Australian Tax Treaties
Swiss Convention
CONVENTION BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND THE SWISS CONFEDERATION FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBLE TAXATION WITH RESPECT TO TAXES ON INCOME, WITH PROTOCOL
CHAPTER III
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TAXATION OF INCOME
ARTICLE 11
Interest
1
Interest arising in a Contracting State and paid to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.
2
However, such interest may also be taxed in the Contracting State in which it arises and according to the laws of that State, but if the beneficial owner of the interest is a resident of the other Contracting State, the tax so charged shall not exceed 10 per cent of the gross amount of the interest.
3
Notwithstanding paragraph 2 , interest arising in a Contracting State and beneficially owned by a resident of the other Contracting State shall not be taxed in the first-mentioned State if the interest is derived by:
a) a Contracting State or by a political or administrative sub-division or a local authority thereof (including a government investment fund), or by any other body exercising governmental functions in a Contracting State, or by a bank performing central banking functions in a Contracting State;
b) a financial institution which is unrelated to and dealing wholly independently with the payer. For the purposes of this Article, the term
c) in the case of Australia, a resident of Australia deriving such interest from the carrying on of complying superannuation activities; or
d) in the case of Switzerland, a pension scheme whose investment income is exempt from Swiss tax.
4
Notwithstanding paragraph 3 ,
a) interest referred to in subparagraph b) of that paragraph may be taxed in the State in which it arises at a rate not exceeding 10 per cent of the gross amount of the interest if the interest is paid as part of an arrangement involving back-to-back loans or other arrangement that is economically equivalent and intended to have a similar effect to back-to-back loans; and
b) interest referred to in subparagraphs a), c) or d) of that paragraph may be taxed in the State in which it arises at a rate not exceeding 10 per cent of the gross amount of the interest if the beneficial owner of the interest participates directly or indirectly in the management, control or capital, or has an existing or contingent right to participate in the financial, operating or policy decisions, of the issuer of the debt-claim.
5
The term " interest " as used in this Article means income from debt-claims of every kind, whether or not secured by mortgage and whether or not carrying a right to participate in the debtor ' s profits, and in particular, interest from government securities and income from bonds or debentures, as well as income which is subjected to the same taxation treatment as income from money lent by the law of the Contracting State in which the income arises.
6
The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 , subparagraph b) of paragraph 3 and paragraph 4 of this Article shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the interest, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State in which the interest arises through a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personal services from a fixed base situated therein, and the debt-claim in respect of which the interest is paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment or fixed base. In such case the provisions of Article 7 or Article 14 , as the case may be, shall apply.
7
Interest shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting State when the payer is a resident of that State for the purposes of its tax. Where, however, the person paying the interest, whether the person is a resident of a Contracting State or not, has in a Contracting State or outside both Contracting States a permanent establishment or a fixed base in connection with which the indebtedness on which the interest is paid was incurred, and such interest is borne by such permanent establishment or fixed base, then such interest shall be deemed to arise in the State in which the permanent establishment or fixed base is situated.
8
Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficial owner of the interest, or between both of them and some other person, the amount of the interest, having regard to the debt-claim for which it is paid, exceeds the amount which might have been expected to 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 State, due regard being had to the other provisions of this Convention.
Interest arising in a Contracting State and paid to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.
2
However, such interest may also be taxed in the Contracting State in which it arises and according to the laws of that State, but if the beneficial owner of the interest is a resident of the other Contracting State, the tax so charged shall not exceed 10 per cent of the gross amount of the interest.
3
Notwithstanding paragraph 2 , interest arising in a Contracting State and beneficially owned by a resident of the other Contracting State shall not be taxed in the first-mentioned State if the interest is derived by:
a) a Contracting State or by a political or administrative sub-division or a local authority thereof (including a government investment fund), or by any other body exercising governmental functions in a Contracting State, or by a bank performing central banking functions in a Contracting State;
b) a financial institution which is unrelated to and dealing wholly independently with the payer. For the purposes of this Article, the term
"financial institution"
means a bank or other enterprise substantially deriving its profits by raising debt finance in the financial markets or by taking deposits at interest and using those funds in carrying on a business of providing finance;
c) in the case of Australia, a resident of Australia deriving such interest from the carrying on of complying superannuation activities; or
d) in the case of Switzerland, a pension scheme whose investment income is exempt from Swiss tax.
4
Notwithstanding paragraph 3 ,
a) interest referred to in subparagraph b) of that paragraph may be taxed in the State in which it arises at a rate not exceeding 10 per cent of the gross amount of the interest if the interest is paid as part of an arrangement involving back-to-back loans or other arrangement that is economically equivalent and intended to have a similar effect to back-to-back loans; and
b) interest referred to in subparagraphs a), c) or d) of that paragraph may be taxed in the State in which it arises at a rate not exceeding 10 per cent of the gross amount of the interest if the beneficial owner of the interest participates directly or indirectly in the management, control or capital, or has an existing or contingent right to participate in the financial, operating or policy decisions, of the issuer of the debt-claim.
5
The term " interest " as used in this Article means income from debt-claims of every kind, whether or not secured by mortgage and whether or not carrying a right to participate in the debtor ' s profits, and in particular, interest from government securities and income from bonds or debentures, as well as income which is subjected to the same taxation treatment as income from money lent by the law of the Contracting State in which the income arises.
6
The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 , subparagraph b) of paragraph 3 and paragraph 4 of this Article shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the interest, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State in which the interest arises through a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personal services from a fixed base situated therein, and the debt-claim in respect of which the interest is paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment or fixed base. In such case the provisions of Article 7 or Article 14 , as the case may be, shall apply.
7
Interest shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting State when the payer is a resident of that State for the purposes of its tax. Where, however, the person paying the interest, whether the person is a resident of a Contracting State or not, has in a Contracting State or outside both Contracting States a permanent establishment or a fixed base in connection with which the indebtedness on which the interest is paid was incurred, and such interest is borne by such permanent establishment or fixed base, then such interest shall be deemed to arise in the State in which the permanent establishment or fixed base is situated.
8
Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficial owner of the interest, or between both of them and some other person, the amount of the interest, having regard to the debt-claim for which it is paid, exceeds the amount which might have been expected to 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 State, due regard being had to the other provisions of this Convention.
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