mentioned Contracting Party if:

3.

Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Article, remuneration derived in respect of an employment exercised aboard a ship or aircraft operated in international traffic, or aboard a boat engaged in inland waterways transport by an enterprise of a Contracting Party shall be taxable only in that Contracting Party.

1.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 7 and 15, income derived by a resident of a Contracting Party as an entertainer, such as a theatre, motion picture, radio or television artiste, or a musician, or as a sportsperson, from his personal activities as such exercised in the other Contracting Party, may be taxed in that other Contracting Party.

2.

Where income in respect of personal activities exercised by an entertainer or a sportsperson in his capacity as such accrues not to the entertainer or sportsperson himself but to another person, that income may, notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 7 and 15, be taxed in the Contracting Party in which the activities of the entertainer or sportsperson are exercised.

3.

Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2, income derived by entertainers or sportspersons who are residents of a Contracting Party from activities exercised in the other Contracting Party under a plan of cultural exchange between the Governments of both Contracting Parties shall be exempt from tax in that other Contracting Party.

1.

Subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 19, pensions and other similar remuneration (including a lump sum payment) paid to a resident of a Contracting Party in consideration of past employment or self-employment shall be taxable only in that Contracting Party.

2.

Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1, pensions and other similar remuneration (including a lump sum payment) made under a pension or retirement scheme which is:

shall be taxable only in that Contracting Party.

1.

2.

3.

The provisions of Articles 15, 16, 17 and 18 shall apply to salaries, wages, pensions (including a lump sum payment), and other similar remuneration in respect of services rendered in connection with a business carried on by the Government of a Contracting Party.

1.

Items of income of a resident of a Contracting Party, wherever arising, not dealt with in the foregoing Articles of this Agreement shall be taxable only in that Contracting Party.

2.

The provisions of paragraph 1 shall not apply to income, other than income from immovable property as defined in paragraph 2 of Article 6, if the recipient of such income, being a resident of a Contracting Party, carries on business in the other Contracting Party through a permanent establishment situated therein, and the right or property in respect of which the income is paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment. In such case the provisions of Article 7 shall apply.

1.

Double taxation shall be avoided as follows:

2.

For the purpose of allowance as a credit in a Contracting Party, the tax paid in the other Contracting Party shall be deemed to include the tax which is otherwise payable in that other Contracting Party but which has been reduced or exempted in accordance with special incentive laws designed to promote economic development in that other Contracting Party.

3.

The provision of paragraph 2 shall cease to have effect after ten (10) years from the year of assessment beginning on 1 January of the calendar year immediately following that in which this Agreement enters into force. The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties may consult each other to determine whether this period shall be extended.

1.

Persons who, in the case of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, have the right of abode or are incorporated or otherwise constituted therein, and, in the case of Brunei Darussalam, are nationals of Brunei Darussalam, shall not be subjected in the other Contracting Party to any taxation or any requirement connected therewith, which is other or more burdensome than the taxation and connected requirements to which persons who have the right of abode or are incorporated or otherwise constituted in that other Contracting Party (where that other Contracting Party is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) or nationals of that other Contracting Party (where that other Contracting Party is Brunei Darussalam) in the same circumstances, in particular with respect to residence, are or may be subjected. This provision shall, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 1, also apply to persons who are not residents of one or both of the Contracting Parties.

2.

Stateless persons who are residents of a Contracting Party shall not be subjected in either Contracting Party to any taxation or any requirement connected therewith, which is other or more burdensome than the taxation and connected requirements to which persons who have the right of abode in the Contracting Party (where the Contracting Party is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) or nationals of the Contracting Party (where the Contracting Party is Brunei Darussalam) in the same circumstances, in particular with respect to residence, are or may be subjected.

3.

The taxation on a permanent establishment which an enterprise of a Contracting Party has in the other Contracting Party shall not be less favourably levied in that other Contracting Party than the taxation levied on enterprises of that other Contracting Party carrying on the same activities. This provision shall not be construed as obliging a Contracting Party to grant to residents of the other Contracting Party any personal allowances, reliefs and reductions for taxation purposes on account of civil status or family responsibilities which it grants to its own residents.

