Australian Tax Treaties
The Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (the MLI) has modified the application of this tax treaty. A synthesised text of the MLI and this tax treaty is available to facilitate the understanding of how the MLI modifies this tax treaty.
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:
a) 5 per cent of the gross amount of interest derived by a financial institution which is unrelated to and dealing wholly independently with the payer. 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; and
b) 10 per cent of the gross amount of interest in all other cases.
3.
Notwithstanding paragraph 2, interest referred to in subparagraph a) 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.
4.
Notwithstanding the rate limits specified in subparagraph 2 b) and paragraph 3, Chile may impose tax on interest arising in Chile to which those provisions apply at a rate not exceeding 15 per cent of the gross amount of the interest. However, if Chile agrees to limit the tax charged in Chile on interest arising in Chile to a rate less than 15 per cent in a tax treaty with any other State, the tax imposed in Chile on interest arising in Chile to which subparagraph 2 b) or paragraph 3 applies shall not exceed the rate provided in that treaty or 10 per cent, whichever is the greater, after the date of entry into force of that treaty.
5.
The term " interest " as used in this Article means income from debt-claims of every kind, whether or not secured by mortgage and in particular, interest from government securities and interest from bonds or debentures. The term " interest " also includes 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. The term " interest " shall not include any item which is treated as a dividend under the provisions of Article 10 of this Convention.
6.
The provisions of paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 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 indebtedness 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. Where, however, the person paying the interest, whether 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 exceeds, for whatever reason, 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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