The current European VAT legislation encompassing insurance and financial services, including intermediation thereof, dates back to the adoption of the Sixth VAT Directive in 1977. The definitions do not, however, encompass the current complexity of insurance and financial transactions. This has resulted in considerable confusion for fiscal authorities and for businesses when deciding upon the application of the VAT exemption. As the correct VAT treatment has a significant economic impact on businesses, a great number of cases have been referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union. This is also the reason why the European Commission presented its proposal for the future treatment of insurance and financial services, including intermediation thereof, in November 2007. The political process has not yet been finalised and if the Commission's proposal is agreed upon, the question of understanding the definitions still exists. This book deals with the exemption for intermediation of insurance and financial services within European VAT. This implies analysing the methods of interpretation applied by the Court of Justice of the European Union when interpreting the provisions regarding insurance and financial services. Furthermore, the current definitions for intermediation of insurance and financial services as provided for in the VAT Directive are analysed and conclusions are made in order to define a single concept of intermediation. These analyses are followed by various practical scenarios from case law of the Member States concerning intermediation of insurance and financial services. Finally, comments based on the analyses carried out are given on the European Commission's proposal for amending the VAT Directive and the accompanying Regulation regarding intermediation of insurance and financial services.

Insurance constitutes a significant part of the financial services sector and is one of the foundations of modern economy and society. In the design of tax laws, however, whether and how to tax insurance is a complex issue that has become particularly controversial in the area of value-added tax (VAT). In the European Union, as in most of the world, insurance is exempt from VAT, but New Zealand and Australia do not follow this practice. Given that New Zealand’s simple, comprehensive goods and services tax (GST) – called ‘the world’s purest value-added tax’ – and its modified Australian version do not appear to suffer from the shortcomings in efficiency and effectiveness that plague European VAT, a comparison of the two systems is in order. This book is not only the first comparative in-depth study of the treatment of insurance in the two systems, but also the first comprehensive legal research devoted to the treatment of insurance in EU VAT published in English. Among the underlying issues and topics treated by the two systems covered are the following: – who has a right to deduct input VAT in relation to supplies inherent in insurance arrangements and to what extent; – what constitutes a supply of insurance and consideration for such a supply; – what transactions fall within the scope of the VAT Directive’s exemption for insurance; and – drawing a line between insurance and saving. The analysis is grounded in a methodology in which concepts of European VAT are compared with concepts performing the same function in the Australian and New Zealand GST laws. The author concludes with proposals for reform in EU VAT in the light of experience in these two major non-EU countries. Given that it has been proven that exemptions from VAT (such as insurance) cause a significant number of economic distortions and inefficiencies, this study represents a major contribution to a topical debate in European VAT law. It will be welcomed by taxation authorities, interested policymakers, practitioners, and scholars not only in Europe but worldwide.

The EU VAT system, like many VAT systems around the world, exempts insurance and financial services. As opposed to merit goods or services, such as health or education, the rationale for exempting these services is not to diminish the regressivity of VAT, or to encourage their consumption, but rather to avoid practical and technical difficulties. Yet, exempting insurance and financial services creates significant legal difficulties and economic distortions. This paper discusses these, particularly in light of the Court of Justice's case law, and gives detailed consideration to the 2007 proposals to reform the EU VAT treatment of insurance and financial services. It concludes that the proposal falls short by not considering full taxation of these services.

This book explains the theoretical and policy issues associated with the taxation of financial services and includes a jurisdictional overview that illustrates alternative policy choices and the legal consequences of those choices . The book addresses the question: how can financial services in an increasingly globalized market best be taxed through VAT while avoiding economic distortions? It supports the discussion of the key practical problems that have arisen from the particular complexity of the application of VAT to financial services, and allows for the evaluation of best practice by comparing the major current reform models now being implemented.

Parties to cross-border disputes arising anywhere in the vast Portuguese-speaking world – a community of more than 230 million in a space that offers a wide array of investment opportunities across four continents – increasingly seek Portugal as their preferred seat of arbitration. A signatory to all relevant international conventions, Portugal has proven to be an ‘arbitration-friendly’ jurisdiction. This volume is the first and so far only book in English that provides a thorough, in-depth analysis of international arbitration law and practice in Portugal. Its contributing authors are among the most highly regarded legal names in the country, including scholars, arbitrators, and practitioners. The authors describe how international arbitration proceedings are conducted in Portugal, what cautions should be taken, and what procedural strategies may be suitable in particular cases. They provide insightful answers to questions such as the following: What matters can be submitted to arbitration under Portuguese law? What are the validity requirements for an arbitration agreement? How do the State courts interact with arbitration proceedings and what is the attitude of such courts toward international arbitration? What are the rules governing evidentiary matters in arbitration? How is an arbitration tribunal constituted? How are arbitrators appointed? How may they be challenged? How can an international arbitral award be recognized and enforced? How does the Portuguese legal system address the issue of damages and what specific damages are admitted? How are the costs of arbitration proceedings estimated and allocated? The book includes analyses of arbitration related to specific fields of the law, notably sports, administrative, tax, intellectual property rights (especially regarding reference and generic medicines), and corporate disputes. Each chapter provides, for the topics it addresses, an examination of the applicable laws, rules, arbitration practice, and views taken by arbitral tribunals and state courts as well as those of the most highly considered scholars. As a detailed examination of the legal framework and of all procedural steps of an arbitration in Portugal, from the drafting of an arbitration agreement to the enforcement of an award, this book constitutes an invaluable resource for parties involved in or considering an international arbitration in this country. The guidance that it seeks to provide in respect of any problem likely to arise in this context can be useful to arbitrators, judges, academics, and interested lawyers.