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Portrait of Richard Croneberg. Photo.

Richard Croneberg

Associate senior lecturer

Portrait of Richard Croneberg. Photo.

European Union/Denmark/Norway/Sweden/Finland - Interpretation and Application of General Anti-Avoidance Rules after BEPS and ATAD: Nordic Perspectives

Author

  • Henrik Skar
  • Reijo Knuutinen
  • Peter Koerver Schmidt
  • Richard Croneberg

Summary, in English

This paper compares general measures against tax avoidance and the design of general anti-avoidance rules (GAARs) in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. It focuses on aspects such as tax benefits, tax purposes, economic substance, and breaches of legislative purpose. The paper also examines potential compliance issues between national GAARs, tax treaties, and the European Union’s Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive (ATAD). The analysis highlights variations in how the national GAARs apply economic substance considerations and the level of pragmatism allowed when assessing conflicts with the purpose of the circumvented legislation. Additionally, it shows that differences in the wording of the GAARs, such as requirements related to tax purposes, do not necessarily result in practical differences due to other GAAR elements reducing or nullifying them. For similar reasons, the authors conclude that compliance issues between the national GAARs and the ATAD GAAR’s requirements are unlikely, despite some differences in wording. Whilst focusing on the Nordic region, the paper offers insights relevant to broader international contexts, as the diverse approaches, distinctions, and issues identified mirror tax developments worldwide.

Department/s

  • Department of Law
  • Lund Tax Academy

Publishing year

2024-10-07

Language

Swedish

Publication/Series

World Tax Journal

Volume

16

Issue

3

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation (IBFD)

Topic

  • Law

Keywords

  • ATAD
  • GAAR
  • skatteflykt
  • skatteflyktsdirektivet
  • Norden
  • omgåelseklausul
  • kringgående

Status

Published

Project

  • Combating Corporate Tax Avoidance in the Nordic EU Member States - A Contemporary Comparative Perspective

Research group

  • Lund Tax Academy

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1878-4917