Australian Tax Treaties
As amended by Belgian Protocol (No 1) and Belgian Protocol (No 2)
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.
Dividends paid by a company which is a resident of one of the Contracting States for the purposes of its tax, being dividends to which a resident of the other Contracting State is beneficially entitled, may be taxed in that other State.
(2)
Such dividends may be taxed in the Contracting State of which the company paying the dividends is a resident for the purposes of its tax, and according to the law of that State, but the tax so charged shall not exceed 15 per cent of the gross amount of the dividends. This paragraph shall not affect the taxation of the company in respect of the profits out of which the dividends are paid.
(3)
The term " dividends " in this Article means income from shares and other income assimilated to income from shares by the taxation law of the Contracting State of which the company making the distribution is a resident. In the case of Belgium, the term includes income, even when paid in the form of interest, which is taxable under the head of income from capital invested by the members of a company which is a resident of Belgium for the purposes of its tax and is not a company with share capital.
(4)
The provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply if the person beneficially entitled to the dividends, being a resident of one of the Contracting States, carries on business through a permanent establishment situated in the other Contracting State, being the State of which the company paying the dividends is a resident, and the holding in respect of which the dividends are paid is effectively connected with that permanent establishment. In such a case, the provisions of Article 7 shall apply.
(5)
Dividends paid by a company which is a resident of Belgium, being dividends to which a person who is not a resident of Australia is beneficially entitled, shall be exempt from tax in Australia except insofar as the holding in respect of which the dividends are paid is effectively connected with a permanent establishment situated in Australia. Provided that this paragraph shall not apply in relation to dividends paid by any company which is a resident of Belgium for the purposes of Belgian tax and which is also a resident of Australia for the purposes of Australian tax.
(6)
Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as preventing one of the Contracting States from imposing on the profits of a company which is a resident of the other Contracting State tax in addition to or at a higher rate than the tax which would be imposed on the profits of a company which is a resident of the first-mentioned State. However, if the provisions of the law in force in either Contracting State which relate to such additional tax or such higher rate are varied (otherwise than in minor respects so as not to affect its general character) the Contracting States shall consult with each other with a view to agreeing to such amendments to this Article as may be appropriate.
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