S.I. No. 453/2008 - Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Socialist Republic of Vietnam) Order 2008

S.I. No. 453 of 2008

DOUBLE TAXATION RELIEF (TAXES ON INCOME) (SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM) ORDER 2008

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 4th November, 2008.

WHEREAS it is enacted by section 826(1) (as amended by section 35 of the Finance Act 2007 (No. 11 of 2007)) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997) that where the Government by order declare that arrangements specified in the order have been made with the government of any territory outside the State in relation to affording relief from double taxation in respect of income tax, corporation tax in respect of income and chargeable gains, capital gains tax or any taxes of a similar character imposed by the laws of the State or by the laws of that territory and, in the case of taxes of any kind or description imposed by the laws of the State or the laws of that territory, in relation to exchanging information for the purposes of the prevention and detection of tax evasion or granting relief from taxation under the laws of that territory to persons who are resident in the State for the purposes of tax, and that it is expedient that those arrangements should have the force of law, and the order so made is referred to in Part 1 of Schedule 24A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 , then subject to section 826 of that Act the arrangements shall, notwithstanding anything in any enactment, have the force of law as if such order were an Act of the Oireachtas on and from the date of the insertion of a reference to the order into Part 1 of Schedule 24A:

AND WHEREAS it is further enacted by section 826(6) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 that where such an order is proposed to be made, a draft of the order shall be laid before Dáil Éireann and the order shall not be made until a resolution approving of the draft has been passed by Dáil Éireann:

AND WHEREAS a draft of the following Order has been laid before Dáil Éireann and a resolution approving of the draft has been passed by Dáil Éireann:

NOW, the Government, in exercise of the powers conferred on them by section 826(1) (as amended by section 35 of the Finance Act 2007 (No. 11 of 2007)) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997) hereby order as follows:

1. This Order may be cited as the Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Socialist Republic of Vietnam) Order 2008.

2. It is declared—

(a) that the arrangements specified in the Agreement, the text of which is set out in the Schedule to this Order, have been made with the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in relation to affording relief from double taxation in respect of income tax, corporation tax, capital gains tax and any taxes of a similar character imposed by the laws of the State or by the laws of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and, in the case of taxes of any kind or description imposed by the laws of the State or the laws of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in relation to exchanging information for the purposes of the prevention and detection of tax evasion and granting relief from taxation under the laws of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to persons who are resident in the State for the purposes of tax, and

(b) that it is expedient that those arrangements should have the force of law.

SCHEDULE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND

AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF

DOUBLE TAXATION AND THE PREVENTION OF FISCAL EVASION WITH RESPECT TO TAXES ON INCOME

The Government of Ireland and the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Desiring to conclude an Agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income,

Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1

Persons Covered

This Agreement shall apply to persons who are residents of one or both of the Contracting States.

ARTICLE 2

Taxes Covered

1. This Agreement shall apply to taxes on income imposed by each Contracting State, irrespective of the manner in which they are levied.

2. There shall be regarded as taxes on income all taxes imposed on total income, or on elements of income, including taxes on gains from the alienation of movable or immovable property.

3. The existing taxes to which the Agreement shall apply are:

(a) in Vietnam:

(i) the personal income tax; and

(ii) the business income tax;

(hereinafter referred to as “Vietnamese tax”);

(b) in Ireland:

(i) the income tax;

(ii) the corporation tax; and

(iii) the capital gains tax;

(hereinafter referred to as “Irish tax”).

4. The Agreement shall also apply to any identical or substantially similar taxes which are imposed after the date of signature of this Agreement in addition to, or in place of, the existing taxes. The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall notify each other of significant changes made to their taxation laws.

ARTICLE 3

General Definitions

1. For the purposes of this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) (i) the term “Vietnam” means the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; when used in a geographical sense, it means all its national territory, including its territorial sea and any area beyond and adjacent to its territorial sea, within which Vietnam by Vietnamese legislation and in accordance with international law, has sovereign rights of exploration for and exploitation of natural resources of the seabed and its subsoil and superjacent watermass;

(ii) the term “Ireland” includes any area outside the territorial waters of Ireland which, in accordance with international law, has been or may hereafter be designated under the laws of Ireland concerning the Continental Shelf, as an area within which the rights of Ireland with respect to the seabed and subsoil and their natural resources may be exercised;

(b) the term “person” includes an individual, a company and any other body of persons;

(d) the terms “a Contracting State” and “the other Contracting State” mean Vietnam or Ireland as the context requires; and the term “Contracting States” means Vietnam and Ireland;

(e) the term “international traffic” means any transport by a ship or aircraft operated by an enterprise of a Contracting State, except when the ship or aircraft is operated solely between places in the other Contracting State;

(f) the term “national” means:

(i) in relation to Vietnam, any individual possessing the nationality of Vietnam and any legal person, partnership or association deriving its status as such from the laws in force in Vietnam;

(ii) in relation to Ireland, any citizen of Ireland and any legal person, partnership or association deriving its status as such from the laws in force in Ireland;

(g) the term “competent authority” means:

(i) in the case of Vietnam, the Minister of Finance or his authorised representative; and

(ii) in the case of Ireland, the Revenue Commissioners or their authorised representative; and

(h) the terms “enterprise of a Contracting State” and “enterprise of the other Contracting State” mean, respectively, an enterprise carried on by a resident of a Contracting State and an enterprise carried on by a resident of the other Contracting State.

