Australian Tax Treaties

South African Agreement  

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF AUSTRALIA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBLE TAXATION AND THE PREVENTION OF FISCAL EVASION WITH RESPECT TO TAXES ON INCOME  

ARTICLE 5   Permanent Establishment  

1    
For the purposes of this Agreement, the term " permanent establishment " means a fixed place of business through which the business of the enterprise is wholly or partly carried on.

2    
The term " permanent establishment " includes especially:

(a) a place of management;

(b) a branch;

(c) an office;

(d) a factory;

(e) a workshop;

(f) a mine, an oil or gas well, a quarry or any other place relating to the exploration for or exploitation of natural resources; and

(g) an agricultural, pastoral or forestry property.

3    
A building site or construction or installation project constitutes a permanent establishment only if it lasts more than six months.

4    
Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, where an enterprise of a Contracting State:

(a) carries on supervisory or consultancy activities in the other State for a period or periods exceeding in the aggregate 183 days in any 12 month period in connection with a building site or construction or installation project which is being undertaken in that other State; or

(b) carries on activities (including the operation of substantial equipment) in the other State in the exploration for or exploitation of natural resources situated in that other State for a period or periods exceeding in the aggregate 90 days in any 12 month period; or

(c) operates substantial equipment in the other State (including as provided in subparagraph (b)) for a period or periods exceeding 183 days in any 12 month period,

such activities shall be deemed to be performed through a permanent establishment that the enterprise has in that other State, unless the activities are limited to those mentioned in paragraph 6 and are, in relation to the enterprise, of a preparatory or auxiliary character.

5    

(a) The duration of activities under paragraphs 3 and 4 will be determined by aggregating the periods during which activities are carried on in a Contracting State by associated enterprises provided that the activities of the enterprise in that State are connected with the activities carried on in that State by its associate.

(b) The period during which two or more associated enterprises are carrying on concurrent activities will be counted only once for the purpose of determining the duration of activities.

(c) Under this Article, an enterprise shall be deemed to be associated with another enterprise if:

(i) one is controlled directly or indirectly by the other; or

(ii) both are controlled directly or indirectly by the same person or persons.

6    
Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Article, the term " permanent establishment " shall be deemed not to include:

(a) the use of facilities solely for the purpose of storage, display or irregular delivery of goods or merchandise belonging to the enterprise;

(b) the maintenance of a stock of goods or merchandise belonging to the enterprise solely for the purpose of storage, display or irregular delivery;

(c) the maintenance of a stock of goods or merchandise belonging to the enterprise solely for the purpose of processing by another enterprise;

(d) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely for the purpose of purchasing goods or merchandise, or of collecting information, for the enterprise;

(e) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely for the purpose of carrying on, for the enterprise, any other activity of a preparatory or auxiliary character;

(f) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely for any combination of activities mentioned in subparagraphs (a) to (e) of this paragraph,

provided that such activities are, in relation to the enterprise, of a preparatory or auxiliary character.

7    
Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2, where a person - other than an agent of an independent status to whom paragraph 8 applies - is acting on behalf of an enterprise and:

(a) has, and habitually exercises, in a Contracting State an authority to substantially negotiate or conclude contracts on behalf of the enterprise; or

(b) manufactures or processes in a Contracting State for the enterprise goods or merchandise belonging to the enterprise,

that enterprise shall be deemed to have a permanent establishment in that State in respect of any activities which that person undertakes for that enterprise, unless the activities of such person are limited to those mentioned in paragraph 6 and are, in relation to the enterprise, of a preparatory or auxiliary character.

8    
An enterprise shall not be deemed to have a permanent establishment in a Contracting State merely because it carries on business in that State through a person who is a broker, general commission agent or any other agent of an independent status, provided that such persons are acting in the ordinary course of the person ' s business as such a broker or agent.

9    
The fact that a company which is a resident of a Contracting State controls or is controlled by a company which is a resident of the other Contracting State, or which carries on business in that other State (whether through a permanent establishment or otherwise), shall not of itself make either company a permanent establishment of the other.

10    
The principles set forth in the preceding paragraphs of this Article shall be applied in determining for the purposes of paragraph 7 of Article 11 and paragraph 5 of Article 12 whether there is a permanent establishment outside both Contracting States, and whether an enterprise, not being an enterprise of a Contracting State, has a permanent establishment in a Contracting State.