Tax News Update    Email this document    Print this document  

January 27, 2021
2021-0191

Chile and the Netherlands sign double tax treaty

Investors resident in the Netherlands should continue to follow the approval process of the treaty as once it is in force, as they will be able to fully credit the corporate income tax paid in Chile against the dividend withholding tax applicable to dividend distributions.

On January 25, 2021, Chile's Ministry of Finance announced the new double tax treaty (DTT) between Chile and the Netherlands was signed. The DTT is duly aligned with the OECD model and BEPS guidance.

The DTT will enter into force after parliamentary ratification and the exchange of ratification instruments.

No immediate effects in Chile for dividend distributions

According to Chilean domestic regulations, residents in the Netherlands will still be subject to the partially integrated regime (i.e., deemed as non-treaty investors, regardless of the signing status) because the treaty is not yet in force. As such, only 65% of the corporate income tax may be creditable against the 35% dividend withholding tax, resulting in an effective tax burden of 44.45% for dividend repatriation out of Chile to Dutch investors.

Investors resident in countries with a DTT in force, however, may fully credit the corporate income tax against the 35% dividend withholding tax, resulting in a 35% effective tax burden.

Also, due to a transitory domestic provision, the ability to fully credit the corporate income tax against the dividend withholding tax temporarily applies until 2026 to investors resident in countries with DTTs signed with Chile before 2020 that are not yet in force, including the US-Chile DTT (2010) and UAE-Chile DTT (2019). This special regime, however, does not extend to residents in the Netherlands.

Chile's current DTTs network

Currently, Chile has 33 DTTs signed and in force and four pending ratification.

The following list includes the countries with DTTs in force with Chile:

Americas

Argentina

Europe

Austria

 

Brazil

 

Belgium

 

Canada

 

Croatia

 

Colombia

 

Czech Republic

 

Ecuador

 

Denmark

 

Mexico

 

France

 

Paraguay

 

Ireland

 

Peru

 

Italy

 

Uruguay

 

Norway

Asia

China

 

Poland

 

Japan

 

Portugal

 

Malaysia

 

Russia

 

South Korea

 

Spain

 

Thailand

 

Sweden

Oceania

Australia

 

Switzerland

 

New Zealand

 

United Kingdom

  

Africa

South Africa

The DTTs pending ratification and not yet enforceable are those with the United States, United Arab Emirates, India and the Netherlands.

———————————————

Contact Information
For additional information concerning this Alert, please contact:
 
EY Chile, Santiago
   • Felipe Espina (felipe.espina@cl.ey.com)
   • Juan Pablo Navarrete (juan.navarrete@cl.ey.com)
   • Victor Fenner (victor.fenner@cl.ey.com)
   • Janice Stein (janice.stein@cl.ey.com)
Ernst & Young, LLP (United States), Latin American Business Center, New York
   • Pablo Wejcman (pablo.wejcman@ey.com)
   • Mariela Gonzalez (mariela.gonzalez@ey.com)
   • Ana Mingramm (ana.mingramm@ey.com)
   • Enrique Perez Grovas (enrique.perezgrovas@ey.com)