2. As regards the application of the Agreement at any time by a Contracting State, any term not defined therein shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the meaning that it has at that time under the law of that State for the purposes of the taxes to which the Agreement applies, any meaning under the applicable tax laws of that State prevailing over a meaning given to the term under other laws of that State.

ARTICLE 4

Resident

1. For the purposes of this Agreement, the term “resident of a Contracting State” means any person who, under the laws of that State, is liable to tax therein by reason of his domicile, residence, place of incorporation (or registration), place of management or any other criterion of a similar nature. The term also includes that State and any local authority thereof. This term, however, does not include any person who is liable to tax in that State in respect only of income from sources in that State.

2. Where by reason of the provisions of paragraph 1 an individual is a resident of both Contracting States, then his status shall be determined as follows:

(a) he shall be deemed to be a resident of the State in which he has a permanent home available to him; if he has a permanent home available to him in both States, he shall be deemed to be a resident only of the State with which his personal and economic relations are closer (centre of vital interests);

(b) if the State in which he has his centre of vital interests cannot be determined, or if he does not have a permanent home available to him in either State, he shall be deemed to be a resident only of the State in which he has an habitual abode;

(c) if he has an habitual abode in both States or in neither of them, he shall be deemed to be a resident only of the State of which he is a national;

(d) if he is a national of both States or of neither of them, the competent authorities of the Contracting States shall settle the question by mutual agreement.

3. Where by reason of the provisions of paragraph 1 a person other than an individual is a resident of both Contracting States, the competent authorities of the Contracting States shall by mutual agreement endeavour to settle the question and to determine the mode of application of the Agreement to such person.

ARTICLE 5

Permanent Establishment

1. For the purposes of this Agreement, the term “permanent establishment” means a fixed place of business through which the business of the enterprise is wholly or partly carried on.

2. The term “permanent establishment” includes especially:

(a) a place of management;

(b) a branch;

(d) a factory;

(e) a workshop; and

(f) a mine, an oil or gas well, a quarry or any other place of extraction of natural resources.

3. A person carrying on activities in a Contracting State (including offshore activities) in connection with the exploration for or exploitation of natural resources situated in that Contracting State shall be deemed to be carrying on a business through a permanent establishment in that Contracting State.

4. The term “permanent establishment” likewise encompasses:

(a) a building site, construction, assembly or installation project or supervisory activities in connection therewith, but only where such site, project or activities continue for a period of more than six months;

(b) the furnishing of services, including consultancy services, by an enterprise through employees or other personnel engaged by the enterprise for such purpose, but only where activities of that nature continue (for the same or a connected project) within the country for a period or periods aggregating more than six months within any twelve-month period.

5. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Article, the term “permanent establishment” shall be deemed not to include:

(a) the use of facilities solely for the purpose of storage or display of goods or merchandise belonging to the enterprise;

(b) the maintenance of a stock of goods or merchandise belonging to the enterprise solely for the purpose of storage or display;

(c) the maintenance of a stock of goods or merchandise belonging to the enterprise solely for the purpose of processing by another enterprise;

(d) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely for the purpose of purchasing goods or merchandise or of collecting information for the enterprise;

(e) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely for the purpose of carrying on, for the enterprise, any other activity of a preparatory or auxiliary character;

(f) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely for any combination of activities mentioned in subparagraphs (a) to (e), provided that the overall activity of the fixed place of business resulting from this combination is of a preparatory or auxiliary character.

6. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2, where a person — other than an agent of an independent status to whom paragraph 8 applies — is acting in a Contracting State on behalf of an enterprise of the other Contracting State, that enterprise shall be deemed to have a permanent establishment in the first-mentioned Contracting State in respect of any activities which that person undertakes for the enterprise, if such a person:

(a) has and habitually exercises in that State an authority to conclude contracts in the name of the enterprise, unless the activities of such person are limited to those mentioned in paragraph 5 which, if exercised through a fixed place of business, would not make this fixed place of business a permanent establishment under the provisions of that paragraph; or

(b) has no such authority, but habitually maintains in the first-mentioned State a stock of goods or merchandise from which he regularly delivers goods or merchandise on behalf of the enterprise.

7. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Article, an insurance enterprise of a Contracting State shall, except in regard to re-insurance, be deemed to have a permanent establishment in the other Contracting State if it collects premiums in the territory of that other State or insures risks situated therein through a person other than an agent of an independent status to whom paragraph 8 applies.

