According to the PwC European Survey (published in International Tax Review, June 2005), tax directors of EU-based businesses are clearly more worried about EU issues than in previous years. Tax directors described EU tax law as one of their top 3 biggest challenges in the coming years. This obviously follows on from the many EU case law developments, demonstrating that in many Member States several tax regulations are in breach of EU law.
For companies operating in Europe, it is becoming increasingly important to determine an EU tax strategy in order to manage the changes resulting from EU law developments. Today not only the companies themselves, but also shareholders, business analysts, audit committees and other stakeholders are showing an increased interest in how they should deal with EU law related risks and opportunities. These stakeholders are interested in questions such as: Did the company file claims based upon EU law and did it meet all statutory limitations for filing these? Should the company file its tax returns based upon EU law arguments? Our European network of tax and legal experts can offer you exactly the guidance you need to reach the balance between:
- Opportunities for claiming EU refunds
- Managing reputation risks, relationships with local revenue authorities
- Costs of litigation
- Long-term uncertainty about your company’s tax position and accounting issues.
If you need:
- Access to EU tax law specialists anywhere in the European Union, most of the EFTA countries or Switzerland to discuss EU law developments and best practices
- A more profound knowledge and analysis of your company’s EU tax and legal environment
- Advice on EU tax opportunities and risk management
- Guidance for taking decisions on how to deal with EU law issues and how to document the procedures (for reporting purposes)
- Advice on how to safeguard your company's EC Treaty rights and support with litigation
- A quick scan of your company's EU direct tax position
How PwC can help you
PwC has an excellent European-wide network of EU direct tax law specialists, the European Direct Tax Group (EUDTG), which provides assistance to organisations, companies and private individuals to help them fully benefit from their rights under EU law. We can help you:
- Analyse the impact of the latest trends and developments on EU case law and tax policy on your business
- Assist you with your (legal) actions against tax authorities and litigation before local courts and the ECJ
- Perform a quick scan on your European tax position to identify EU law risks and opportunities
- Organise a tailor-made EU Tax Strategy Workshop for your company
- Perform a thorough EU tax due diligence on your tax position
