税务，会计和透明度：财务和税务会计的相互作用[文献翻译]

原文：Taxation,AccountingandTransparency:TheInteractionofFinancialandTaxAccounting1.IntroductionInthelastyears,economicareashaveconstantlymovedtogether.Asaconsequence,companies,especiallythebigplayersinthemarkets,haveheadedtowardsusingtheinternationalcapitalmarketsandtogetaccesstostockexchangesindifferentjurisdictions.Asaprerequisite,theprevailinginternationalaccountingstandards,beitIFRSand/orU.S.GAAP,havetobefollowed.Ontheotherside,astaxlegislationisstill“local”andnotharmonized,thecompaniesalwayshavetolookforgettingthebesttaxenvironmenttheycanforcarryingontheirbusinesses.Thefollowingarticletriestosummarizeshortlytheinfluenceofinternationalizationontaxationandaccountingingeneralandwithregardtotransparencyoftaxeffectsintheinternationalaccountsinparticular.Asaconsequenceofmoretransparency,itisimportanttobeawareofpossibilitiesandboundariesofexistinginfluencesonthetaxrateaswellandtoclearlydefineaframeworkfortaxplanning,whichnotonlyisinlinewithlegalrequirements,butaswellwithethicalstandards,aseachindividualcompanycannotaffordloosingitsgoodreputation.2.TaxationandAccounting–TwoDifferentWorlds?2.1StatusQuoAstaxationisstilllocal,multinationalcorporationshavetoalignbusinessopportunitiesandneedswithfindingthesuitabletaxenvironmentfordoingbusinessandstructuringtheirbusinessactivities.Needlesstosaythatnationalandinternationalruleofallocatingprofitshastobetakenasunchangeablepreconditions,butneverthelesstaxplanningiscrucial.Itisnotthelocaltaxrate,buttheeffectivetaxburdenthatintheendreallycounts,takingalwaysthetaxbasesaswellintoaccount.Andthereisstillflexibilityhowtostructurethebusinessactivities,e.g.withregardtosettingupthewholegroupstructure,financing,choosingtheappropriatelegalform.Takingthecomplexityofthelocaltaxsystemsandtheshortcomingsoftheexistingdoubletaxationtreaties,theavoidanceofdoubletaxationisoneofthemostimportantgoalsinthiscontext–anditisclearlynotgettingtotax-exempt,nowheretaxed“white”income.Thereisnodoubt:Thekeyobjectivefortaxplanningistosupportbusiness.Eachbusinessdecisionhastomakesensewithoutalookatthetaxburden.However,ifabusinessdecisionistaken,themostefficientstructurefromataxpointofviewhastobechosen.Fromtheviewofaglobalplayer,andastaxratesareonlyroughindicatorsfortheeffectivetaxburden,thepoliticaldemandwithregardtotaxationatleastmediumorlongtermshouldclearlybeworld-wideharmonizationofthetaxsystems.Then,afairtaxcompetitionviataxrates,notviacomplexandnon-transparenttaxbaseswouldbecarriedout.Therefore,theindustryhighlywelcomesthethoughtsoftheEUCommissiontowardsaCommonConsolidatedCorporateTaxBase(CCCTB).EvenifthisCCCTBisrestrictedtoMemberStatesoftheEuropeanCommunity,itwouldbeabigstepforward.UnfortunatelyitlooksasifalotoftheECcountriestakethisapproachnottooserious,astaxrevenuesmightbethreatened.ButthisshowsclearlythenecessityofaCCCTB:IfcompaniesweretaxedontheirEU-wideconsolidatedincome,e.g.taxesonnon-realizedprofitsarisingasaconsequenceofintragrouptransactionswouldbeavoided.TransferPricingadjustmentswhichveryoftenleadtodoubletaxationwouldbeatleastwithintheEUobsolete.ThereluctanceofsomeMemberStatesevenprovesthenecessity:taxationshouldalwaysandonlybebasedonprofitsrealizedthroughamarkettransaction.2.2OutlookFortunatelyenough,thejurisdictionoftheEuropeanCourtofJusticemightputpressuretowardsharmonization:AstheCourttakesthebasicprinciplesoftheInternalMarketveryserious,theCourtputsalwaysemphasisonbasicCommunityLaw,especiallyonnondiscriminationofECresidents,freemovementofcapitalandfreedomofestablishment.Asaconsequence,alotofrestrictingnationaltaxlawshasalreadybeenchallenged.Especiallywithregardtocrossbordertransactions,thisjurisdictionwillleadbyitselfonthelongruntowardsaforcedharmonization.Therefore,itwouldfromthispointofviewaswellbeintheinterestoftheECMemberStatestoactivelysupporttheEUCommissiontowardsajointtaxjurisdiction.Inthiscontext,itisfairtosaythatsometaxationprincipleshavedefinitelytobetakenintoaccount,evenifthismightbeself-evident:Taxationmustalwaysbebasedontheindividualabilitytopaytaxes.InGermany,thisprincipleisevenanchoredintheConstitutionalLaw.Asaconsequence,taxesshouldonlybeleviedonrealizedprofits.Marktomarketvaluationwouldgenerallynotadequatelyreflecttheabilitytopaytaxes,asthethenpotentiallytaxedunrealizedgainsarevolatile.Taxationhastobebasedonnetincome,andnotonsubstance.Businessexpensesmustthereforealwaysbewhollydeductible.Thismeansanunrestrictedlosscarryforwardaswell.Third,taxationhastobebasedonobjectivecriteria,andtheaccrualsprinciplehastobetakenintoaccount.Additionally,avoidanceofdoubletaxationmeansavoidancenotonlyoflegal,butaswellofeconomicdoubletaxation.Therefore,e.g.dividendsshouldbeexcludedfromtaxableincome,astheunderlyingprofitshavealreadybeentaxedinthehandsofthedistributingcorporation.Thetreatmentofcapitalgainsshouldalwaysfollowthetreatmentofdividends.Capitalgainsonthesaleofparticipationsshouldthereforebeexemptaswell,astheyeitherrepresentalreadytaxedretainedearningsorhiddenreserveswhichmaterializeandleadtotaxesinthefuture.Fromanaccountingpointofview,itisfairtosaythatsomecountries–byfarnotall–d