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The OECD Model Tax Convention, a model for countries concluding bilateral tax conventions, plays a crucial role in removing tax related barriers to cross border trade and investment. It is the basis for negotiation and application of bilateral tax treaties between countries, designed to assist business while helping to prevent tax evasion and avoidance. The OECD Model also provides a means for settling on a uniform basis the most common problems that arise in the field of international double taxation.
The 2017 edition of the OECD Model mainly reflects a consolidation of the treaty-related measures resulting from the work on the OECD/G20 BEPS Project under Action 2 (Neutralising the Effects of Hybrid Mismatch Arrangements), Action 6 (Preventing the Granting of Treaty Benefits in Inappropriate Circumstances), Action 7 (Preventing the Artificial Avoidance of Permanent Establishment Status) and Action 14 (Making Dispute Resolution More Effective).
The OECD Model requires constant review to address the new tax issues that arise in connection with the evolution of the global economy. Working Party No. 1 of the OECD's Committee on Fiscal Affairs meets this need and its work results in regular changes to the Model. Updates were published in 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2014, and 2017.
Related material
Update to the Commentary on Article 26 of the Model Tax Convention
On 19 February 2024, the OECD Council approved an update to the commentary on Article 26 (Exchange of information) of the OECD Model Convention. This update clarifies that information received through administrative assistance can be used for tax matters concerning persons other than those in respect of which the information was initially received. It also provides interpretative guidance on confidentiality, in particular regarding the access of taxpayers to information exchanged when such information has a bearing on their tax situation and regarding reflective non-taxpayer specific information, including statistical data, about or generated on the basis of exchanged information.
Model Tax Convention on Income and on Capital 2017 (Full Version)
The full version contains the full text of the Model Tax Convention as it read on 21 November 2017, including the Articles, Commentaries, non-member economies’ positions, the Recommendation of the OECD Council, the historical notes and the background reports.
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