Journal Press India®

Tax Implications of Offshore Financial Centres (OFCs): A Case-based Study

Vol 11 , Issue 2 , July - December 2024 | Pages: 17-29 | Research Paper  

 
Article has been added to the cart.View Cart (0)
https://doi.org/10.17492/jpi.focus.v11i2.1122402


Author Details ( * ) denotes Corresponding author

1. * Rohan Prasad Gupta, Assistant Professor, Commerce, St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India (rohanprasadgupta@sxccal.edu)
2. Bappaditya Biswas, Assistant Professor, Commerce, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India (bbcom@caluniv.ac.in)

Offshore Financial Centres (OFCs) provides for various strategies to the multinational corporations to mitigate tax payments. OFCs also used to provide other benefits to the MNCs like simple incorporation process, little supervision and high degree of client confidentiality. Large firms are expanding their operations internationally as a result of globalization, carefully considering the potential tax implications on their generated income.  In this paper, attempts have been made to provide for an insight of the concept of the OFCs and how MNCs use them to avoid tax payments. The scenario and mechanism of reducing tax liabilities by the MNCs is depicted with the help of three case studies of Microsoft, Vodafone and Amazon. In order to address the taxation issue comprehensively, the BEPS strategy typically identifies fifteen actions and provides justification for a mark to be applied to the activities of the MNCs. The study shows that OFCs are often used by the multinational corporations for their tax benefit purpose. 

Keywords

OFC, MNC, Tax implications, Case studies

  1. Aiyar, S., & Patnam, M. (2021). IMF programs and financial flows to offshore centers. IMF Economic Review, 1-28.
  2. Bara, A., & Le Roux, P. (2017). International financial centres, global finance and financial development in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). Journal of Economics and International Finance, 9(7), 68-79.
  3. Behuria, P. (2023). The political economy of a tax haven: The case of Mauritius. Review of International Political Economy, 30(2), 772-800.
  4. Buckley, P. J., Sutherland, D., Voss, H., & El-Gohari, A. (2015). The economic geography of offshore incorporation in tax havens and offshore financial centres: The case of Chinese MNEs. Journal of economic geography, 15(1), 103-128.
  5. Campbell, A. M., Don, D. M., & Campbell, A. M. (2021). The consequences of global policy initiatives against money laundering, terrorist financing and tax evasion on financial centres in the Caribbean region. Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and Tax Evasion: The Consequences of International Policy Initiatives on Financial Centres in the Caribbean Region (pp. 267-324).
  6. Casella, B. & Souillard, B. (2022). A new framework to assess the fiscal impact of a global minimum tax on FDI. Transnational Corporations, 29(2), 105-143.
  7. Cheung, Y. W. (2014). The role of offshore financial centers in the process of Renminbi Internationalization. In ADBI Working Paper Series (No. 472). Asian Development Bank Institute. Retrieved from https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/156327/adbi-wp472.pdf
  8. Donaghy, M., & Clarke, M. (2010). Are offshore financial centres the product of global markets? A sociological response. Economy and Society, 32(3), 381-409.
  9. Financial Stability Forum (2000), Report of the Working Group on Offshore Centres, Financial Stability Board. https://www.fsb.org/uploads/r_0004b.pdf
  10. Global Financial Integrity. (2022, October 31). . Retrieved from https://gfintegrity.org/issue/offshore-financial-system/
  11. Hearn, B., Tauringana, V. & Ntim, C. (2024). The transaction cost implications from business angel ownership in the Caribbean. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 32.
  12. Hebous, S., Hillier, C., & Mengistu, A. (2024). Deciphering the GloBE in a low-tax jurisdiction. In International Monetary Fund, IMF Working Papers (WP/24/64).
  13. Jones, C., Temouri, Y., & Ahmed, A. (2020). The relationship between MNE tax haven use and FDI into developing economies characterized by capital flight. Transnational Corporations, 27(2), 1-30.
  14. Li, Y., & Ma, M. (2022). Are tax havens and offshore financial centers cracked down on? A study on the international standard of exchange of information on request. The Accounting Review, 97(7), 295-318.
  15. Maurer, B. (2023). Money laundering, terrorist financing, and tax evasion: The consequences of international policy initiatives on financial centres in the Caribbean region. New West Indian Guide/Nieuwe West-Indische Gids, 97(3-4), 364-365.
  16. Monetary and Exchange Affairs Department, IMF (2000), Offshore Financial Centers - IMF Background Paper. Retrieved from https://www.imf.org/external/np/mae/oshore/2000/eng/ back.htm
  17. Phillips, R., Petersen, H., & Palan, R. (2021). Group subsidiaries, tax minimization and offshore financial centres: Mapping organizational structures to establish the ‘in-betweener’ advantage. Journal of International Business Policy, 4(2), 286-307.
  18. Pogliani, P., & Wooldridge, P. (2022). Cross-border financial centres. BIS Working Papers, No 1035. Retrieved from https://www.bis.org/publ/work1035.pdf
  19. Rose, A. K., & Spiegel, M. M. (2007). Offshore financial centres: parasites or symbionts? The Economic Journal, 117(523), 1310-1335.
  20. Tax Foundation. (2024, February 13). . Retrieved fromhttps://taxfoundation.org/taxedu/educational-resources/case-studies-oecd-global-tax-deal/
  21. The Benefits of Setting a Lower Limit on Corporate Taxation. (2021, June 9). IMF. Retrieved from https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2021/06/09/the-benefits-of-setting-a-lower-limit-on-corporate-taxation
  22. What does a “global minimum tax” mean for global cooperation? (2024, September 10). World Economic Forum. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/02/oecd-minimum-tax-rate/
  23. Zoromé, A. (2007). Concept of offshore financial centers: In search of an operational definition. International Monetary Fund & Monetary and Capital Markets Department. Retrieved from https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2007/wp0787.pdf
Abstract Views: 1
PDF Views: 1

Advanced Search

News/Events

Ramachandran Interna...

Ramachandran International Institute of Management (RIIM), Pune Org...

PCETs Pimpri Chinchw...

PCET's Pimpri Chinchwad College of Engineering and Research Org...

Institute of Managem...

Institute of Management Technology, Nagpur Organizing International...

GENDER CULTURES: Mul...

IIULM University, Milan, Italy Organizing GENDER CULTURES: Mul...

Dept. of MBA, Karnat...

Department of MBA, KLS, Gogte Institute of Technology, Belagavi Org...

Indira School of Bus...

Indira School of Mangement Studies PGDM, Pune Organizing Internatio...

Indira Institute of ...

Indira Institute of Management, Pune Organizing International Confe...

D. Y. Patil Internat...

D. Y. Patil International University, Akurdi-Pune Organizing Nation...

ISBM College of Engi...

ISBM College of Engineering, Pune Organizing International Conferen...

Periyar Maniammai In...

Department of Commerce Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science &...

By continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.