8. An enterprise shall not be deemed to have a permanent establishment in a Contracting State merely because it carries on business in that State through a broker, general commission agent or any other agent of an independent status, provided that such persons are acting in the ordinary course of their business. However, when the activities of such an agent are devoted wholly or almost wholly on behalf of that enterprise, and conditions are made or imposed between that enterprise and the agent in their commercial and financial relations which differ from those which would have been made between independent enterprises, he will not be considered an agent of an independent status within the meaning of this paragraph.

9. The fact that a company which is a resident of a Contracting State controls or is controlled by a company which is a resident of the other Contracting State, or which carries on business in that other State (whether through a permanent establishment or otherwise), shall not of itself constitute either company a permanent establishment of the other.

ARTICLE 6

Income from Immovable Property

1. Income derived by a resident of a Contracting State from immovable property (including income from agriculture or forestry) situated in the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.

2. The term “immovable property” shall have the meaning which it has under the law of the Contracting State in which the property in question is situated. The term shall in any case include property accessory to immovable property, livestock and equipment used in agriculture and forestry, rights to which the provisions of general law respecting landed property apply, usufruct of immovable property and rights to variable or fixed payments as consideration for the working of, or the right to work, mineral deposits, sources and other natural resources; ships, boats and aircraft shall not be regarded as immovable property.

3. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall apply to income derived from the direct use, letting, or use in any other form of immovable property.

4. The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 3 shall also apply to the income from immovable property of an enterprise and to income from immovable property used for the performance of independent personal services.

ARTICLE 7

Business Profits

1. The profits of an enterprise of a Contracting State shall be taxable only in that State unless the enterprise carries on business in the other Contracting State through a permanent establishment situated therein. If the enterprise carries on business as aforesaid, the profits of the enterprise may be taxed in the other State but only so much of them as is attributable to:

(a) that permanent establishment;

(b) sales in that other State of goods or merchandise of the same or similar kind as those sold through that permanent establishment; or

(c) other business activities carried on in that other State of the same or similar kind as those effected through that permanent establishment.

2. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 3, where an enterprise of a Contracting State carries on business in the other Contracting State through a permanent establishment situated therein, there shall in each Contracting State be attributed to that permanent establishment the profits which it might be expected to make if it were a distinct and separate enterprise engaged in the same or similar activities under the same or similar conditions and dealing wholly independently with the enterprise of which it is a permanent establishment.

3. In determining the profits of a permanent establishment, there shall be allowed as deductions expenses which are incurred for the purposes of the business of the permanent establishment, including executive and general administrative expenses so incurred, whether in the State in which the permanent establishment is situated or elsewhere. However, no such deduction shall be allowed in respect of amounts, if any, paid (otherwise than towards reimbursement of actual expenses) by the permanent establishment to the head office of the enterprise or any of its other offices, by way of royalties, fees or other similar payments in return for the use of patents or other rights, or by way of commission, for specific services performed or for management, or, except in the case of a banking enterprise, by way of interest on moneys lent to the permanent establishment. Likewise, no account shall be taken, in the determination of the profits of a permanent establishment, for amounts charged (otherwise than towards reimbursement of actual expenses), by the permanent establishment to the head office of the enterprise or any of its other offices, by way of royalties, fees or other similar payments in return for the use of patents or other rights, or by way of commission for specific services performed or for management, or, except in the case of banking enterprise by way of interest on moneys lent to the head office of the enterprise or any of its other offices.

4. Insofar as it has been customary in a Contracting State to determine the profits to be attributed to a permanent establishment on the basis of an apportionment of the total profits of the enterprise to its various parts, nothing in paragraph 2 shall preclude such Contracting State from determining the profits to be taxed by such an apportionment as may be customary; the method of apportionment adopted shall, however, be such that the result shall be in accordance with the principles contained in this Article.

5. No profits shall be attributed to a permanent establishment by reason of the mere purchase by that permanent establishment of goods or merchandise for the enterprise.

6. For the purposes of the preceding paragraphs, the profits to be attributed to the permanent establishment shall be determined by the same method year by year unless there is good and sufficient reason to the contrary.

7. Where profits include items of income or gains which are dealt with separately in other Articles of this Agreement, then the provisions of those Articles shall not be affected by the provisions of this Article.

ARTICLE 8

Shipping and Air Transport

1. Profits derived by an enterprise of a Contracting State from the operation of ships or aircraft in international traffic shall be taxable only in that Contracting State.

2. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall also apply to profits from the participation in a pool, a joint business or an international operating agency.

3. For the purposes of this Article, profits from the operation of ships or aircraft in international traffic include:

(a) income from the rental on a bareboat basis of ships or aircraft; and

(b) profits from the use, maintenance or rental of containers (including trailers and related equipment for the transport of containers) used for the transport of goods or merchandise,

where such rental, use or maintenance, as the case may be, is incidental to the operation of ships or aircraft in international traffic.

