A draft of this Order was laid before the House of Commons in accordance with section 5(2) of the Taxation (International and Other Provisions) Act 2010(1) and section 173(7) of the Finance Act 2006(2) and approved by a resolution of that House.

Accordingly, Her Majesty, in exercise of the powers conferred upon Her by section 2 of the Taxation (International and Other Provisions) Act 2010 and section 173(1) of the Finance Act 2006, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, orders as follows—

Citation

1.  This Order may be cited as the Double Taxation Relief and International Tax Enforcement (Hong Kong) Order 2010.

Double taxation and international tax enforcement arrangements to have effect

2.  It is declared that—

(a)the arrangements specified in the Agreement set out in Part 1 of the Schedule to this Order and the Protocol set out in Part 2 of that Schedule have been made with the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China;

(b)the arrangements have been made with a view to affording relief from double taxation in relation to income tax, corporation tax, capital gains tax and taxes of a similar character imposed by the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and for the purposes of assisting international tax enforcement; and

(c)it is expedient that those arrangements should have effect.

Judith Simpson
Clerk of the Privy Council

Article 2
SCHEDULE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

The Schedule to this Order contains an agreement and a protocol (“the Arrangements”) dealing with the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. This Order brings the Arrangements into effect.

The Arrangements aim to eliminate the double taxation of income or gains in one country and paid to residents of the other country. This is done by allocating the taxing rights that each country has under its domestic law over the same income and gains, and/or by providing relief from double taxation. There are also specific measures which combat discriminatory tax treatment and provide for assistance in international tax enforcement.

Article 1 provides for citation.

Article 2 makes a declaration as to the effect and content of the Arrangements.

The Arrangements will enter into force on the date of the later of the notifications by each country of completion of its legislative procedures. They will take effect as follows:

(a)with regard to United Kingdom corporation tax and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region tax, for any financial year or year of assessment beginning on or after 1st April in the calendar year next following the date of entry into force; and
(b)with regard to United Kingdom income tax and capital gains tax, for any year of assessment beginning on or after 6th April in the calendar year next following the date of entry into force.
The date of entry into force will, in due course, be published in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes.

A full and final Impact Assessment has not been produced for this Order as a negligible impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.

(1)
2010 c. 8.

(2)
2006 c. 25.