Italian Taxation of Companies and Businesses

Introduction

      The taxation of outbound dividends has been the subject of intense litigation in Italy and across Europe, particularly where non-E.U. entities are treated less favorably than similarly situated EU-based or domestic recipients operating in similar circumstances. Recent rulings by Italian courts following the European Court of Justice (ECJ) confirm that withholding tax on dividends

      On November 20, 2020 Italy’s Minister of Economy and Finance published its ministerial decree dated November 17, 2020, which contains specific provisions on the meaning and enforcement of the main benefit test of COUNCIL DIRECTIVE (EU) 2018/822 of 25 May 2018 on mandatory reporting of cross border arrangements (commonly referred to as “DAC6”).

      Following the

      By now, Italian tax practitioners and tax scholars have had the opportunity to report on Italian Supreme Court’s ruling n. 14756 of July 10, 2020 (Cass.14756-20), which ruled that interest paid by an Italian operating subsidiary to its Luxembourg direct holding company is eligible for the withholding tax exemption granted under article 26-

      By way of ruling n. 25490 issued on October 10, 2019 (Supreme Court Ruling 25490 of 10-10-2019), Italy’s Supreme Court upheld the appellate court’s ruling which denied both the dividend withholding tax exemption of the EU Parent Subsidiary Directive n. 435/90/CEE of the Council dated July 23, 1990 (the “Directive”), and the dividend

      With its tax ruling n. 88/E of October 18, 2019 (Ruling 88-2019), the Italian Tax Agency denied the interest withholding tax exemption provided for in the EU Interest and Royalties Directive, in respect of interest due by an Italian Target on a shareholder’s loan extended from its EU Parent in connection with a

      In its Ruling N. 380 of September 11, 2019, Italy’s Tax Agency provided its guidance on certain tax implications of a corporate reorganization pursuant to which a Luxembourg holding company, which owns an Italian company, would reincorporate into Switzerland and convert into a Swiss tax resident company.

      Prior to the reincorporation of the holding

      The Italian financial newspaper “Il Sole 24 Ore” reported today that Koering, the French-owned conglomerate which controls some of the most renowned and revered luxury brands in the world, such as Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Saint Laurent, Pomellato and others associated to clothing, jewelry, bags and other luxury products, settled a tax case with the Italian

      By way of ruling n. 55/6/2019 filed on January 21, 2019, the Regional Tax Court of Abruzzo held that no withholding tax exemption under the EU Parent-Subsidiary Directive applies, unless the EU parent company proves that it has been “materially charged” with an income tax on the dividends in its own country of residency.

      The

      In 2015, Italy enacted a special tax regime for high skilled workers who move to Italy to work there for an Italian employer, on assignment to an Italian affiliate of a foreign multinational, or on their own as independent consultants and service providers. Eligible taxpayers (who include Italian citizens, and foreign nationals who are citizens

      With its ruling n. 25219 of October 11, 2018, the Italian Supreme Court held that the capital gain realized by a German company from the sale of its shares of stock of an Italian company is exempt from corporate income tax in Italy, pursuant to Article 13, paragraph 4 of the Tax Treaty between Italy