ARTICLE 9

Associated Enterprises

1. Where

(a) an enterprise of a Contracting State participates directly or indirectly in the management, control or capital of an enterprise of the other Contracting State, or

(b) the same persons participate directly or indirectly in the management, control or capital of an enterprise of a Contracting State and an enterprise of the other Contracting State,

and in either case conditions are made or imposed between the two enterprises in their commercial or financial relations which differ from those which would be made between independent enterprises, then any profits which would, but for those conditions, have accrued to one of the enterprises, but, by the reason of those conditions, have not so accrued, may be included in the profits of that enterprise and taxed accordingly.

2. Where a Contracting State includes in the profits of an enterprise of that State and taxes accordingly profits on which an enterprise of the other Contracting State has been charged to tax in that other State and the profits so included are profits which would have accrued to the enterprise of the firstmentioned State if the conditions made between the two enterprises had been those which would have been made between independent enterprises, then that other State shall make an appropriate adjustment to the amount of the tax charged therein on those profits. In determining such adjustment, due regard shall be had to the other provisions of this Agreement and the competent authorities of the Contracting States shall if necessary consult each other.

ARTICLE 10

Dividends

1. Dividends paid by a company which is a resident of a Contracting State to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.

2. However, such dividends may also be taxed in the Contracting State of which the company paying the dividends is a resident and according to the laws of that State, but if the beneficial owner of the dividends is a resident of the other Contracting State, the tax so charged shall not exceed:

(a) 5 per cent of the gross amount of the dividends if the beneficial owner is a company which holds directly at least 70 per cent of the voting power of the company paying the dividends;

(b) 10 per cent of the gross amount of the dividends in all other cases.

This paragraph shall not affect the taxation of the company in respect of the profits out of which the dividends are paid.

3. The term “dividends” as used in this Article means income from shares or other rights, not being debtclaims, and includes any income or distribution assimilated to income from shares under the taxation laws of the Contracting State of which the company paying the dividends or income or making the distribution is a resident.

4. The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the dividends, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State of which the company paying the dividends is a resident through a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personal services from a fixed base situated therein, and the holding in respect of which the dividends are paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment or fixed base. In such case the provisions of Article 7 or Article 15, as the case may be, shall apply.

5. Where a company which is a resident of a Contracting State derives profits or income from the other Contracting State, that other State may not impose any tax on the dividends paid by the company, except insofar as such dividends are paid to a resident of that other Contracting State or insofar as the holding in respect of which the dividends are paid is effectively connected with a permanent establishment or a fixed base situated in that other State, nor subject the company’s undistributed profits to a tax on the company’s undistributed profits, even if the dividends paid or the undistributed profits consist wholly or partly of profits or income arising in such other State.

ARTICLE 11

Interest

1. Interest arising in a Contracting State and paid to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.

2. However, such interest may also be taxed in the Contracting State in which it arises, and according to the laws of that State, but if the recipient is the beneficial owner of the interest the tax so charged shall not exceed 10 per cent of the gross amount of the interest.

3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2, interest arising in a Contracting State and paid to the Government of the other Contracting State shall be exempt from tax in the first-mentioned Contracting State.

For the purposes of this paragraph, the term “Government” means:

(a) in the case of Vietnam:

(i) the State Bank of Vietnam;

(ii) the Bank for Investment and Development Support;

(iii) any body or institution wholly or mainly owned by the Government of Vietnam as may be agreed from time to time between the competent authorities of the Contracting States;

(b) in the case of Ireland:

(i) the Central Bank of Ireland;

(ii) the National Treasury Management Agency;

(iii) the National Pensions Reserve Fund; and

(iv) a statutory body or any institution wholly or mainly owned by the Government of Ireland as may be agreed from time to time between the competent authorities of the Contracting States.

4. The term “interest” as used in this Article means income from debt-claims of every kind, whether or not secured by mortgage, and whether or not carrying a right to participate in the debtor’s profits, and in particular, income from government securities and income from bonds or debentures, including premiums and prizes attaching to such securities, bonds or debentures as well as all other income assimilated to income from money lent by the laws of the State in which the income arises but does not include any income which is treated as a dividend under Article 10. Penalty charges for late payment shall not be regarded as interest for the purpose of this Article.

5. The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the interest, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State in which the interest arises, through a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personal services from a fixed base situated therein and the debt-claim in respect of which the interest is paid is effectively connected with (a) such permanent establishment or fixed base, or with (b) business activities referred to under subparagraph (c) of paragraph 1 of Article 7. In such case the provisions of Article 7 or Article 15, as the case may be, shall apply.

6. Interest shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting State when the payer is a resident of that State. Where, however, the person paying the interest, whether he is a resident of a Contracting State or not, has in a Contracting State a permanent establishment or a fixed base in connection with which the indebtedness on which the interest is paid was incurred, and such interest is borne by such permanent establishment or fixed base, then such interest shall be deemed to arise in the State in which the permanent establishment or fixed base is situated.

7. Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficial owner or between both of them and some other person, the amount of the interest, having regard to the debt-claim for which it is paid, exceeds the amount which would have been agreed upon by the payer and the beneficial owner in the absence of such relationship, the provisions of this Article shall apply only to the last-mentioned amount. In such case, the excess part of the payments shall remain taxable according to the laws of each Contracting State, due regard being had to the other provisions of this Agreement.

ARTICLE 12

Royalties

1. Royalties arising in a Contracting State and paid to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other Contracting State.

2. However, such royalties may also be taxed in the Contracting State in which they arise, and according to the laws of that State, but if the recipient is the beneficial owner of such royalties the tax so charged shall not exceed:

(a) 5 per cent of the gross amount of the royalties if they are paid as consideration for the use of, or the right to use, any patent, design or model, plan, secret formula or process, or for information concerning industrial or scientific experience;

(b) 10 per cent of the gross amount of the royalties if they are paid as consideration for the use of, or the right to use, a trade mark or for information concerning commercial experience; and

3. The term “royalties” as used in this Article means payments of any kind received as a consideration for the use of, or the right to use, any copyright of literary, artistic or scientific work including cinematograph films, or films or tapes used for radio or television broadcasting, any patent, trade mark, design or model, plan, secret formula or process, or for information concerning industrial, commercial or scientific experience.

4. The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the royalties, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State in which the royalties arise, through a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personal services from a fixed base situated therein, and the right or property in respect of which the royalties are paid is effectively connected with (a) such permanent establishment or fixed base or with (b) business activities referred to under subparagraph (c) of paragraph 1 of Article 7. In such case the provisions of Article 7 or Article 15, as the case may be, shall apply.

5. Royalties shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting State when the payer is a resident of that State. Where, however, the person paying the royalties, whether he is a resident of a Contracting State or not, has in a Contracting State a permanent establishment or fixed base in connection with which the liability to pay the royalties was incurred, and such royalties are borne by such permanent establishment or fixed base, then such royalties shall be deemed to arise in the State in which the permanent establishment or fixed base is situated.

6. Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficial owner or between both of them and some other person, the amount of the royalties, having regard to the use, right or information for which they are paid, exceeds the amount which would have been agreed upon by the payer and the beneficial owner in the absence of such relationship, the provisions of this Article shall apply only to the last-mentioned amount. In such case, the excess part of the payments shall remain taxable according to the laws of each Contracting State, due regard being had to the other provisions of this Agreement.

ARTICLE 13

Technical fees

1. Technical fees arising in a Contracting State and paid to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.

2. However, such technical fees may also be taxed in the Contracting State in which they arise and according to the laws of that State, but if the recipient is the beneficial owner of the technical fees the tax so charged shall not exceed 7.5 per cent of the gross amounts of the technical fees.

3. The term “technical fees” as used in this Article means payments of any kind to any person, other than to an employee of the person making the payments, in consideration for any services of a technical, managerial or consultancy nature.

4. The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the technical fees, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State in which the technical fees arise thorough a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personal services, and the technical fees are effectively connected with (a) such permanent establishment or fixed base or with (b) business activities referred to under subparagraph (c) of paragraph 1 of Article 7. In such case the provisions of Article 7 or Article 15, as the case may be, shall apply.

5. Technical fees shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting State when the payer is a resident of that State. Where, however, the person paying the technical fees, whether he is a resident of a Contracting State or not, has in a Contracting State a permanent establishment in connection with which the obligation to pay the technical fees was incurred, and such technical fees are borne by such permanent establishment, then such technical fees shall be deemed to arise in the Contracting State in which the permanent establishment is situated.

6. Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficial owner or between both of them and some other person, the amount of the technical fees paid exceeds, for whatever reason, the amount which would have been agreed upon by the payer and the beneficial owner in the absence of such relationship, the provisions of this Article shall apply only to the last-mentioned amount. In such case, the excess part of the payments shall remain taxable according to the laws of each Contracting State, due regard being had to the other provisions of this Agreement.

ARTICLE 14

Gains from the Alienation of Property

1. Gains derived by a resident of a Contracting State from the alienation of immovable property referred to in Article 6 and situated in the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.

2. Gains from the alienation of movable property forming part of the business property of a permanent establishment which an enterprise of a Contracting State has in the other Contracting State or of movable property pertaining to a fixed base available to a resident of a Contracting State in the other Contracting State for the purpose of performing independent personal services, including such gains from the alienation of such a permanent establishment (alone or with the whole enterprise) or of such fixed base, may be taxed in that other State.

3. Gains from the alienation of ships or aircraft operated by an enterprise of a Contracting State in international traffic or movable property pertaining to the operation of such ships or aircraft, shall be taxable only in the Contracting State of which the enterprise is a resident.

