You’ve been in business for a while, so you know it often operates like interconnected vessels. Just as in a laboratory, the appropriate balance of factors is crucial in related-party transactions.
Step by step
What transfer pricing is, what key issues are involved in discussing transfer pricing, how to prepare for a tax audit, and what sanctions may be imposed for non-compliance – this guide aims to present all of these topics in a clear and accessible manner. It is divided into sections that thoroughly address each topic. We invite you to read on.
Additive Method
A method for preparing a comparative analysis that involves selecting entities that are the closest competitors to the tested entity for analysis.
Arm’s Length Principle
An international standard agreed upon by OECD member countries for determining transfer prices for tax purposes. It is outlined in Article 9 of the OECD Model Tax Convention as follows:
“[…] if […] conditions are agreed or imposed between two enterprises in their commercial or financial relations which differ from those which would be agreed upon by independent enterprises, the profits which would have accrued to one of the enterprises but for those conditions, may be treated as profits of that enterprise and accordingly taxed.”
Business restructuring
A reorganization involving a significant change in commercial or financial relationships (including the termination of existing contracts or the alteration of their key terms), which involves transferring functions, assets, or categories of risk between related entities. This is relevant if, as a result of the transfer, the expected average annual financial result of the taxpayer before interest and taxes (EBIT) over a three-year period changes by at least 20% from the expected average annual EBIT in the same period if the transfer had not occurred.
CbCR (Country-by-Country Reporting)
A report on the amount of income, taxes paid, and the locations of business operations, subsidiaries, and foreign branches of a group in the tax year, submitted when consolidated revenues both within and outside of Poland exceed EUR 750,000,000 in the tax year.
CbCP
A notification in which the taxpayer informs that: they are the parent entity, the designated entity, or another entity submitting the Country-by-Country Report (CbCR), or identifies the reporting entity (along with its identification details) and the country or territory where the group information will be submitted.
CCA (Cost Contribution Agreement)
An agreement that establishes the principles for the parties’ participation in the sharing of incurred expenses and their participation in the income generated by all participants in the agreement; a cost-sharing agreement particularly pertains to research and development activities and the creation of intangible assets such as trademarks, patents, or know-how.
Comparable Uncontrolled Price Method
This method involves comparing the price of a controlled transaction with the price applied in comparable transactions by unrelated entities and determining the market value of the controlled transaction’s subject based on this comparison.
Comparative analysis
Analysis of data from unrelated entities or transactions conducted with unrelated entities or between unrelated entities, deemed comparable to the conditions established in controlled transactions.
Compliance analysis
An analysis demonstrating the alignment of the conditions under which a controlled transaction was conducted with the conditions that would have been established by unrelated entities (conducted when preparing a comparative analysis is not appropriate under the given transfer pricing verification method or is not possible with due diligence).
Controlled transaction
Identified based on the actual economic behavior of the parties, including the allocation of income to a foreign branch, where the terms have been established or imposed as a result of their relationships.
Deductive Method
A method for preparing a comparative analysis that involves using specialized databases to identify a set of comparable transactions or entities (by eliminating through selected criteria). Examples of databases used include Amadeus, QuickAnalytics, KtMINE, Bloomberg, and Royalty Range
Deliberate offsetting
A benefit provided within a group by one related entity to another related entity, which is intentionally balanced to some extent by other benefits received in return by that entity.
Exit fee
A fee applied between participants in a restructuring process, reflecting the extent to which the restructuring has resulted in the transfer of profit-generating potential. This is particularly relevant in cases of transferring valuable assets or rights to those assets, including intangible assets, terminating or significantly renegotiating existing contracts, or transferring an organized part of a business.
Group documentation (“Master File”)
Documentation describing the activities of the capital group, which must be maintained for the fiscal year by related entities consolidated using the full or proportional consolidation method, required to prepare local transfer pricing documentation, and belonging to a group for which consolidated financial statements are prepared and whose consolidated revenues exceeded PLN 200,000,000 or its equivalent in the previous fiscal year.
Profit potential
Expected future profits, which may in some cases include losses. The term “profit potential” is often used for estimating arm’s length compensation for the transfer of intangible assets or activities, or for calculating arm’s length compensation for the termination or significant renegotiation of existing agreements, where it is determined that such compensation or remuneration would occur between independent parties under comparable circumstances.
