Malta u l-gżira Curaçao tal-Karibew iffirmaw konvenzjoni biex tiġi evitata t-taxxa doppja u għall-prevenzjoni tal-evażjoni fiskali fir-rigward tat-taxxi fuq l-introjtu. Il-ftehim ġie ffirmat l-Erbgħa 18 ta’ Novembru 2015 mill-Ministru għall-Finanzi Malti Edward Scicluna, u mill-kontraparti tiegħu tan-nazzjon kostitwenti tar-Renju tan-Netherlands, is-Sur Jose Jardim. Preżenti għaċ-ċerimonja tal-iffirmar, li saret fil-Ministeru għall-Finanzi, il-Belt, kien hemm, fost l-oħrajn, l-ambaxxatur tan-Netherlands għal Malta, is-Sur Johannes Jacobus Peter Nijssen.
Il-ftehim kien ġie inizjalat f’Malta fis-17 ta’ Ottubru tal-2013 u se jidħol fis-seħħ fl-1 ta’ Jannar 2016.
Il-ftehim bejn Malta u l-Curaçao huwa bbażat prinċipalment fuq il-Mudell ta’ Konvenzjoni tal-Organizzazzjoni għall-Kooperazzjoni u l-Iżvilupp Ekonomiċi (l-OECD) dwar it-Taxxa fuq l-Introjtu u fuq il-Kapital, iżda tinkludi xi provvedimenti speċjali biex jagħmlu tajjeb għal-liġijiet tat-tassazzjoni nazzjonali taż-żewġ naħat. Il-ftehim jipprovdi mezz ta’ soluzzjoni fuq bażi uniformi tal-aktar problemi komuni li jinqalgħu fil-qasam tat-tassazzjoni doppja legali internazzjonali, u l-għan prinċipali tiegħu huwa li jitneħħew l-ostakli li tassazzjoni doppja tippreżenta lill-iżvilupp tar-relazzjonijiet ekonomiċi bejn Malta u l-Curaçao. Dan l-iskambju ta’ informazzjoni huwa konformi ma’ standards maqbula internazzjonalment, u għalhekk se jagħti aktar kredibilità lil Malta u lill-Curaçao fejn jidħlu t-trasparenza u l-iskambju tal-informazzjoni dwar il-kwistjonijet tat-taxxa.
STQARRIJA MILL-MINISTERU GĦALL-FINANZI
Il-Ministru Scicluna semma d-diversi elementi komuni bejn iż-żewġ stati żgħar, fosthom l-importanza tat-turiżmu u s-servizzi finanzjarji fl-ekonomiji rispettivi tagħhom. Saħaq li dan il-ftehim jipprovdwi wkoll biex iż-żewġ naħat jiskambjaw kwalunkwe informazzjoni relevanti sabiex ma jkunx hemm evażjoni tat-taxxa minn kumpaniji multinazzjonali. “Għalkemm iż-żewġ gżejjer qegħdin ‘il bogħod minn xulxin, in-negozjanti u l-kumpaniji jużaw iċ-ċentri finanzjarji f’kull rokna tad-dinja, u għaldaqstant b’dan il-ftehim qed nippromwovu wkoll in-negozju finazjarju bejnietna,” qal il-Ministru Scicluna.
Il-Ministru Jardim tkellem fuq l-istess frekwenza, u rrimarka li “dan il-ftehim ifisser ukoll li rridu ninkoraġġixxu r-relazzjonijiet ekonomiċi bejn iż-żewġ gżejjer. Malta għandha pożizzjoni importanti ħafna fl-Unjoni Ewropea filwaqt li l-Curaçao għandha pożizzjoni importanti fil-konfront tas-suq tal-Amerika Latina”. Huwa qal li dan il-ftehim huwa sinjal ta’ kemm Malta u l-Curaçao huma impenjati li jirrispettaw l-istandards internazzjonali dwar il-prevenzjoni tal-evażjoni tat-taxxa.
Malta and Curaçao sign double taxation agreement
Malta and the Caribbean island of Curaçao have signed a convention for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income. The agreement was signed on Wednesday 18th November 2015 by Malta’s Finance Minister, Edward Scicluna, and his counterpart from the constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mr Jose Jardim. Among those present for the signing ceremony that was held at the Ministry for Finance in Valletta, was the Dutch ambassador to Malta, Mr Johannes Jacobus Peter Nijssen.
The agreement had been initialled on the 17th of October 2013 in Malta and will enter into force on the 1st of January 2016.
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY FOR FINANCE
The Double Taxation Agreement between Malta and Curaçao is mainly based on the OECD Model Tax Convention on Income and on Capital, but includes special provisions to cater for certain domestic taxation laws of both sides. The agreement provides a means of settling on a uniform basis the most common problems that arise in the field of international juridical double taxation. Its main purpose is to remove the obstacles that double taxation presents to the development of economic relations between Malta and Curaçao. Such exchange of information is in line with internationally-agreed standards and will therefore give more credibility to Malta and Curaçao where transparency and exchange of information on tax matters are concerned.
Minister Scicluna made reference to several elements common to the two island states, such as the important role that tourism and financial services play in their respective economies. He pointed out that this agreement also provides for the exchange of any relevant information between the two sides in a bid to prevent tax evasion from multinational businesses. “Although the two islands are far away from each other, business persons and companies use financial centres in every corner of the globe, so through this agreement we are also promoting financial business between us,” Minister Scicluna said.
Minister Jardim echoed the same message, saying that “this agreement also means that we want to encourage economic relations between the two islands. Malta has a very important position in the European Union while Curaçao has an important position vis-à-vis the Latin American market”. He said that this agreement sends out a signal that both Malta and Curaçao are committed to respecting international standards on the prevention of tax evasion.
– Wednesday, 18 November 2015