4. Gains derived by a resident of a Contracting State from the alienation of:

(a) shares or comparable interests deriving their value or the greater part of their value directly or indirectly from immovable property situated in the other Contracting State, or

(b) an interest in a partnership or trust the assets of which consist principally of immovable property situated in the other Contracting State, or of shares referred to in subparagraph (a) above,

may be taxed in that other State.

5. Gains from the alienation of any property other than that referred to in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 shall be taxable only in the Contracting State of which the alienator is a resident.

6. The provisions of paragraph 5 shall not affect the right of a Contracting State to levy, according to its law, a tax on gains from the alienation of any property derived by an individual who is a resident of the other Contracting State and has been a resident of the first-mentioned State at any time during the three years immediately preceding the alienation of the property if the property was held by the individual before he became a resident of that other State.

ARTICLE 15

Independent Personal Services

1. Income derived by a resident of a Contracting State in respect of professional services or other activities of an independent character shall be taxable only in that State except in the following circumstances, when such income may also be taxed in the other Contracting State:

(a) if he has a fixed base regularly available to him in the other Contracting State for the purpose of performing his activities; in that case, only so much of the income as is attributable to that fixed base may be taxed in that other Contracting State; or

(b) if his stay in the other Contracting State is for a period or periods amounting to or exceeding in the aggregate 183 days in the fiscal year concerned; in that case, only so much of the income as is derived from his activities performed in that other State may be taxed in that other State.

2. The term “professional services” includes especially independent scientific, literary, artistic, educational or teaching activities as well as the independent activities of physicians, lawyers, engineers, architects, dentists and accountants.

ARTICLE 16

Income From Employment

1. Subject to the provisions of Articles 17, 19, 20 and 22, salaries, wages and other similar remuneration derived by a resident of a Contracting State in respect of an employment shall be taxable only in that State unless the employment is exercised in the other Contracting State. If the employment is so exercised, such remuneration as is derived therefrom may be taxed in that other State.

2. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1, remuneration derived by a resident of a Contracting State in respect of an employment exercised in the other Contracting State shall be taxable only in the first-mentioned State if:

(a) the recipient is present in the other State for a period or periods not exceeding in the aggregate 183 days in any 12 month period commencing or ending in the fiscal year concerned, and

(b) the remuneration is paid by, or on behalf of, an employer who is not a resident of the other State, and

(c) the remuneration is not borne by a permanent establishment or a fixed base which the employer has in the other State.

3. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Article, remuneration derived in respect of an employment exercised aboard a ship or aircraft operated in international traffic by an enterprise of a Contracting State may be taxed in that State.

ARTICLE 17

Directors’ Fees

Directors’ fees and other similar payments derived by a resident of a Contracting State in his capacity as a member of the board of directors of a company which is a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.

ARTICLE 18

Entertainers and Sportsmen

1. Notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 15 and 16, income derived by a resident of a Contracting State as an entertainer, such as a theatre, motion picture, radio or television artiste, or a musician, or as a sportsman, from his personal activities as such exercised in the other Contracting State, may be taxed in that other State.

2. Where income in respect of personal activities exercised by an entertainer or a sportsman in his capacity as such accrues not to the entertainer or sportsman himself but to another person, that income may, notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 7, 15 and 16, be taxed in the Contracting State in which the activities of the entertainer or sportsman are exercised.

3. The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply to income derived from activities performed in a Contracting State by entertainers or sportsmen if the visit to that State is wholly or mainly supported by public funds of one or both of the Contracting States. In such a case, the income shall be taxable only in the Contracting State in which the entertainer or sportsman is a resident.

ARTICLE 19

Pensions and Annuities

1. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 20, pensions and other similar remuneration paid to a resident of a Contracting State in consideration of past employment and any annuity paid to such a resident in consideration of past employment shall be taxable only in that State.

2. The term “annuity” means a stated sum payable periodically at stated times during life or during a specified or ascertainable period of time under an obligation to make the payments in return for adequate and full consideration in money or money’s worth.

ARTICLE 20

Government Service

1. (a) Salaries, wages and other similar remuneration, paid by a Contracting State or a local authority thereof to an individual in respect of services rendered to that State or authority in the discharge of functions of a governmental nature shall be taxable only in that State.

(b) However, such salaries, wages and other similar remuneration shall be taxable only in the other Contracting State if the services are rendered in that State and the individual is a resident of that State who:

(i) is a national of that State; or

(ii) did not become a resident of that State solely for the purpose of rendering the services.

2. (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1 any pension paid by, or out of funds created by, a Contracting State or a local authority thereof to an individual in respect of services rendered to that State or authority in the discharge of functions of a governmental nature shall be taxable only in that State.

(b) However, such pension and other similar remuneration shall be taxable only in the other Contracting State if the individual is a resident of, and a national of, that other State.

3. The provisions of Articles 16, 17, 18 and 19 shall apply to salaries, wages, pensions and other similar remuneration in respect of services rendered in connection with a business carried on by a Contracting State or a local authority thereof.

