Australian Tax Treaties

Belgian Agreement  

AGREEMENT BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBLE TAXATION AND THE PREVENTION OF FISCAL EVASION WITH RESPECT TO TAXES ON INCOME  

CHAPTER II - DEFINITIONS  

ARTICLE 5   Permanent Establishment  

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

(2)    
The term " permanent establishment " shall include especially -

(a) a place of management;

(b) a branch;

(c) an office;

(d) a factory;

(e) a workshop;

(f) a mine, quarry or other place of extraction of natural resources;

(g) an agricultural, pastoral or forestry property;

(h) a building site or construction, installation or assembly project which exists for more than twelve months.

(3)    
An enterprise shall not be deemed to have a permanent establishment merely by reason of -

(a) the use of facilities solely for the purpose of storage, display or 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 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 for collecting information, for the enterprise;

(e) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely for the purpose of activities which have a preparatory or auxiliary character for the enterprise, such as advertising, scientific research or the supply of information.

(4)    
An enterprise shall be deemed to have a permanent establishment in one of the Contracting States and to carry on business through that permanent establishment if -

(a) it carries on supervisory activities in that State for more than twelve months in connection with a building site, or a construction, installation or assembly project which is being undertaken in that State; or

(b) substantial equipment is being used in that State for more than twelve months by, for or under contract with the enterprise in exploration for, or the exploitation of, natural resources, or in activities connected with such exploration or exploitation.

(5)    
A person acting in one of the Contracting States on behalf of an enterprise of the other Contracting State - other than an agent of an independent status to whom paragraph (6) applies - shall be deemed to be a permanent establishment of that enterprise in the first-mentioned State if -

(a) he has, and habitually exercises in that State, an authority to conclude contracts on behalf of the enterprise, unless his activities are limited to the purchase of goods or merchandise for the enterprise; or

(b) in so acting he manufactures or processes in that State for the enterprise goods or merchandise belonging to the enterprise, provided that this provision shall apply only in relation to the goods or merchandise so manufactured or processed.

(6)    
An enterprise of one of the Contracting States shall not be deemed to have a permanent establishment in the other Contracting State merely because it carries on business in that other State through a broker, general commission agent or any other agent of an independent status, where that person is acting in the ordinary course of his business as such a broker or agent.

(7)    
The fact that a company which is a resident of one of the Contracting States 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.

(8)    
The principles set forth in paragraphs (1) to (7) inclusive shall be applied in determining for the purposes of this Agreement whether there is a permanent establishment outside both Contracting States, and whether an enterprise, not being an enterprise of one of the Contracting States, has a permanent establishment in one of the Contracting States.