Transfer Pricing System of EU Countries: An Analysis in the Context of SDGS

Abstract

Considering that the base erosion and the profit shifting practiced by multinationals could deprive governments of their fair share in taxes and, as a consequence of the financial resources needed to achieve the sustainable development goals (‘SDGs’), governments have started to be interested in the implementation of transfer pricing regulations. The objective of the paper is to analyze the transfer pricing regulations and practices adopted by the EU countries that record a good progress in terms of SDGs vs. EU countries that record a moderate progress in this respect.

The results of the study show that the strictness of the transfer pricing system influences the progress regarding the achievement of the SDGs. More exactly, the countries which record a good progress in achieving SDGs have, in general, a stricter transfer pricing system. In order to increase the strictness of the transfer pricing system and the progress in terms of SDGs, countries could implement regulation which envisage: the preparation of an annual transfer pricing documentation; the preparation of a documentation on three levels according to BEPS 13; the adoption of certain measures in order to increase the number of APAs, MAPs and transfer pricing audits; imposing of penalties.