ARTICLE 21

Students and Apprentices

Payments which a student or business apprentice who is or was immediately before visiting a Contracting State a resident of the other Contracting State and who is present in the first-mentioned State solely for the purpose of his education or training receives for the purpose of his maintenance, education or training shall not be taxed in that State, provided that such payments arise from sources outside that State.

ARTICLE 22

Teachers, Professors and Researchers

1. An individual who is, or immediately before visiting a Contracting State was, a resident of the other Contracting State and is present in the first-mentioned Contracting State for the primary purpose of teaching, giving lectures or conducting research at a university, college, school or educational institution or scientific research institution accredited by the Government of the first-mentioned Contracting State shall be exempt from tax in the first-mentioned Contracting State, for a period of two years from the date of his first arrival in the first-mentioned Contracting State, in respect of remuneration for such teaching, lectures or research. An individual shall be entitled to the benefits of this Article only once.

2. This Article shall only apply to income from research if such research is undertaken by an individual for the public interest and not primarily for the benefit of some other private person or persons.

ARTICLE 23

Other Income

1. Items of income of a resident of a Contracting State, wherever arising, not dealt with in the foregoing Articles of this Agreement shall be taxable only in that State.

2. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall not apply to income, other than income from immovable property as defined in paragraph 2 of Article 6, if the beneficial owner of such income, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State through a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personal services from a fixed base situated therein, and the right or property in respect of which the income is paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment or fixed base. In such case the provisions of Article 7 or Article 15, as the case may be, shall apply.

3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2, items of income of a resident of a Contracting State not dealt with in the foregoing Articles of this Agreement and arising in the other Contracting State may also be taxed in that other State.

ARTICLE 24

Methods for Elimination of Double Taxation

1. In Vietnam, double taxation shall be eliminated as follows:

where a resident of Vietnam derives income, profits or gains which under the law of Ireland and in accordance with this Agreement may be taxed in Ireland, Vietnam shall allow as a credit against its tax on the income, profits or gains an amount equal to the tax paid in Ireland. The amount of credit, however, shall not exceed the amount of the Vietnamese tax on that income, profits or gains computed in accordance with the taxation laws and regulations of Vietnam.

2. Subject to the provisions of the laws of Ireland regarding the allowance as a credit against Irish tax of tax payable in a territory outside Ireland (which shall not affect the general principle hereof):

(a) Vietnamese tax payable under the laws of Vietnam and in accordance with this Agreement, whether directly or by deduction, on profits, income or gains from sources within Vietnam (excluding in the case of a dividend tax payable in respect of the profits out of which the dividend is paid) shall be allowed as a credit against any Irish tax computed by reference to the same profits, income or gains by reference to which Vietnamese tax is computed;

(b) in the case of a dividend paid by a company which is a resident of Vietnam to a company which is a resident of Ireland and which controls directly or indirectly 10 per cent or more of the voting power in the company paying the dividend, the credit shall take into account (in addition to any Vietnamese tax creditable under the provisions of subparagraph (a)) Vietnamese tax payable by the company in respect of the profits out of which such dividend is paid.

3. For the purposes of paragraphs 1 and 2, profits, income and gains owned by a resident of a Contracting State which may be taxed in the other Contracting State in accordance with this Agreement shall be deemed to be derived from sources in that other Contracting State.

4. Where in accordance with any provisions of this Agreement income derived by a resident of a Contracting State is exempt from tax in that State, such State may nevertheless, in calculating the amount of tax on the remaining income of such resident, take into account the exempted income.

5. Where, under any provision of this Agreement, income or gains is or are wholly or partly relieved from tax in a Contracting State and, under the laws in force in the other Contracting State, an individual, in respect of the said income or gains, is subject to tax by reference to the amount thereof which is remitted to or received in that other State, and not by reference to the full amount thereof, then the relief to be allowed under this Agreement in the firstmentioned State shall apply only to so much of the income or gains as is remitted to or received in that other State.

6. For the purpose of subparagraph (b) of paragraph 2, the term “Vietnamese tax payable” shall be deemed to include any amount which would have been payable as Vietnamese tax for any year but for an exemption or reduction of tax granted for that year or any part thereof under any of the following provisions of Vietnamese law:

(a) Articles 17, 18 and 19 of the Law on Business Income Tax of Vietnam 2003 and the regulations made thereunder, as amended, in so far as they were in force on, and have not been modified since the date of signature of this Agreement, or have been modified since then only in minor respects so as not to affect their general character, and provided always that the competent authority of Vietnam has certified that any such exemption from or reduction of Vietnamese tax given under these Articles has been granted in order to promote industrial, commercial, scientific or educational development in Vietnam and the competent authority of Ireland has accepted that such exemption or reduction has been granted for such purpose; or

(b) any other provisions of Vietnamese law granting exemption from or reduction of Vietnamese tax which may subsequently be introduced to promote economic development in Vietnam and which the competent authorities of the Contracting States agree are of a substantially similar character to the provisions named in subparagraph (a), if they have not been modified thereafter or have been modified only in minor respects so as not to affect their general character, and subject always to certification and acceptance having taken place as provided for in subparagraph (a).