4.

Except where the provisions of paragraph l of Article 9, paragraph 7 of Article 11, paragraph 6 of Article 12 or paragraph 6 of Article 13, apply, interest, royalties, technical fees and other disbursements paid by an enterprise of a Contracting Party to a resident of the other Contracting Party shall, for the purpose of determining the taxable profits of such enterprise, be deductible under the same conditions as if they had been paid to a resident of the first-mentioned Contracting Party.

5.

Enterprises of a Contracting Party, the capital of which is wholly or partly owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by one or more residents of the other Contracting Party, shall not be subjected in the first-mentioned Contracting Party to any taxation or any requirement connected therewith which is other or more burdensome than the taxation and connected requirements to which other similar enterprises of the first-mentioned Contracting Party are or may be subjected.

6.

1.

Where a person considers that the actions of one or both of the Contracting Parties result or will result for him in taxation not in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, he may, irrespective of the remedies provided by the domestic law of those Contracting Parties, present his case to the competent authority of the Contracting Party of which he is a resident or, if his case comes under paragraph 1 of Article 23, to that of the Contracting Party in which he has the right of abode or is incorporated or otherwise constituted (in the case of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) or of which he is a national (in the case of Brunei Darussalam). The case must be presented within three years from the first notification of the action resulting in taxation not in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

2.

The competent authority shall endeavour, if the objection appears to it to be justified and if it is not itself able to arrive at a satisfactory solution, to resolve the case by mutual agreement with the competent authority of the other Contracting Party, with a view to the avoidance of taxation which is not in accordance with this Agreement. Any agreement reached shall be implemented notwithstanding any time limits in the domestic law of the Contracting Parties.

3.

The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall endeavour to resolve by mutual agreement any difficulties or doubts arising as to the interpretation or application of this Agreement. They may also consult together for the elimination of double taxation in cases not provided for in this Agreement.

4.

The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties may communicate with each other directly, including through a joint commission consisting of themselves or their representatives, for the purpose of reaching an agreement in the sense of the preceding paragraphs.

1.

The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall exchange such information as is foreseeably relevant for carrying out the provisions of this Agreement or to the administration or enforcement of the domestic laws of the Contracting Parties concerning taxes covered by this Agreement, insofar as the taxation thereunder is not contrary to the Agreement. The exchange of information is not restricted by Article 1.

2.

Any information received under paragraph 1 by a Contracting Party shall be treated as secret in the same manner as information obtained under the domestic laws of that Contracting Party and shall be disclosed only to persons or authorities (including courts and administrative bodies) concerned with the assessment or collection of, the enforcement or prosecution in respect of, or the determination of appeals in relation to the taxes referred to in paragraph 1. Such persons or authorities shall use the information only for such purposes. They may disclose the information in public court proceedings or in judicial decisions. Information shall not be disclosed to any third jurisdiction for any purpose.

3.

In no case shall the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 be construed so as to impose on a Contracting Party the obligation:

4.

If information is requested by a Contracting Party in accordance with this Article, the other Contracting Party shall use its information gathering measures to obtain the requested information, even though that other Contracting Party may not need such information for its own tax purposes. The obligation contained in the preceding sentence is subject to the limitations of paragraph 3 but in no case shall such limitations be construed to permit a Contracting Party to decline to supply information solely because it has no domestic interest in such information.

5.

In no case shall the provisions of paragraph 3 be construed to permit a Contracting Party to decline to supply information solely because the information is held by a bank, other financial institution, nominee or person acting in an agency or a fiduciary capacity or because it relates to ownership interests in a person.

1.

Each of the Contracting Parties shall notify the other Contracting Party in writing of the completion of the procedures required by its law for the bringing into force of this Agreement. This Agreement shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the date of the later of these notifications.

2.

The provisions of this Agreement shall thereupon have effect:

1.

The Article only obliges the Contracting Parties to exchange information on request.

2.

Ad paragraph 5