Profit Split Method
This method involves determining the total profit earned by related entities from a controlled transaction and allocating this profit among the entities in the proportion that unrelated parties would allocate it, particularly considering the functions performed, assets employed, and risks assumed by the parties in the controlled transaction.
Royalty Range.
Recharacterization of a transaction
An instrument used by the tax authority to determine the taxpayer’s income (or loss) without considering the controlled transaction, and, if justified, to determine the taxpayer’s income (or loss) from a transaction that would be appropriate in relation to the controlled transaction. This occurs if the tax authority deems that unrelated parties would not have entered into the controlled transaction under comparable circumstances, or would have entered into a different transaction.
Related entities
Entities where one entity exerts significant influence over at least one other entity; entities influenced by the same third party or by the spouse, relative, or in-law up to the second degree of the individual exerting significant influence over at least one entity; an unincorporated partnership and its partners; a taxpayer and their foreign branch; and, in the case of a tax capital group, a corporate entity within the group and its foreign branch.
Royalty Range.
Resale Price Method
This method involves calculating the purchase price of goods or services from a related party by reducing the selling price of those goods or services to an unrelated party by the resale margin.
Residual analysis
An analysis used in the profit split method that divides the global profit from controlled transactions in two stages. In the first stage, each participant is allocated a sufficient profit to provide a basic income appropriate for the type of transaction in which the participant is involved. This basic income is typically determined by comparing market incomes achieved in similar types of transactions by independent enterprises. The basic income generally does not account for income generated by unique and valuable assets held by the participants. In the second stage, any remaining residual profits (or losses) after the first-stage division are allocated among the parties based on an analysis of facts and circumstances that may indicate how the residual amount would be allocated among entities holding analogous “unique” assets.
Safe harbours
Regulations that exempt (upon meeting statutory conditions) related entities from the obligation to prepare local transfer pricing documentation for financial transactions (such as loans, credits, and bond issues) and for low-value-adding services listed in Annex No. 6 of the Corporate Income Tax Act.
Secret comparables
A principle in the audit process that involves ensuring the party has access to information that allows them to assess the accuracy of the comparative analysis (including the data used in it).
Share analysis
A method for determining the allocation of profits in group transactions; it involves estimating the distribution of transactional profits based on a chosen profit split key and allocating them to the parties involved in the transaction
Significant influence
A definition relevant for determining the scope of related entities – it means holding directly or indirectly at least 25% of the shares in capital or voting rights in control, decision-making, or management bodies, or shares or rights to participate in profits or assets or their expectations, including units of participation and investment certificates; the actual ability of an individual to influence the key economic decisions of a legal person or an organizational unit without legal personality; being in a marital relationship or having kinship or affinity up to the second degree
Statement on the Preparation of Documentation
A declaration by the taxpayer that the tax documentation has been prepared for the given year and that the transfer prices of controlled transactions covered by the local transfer pricing documentation are set on terms that would be agreed upon by unrelated entities. This statement is generally signed by the management, and failure to submit it or providing false information can lead to sanctions under the Fiscal Penal Code (KKS).
Transfer price
The financial outcome of conditions established or imposed due to existing relationships, including price, compensation, financial result, or financial ratio.
Transactional Net Margin Method
This method involves determining a financial ratio that reflects the relationship between the net profit margin achieved by the related party in a controlled transaction and the appropriate base.
Transfer pricing adjustment
Adjusting (or correcting) transfer prices (known as TP adjustment), Article 11e of the Corporate Income Tax Act defines the specific conditions for permissible adjustments that must be met collectively. The purpose of the transfer pricing adjustment is to align the transfer prices for a given accounting period with the arm’s length principle.
Transfer Pricing Information (TP-R)
A report submitted to the tax authority, which contains a set of information about transactions conducted by taxpayers with related parties and with entities having residence, seat, or management in a territory or country that practices harmful tax competition (so-called “tax havens”).
Local documentation (“Local File”)
Documentation describing the taxpayer’s activities and controlled transactions with related parties, consisting of a description of the related entity, a description of the transactions, including an analysis of functions, risks, and assets, transfer pricing analysis, and financial information.