Harmful Tax Practices – 2019 Peer Review Reports on the Exchange of Information on Tax Rulings

Greece

Greece has met all aspects of the terms of reference (OECD, 2017[3]) (ToR) for the calendar year 2019 (year in review) and no recommendations are made.

Greece can legally issue one type of rulings within the scope of the transparency framework.

In practice, Greece issued rulings within the scope of the transparency framework as follows:

• One past ruling;

• For the period 1 April 2016 - 31 December 2016: no future rulings;

• For the calendar year 2017: no future rulings;

• For the calendar year 2018: two future rulings, and

• For the year in review: no future rulings.

As no exchanges were required to take place, no peer input was received in respect of the exchanges of information on rulings received from Greece.

A. The information gathering process

442. Greece can legally issue the following type of rulings within the scope of the transparency framework: cross-border unilateral APAs and any other cross-border unilateral tax rulings (such as an advance tax ruling) covering transfer pricing or the application of transfer pricing principles.

443. For Greece, past rulings are any tax rulings within scope that are issued either: (i) on or after 1 January 2014 but before 1 April 2016; or (ii) on or after 1 January 2010 but before 1 January 2014, provided they were still in effect as at 1 January 2014. Future rulings are any tax rulings within scope that are issued on or after 1 April 2016.

444. In the prior years’ peer review reports, it was determined that Greece’s undertakings to identify past and future rulings and all potential exchange jurisdictions were sufficient to meet the minimum standard. In addition, it was determined that Greece’s review and supervision mechanism was sufficient to meet the minimum standard. Greece’s implementation remains unchanged, and therefore continues to meet the minimum standard.

445. Greece has met all of the ToR for the information gathering process and no recommendations are made.

B. The exchange of information

446. In the prior years’ peer review reports, it was determined that Greece’s process for the completion and exchange of templates were sufficient to meet the minimum standard. With respect to past rulings, no further action was required from Greece. Greece’s implementation in this regard remains unchanged and therefore continues to meet the minimum standard.

447. Greece has international agreements permitting spontaneous exchange of information, including being a party to the (i) Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters: Amended by the 2010 Protocol (OECD/Council of Europe, 2011[4]) (“the Convention”), (ii) the Directive 2011/16/EU with all other European Union Member States and (iii) bilateral agreements in force with 57 jurisdictions.1

448. As Greece was not required to exchange any information on rulings for the year in review, no data on the timeliness of exchanges can be reported.

449. Greece has the necessary legal basis for spontaneous exchange of information, a process for completing the templates in a timely way and has completed all exchanges. Greece has met all of the ToR for the exchange of information process and no recommendations are made.

C. Statistics (ToR IV)

450. As no rulings are issued, no statistics can be reported.

D. Matters related to intellectual property regimes (ToR I.4.1.3)

451. Greece does not offer an intellectual property regime for which transparency requirements under the Action 5 Report (OECD, 2015[1]) were imposed.

Summary of recommendations on implementation of the transparency framework

 

Aspect of implementation of the transparency framework that should be improved	Recommendation for improvement
	No recommendations are made.

References

[3] OECD (2017), BEPS Action 5 on Harmful Tax Practices - Terms of Reference and Methodology for the Conduct of the Peer Reviews of the Action 5 Transparency Framework, OECD Publishing, Paris, http://www.oecd.org/tax/beps/beps-action-5-harmful-tax-practices-peer-review-transparency-framework.pdf.

[1] OECD (2015), Countering Harmful Tax Practices More Effectively, Taking into Account Transparency and Substance, Action 5 - 2015 Final Report, OECD/G20 Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Project, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264241190-en.

[4] OECD/Council of Europe (2011), The Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters: Amended by the 2010 Protocol, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264115606-en.