7. Relief from Irish tax by virtue of paragraph 6 shall be given for a period of 10 years only, beginning on the date on which this Agreement entered into force.

ARTICLE 25

Non-discrimination

1. Nationals of a Contracting State shall not be subjected in the other Contracting State to any taxation or any requirement connected therewith which is other or more burdensome than the taxation and connected requirements to which nationals of that other State in the same circumstances, in particular with respect to residence, are or may be subjected.

2. The taxation on a permanent establishment which an enterprise of a Contracting State has in the other Contracting State shall not be less favourably levied in that other State than the taxation levied on enterprises of that other State carrying on the same activities. This provision shall not be construed as obliging a Contracting State to grant to residents of the other Contracting State any personal allowances, reliefs and reductions for tax purposes on account of civil status or family responsibilities which it grants to its own residents.

3. Enterprises of a Contracting State, the capital of which is wholly or partly owned or controlled, directly or indirectly by one or more residents of the other Contracting State, shall not be subjected in the first-mentioned State to any taxation or any requirement connected therewith which is other or more burdensome than the taxation and connected requirements to which other similar enterprises of the first-mentioned State are or may be subjected.

4. Except where the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 9, paragraph 7 of Article 11, paragraph 6 of Article 12 or paragraph 6 of Article 13, apply, interest, royalties, technical fees and other disbursements paid by an enterprise of a Contracting State to a resident of the other Contracting State shall, for the purpose of determining the taxable profits of such enterprise, be deductible under the same conditions as if they had been paid to a resident of the firstmentioned State.

5. The provisions of this Article shall apply only to the taxes which are the subject of this Agreement.

ARTICLE 26

Mutual Agreement Procedure

1. Where a person who is a resident of a Contracting State considers that the actions of one or both of the Contracting States result or will result for him in taxation not in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, he may, irrespective of the remedies provided by the domestic law of those States, present his case to the competent authority of the Contracting State of which that person is a resident. The case must be presented within three years from the first notification of the action resulting in taxation not in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement.

2. The competent authority shall endeavour, if the objection appears to it to be justified and if it is not itself able to arrive at a satisfactory solution, to resolve the case by mutual agreement with the competent authority of the other Contracting State, with a view to the avoidance of taxation which is not in accordance with this Agreement. Any agreement reached shall be implemented notwithstanding any time limits in the domestic law of the Contracting States.

3. The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall jointly endeavour to resolve any difficulties or doubts arising as to the interpretation or application of the Agreement.

4. The competent authorities of the Contracting States may communicate with each other directly for the purpose of reaching an agreement in the sense of the preceding paragraphs.

ARTICLE 27

Exchange of Information

1. The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall exchange such information as is foreseeably relevant for carrying out the provisions of this Agreement or to the administration or enforcement of the domestic laws concerning taxes covered by this Agreement, insofar as the taxation thereunder is not contrary to the Agreement. The exchange of information is not restricted by Article 1.

2. Any information received under paragraph 1 by a Contracting State shall be treated as secret in the same manner as information obtained under the domestic laws of that State and shall be disclosed only to persons or authorities (including courts and administrative bodies) concerned with the assessment or collection of, the enforcement or prosecution in respect of, or the determination of appeals in relation to the taxes referred to in paragraph 1, or the oversight of the above. Such persons or authorities shall use the information only for such purposes. They may disclose the information in public court proceedings or in judicial decisions.

3. In no case shall the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 be construed so as to impose on a Contracting State the obligation:

(a) to carry out administrative measures at variance with the laws and administrative practice of that or of the other Contracting State;

(b) to supply information which is not obtainable under the laws or in the normal course of the administration of that or of the other Contracting State;

(c) to supply information which would disclose any trade, business, industrial, commercial or professional secret or trade process, or information the disclosure of which would be contrary to public policy (ordre public).

4. If information is requested by a Contracting State in accordance with this Article, the other Contracting State shall use its information gathering measures to obtain the requested information, even though that other State may not need such information for its own tax purposes. The obligation contained in the preceding sentence is subject to the limitations of paragraph 3 but in no case shall such limitations be construed to permit a Contracting State to decline to supply information solely because it has no domestic interest in such information.

5. In no case shall the provisions of paragraph 3 be construed to permit a Contracting State to decline to supply information solely because the information is held by a bank, other financial institution, nominee or person acting in an agency or a fiduciary capacity or because it relates to ownership interests in a person.

ARTICLE 28

Members of Diplomatic Missions and Consular Posts

Nothing in this Agreement shall affect the fiscal privileges of members of diplomatic missions or consular posts under the general rules of international law or under the provisions of special agreements.

ARTICLE 29

Entry into Force

Each of the Contracting State shall notify to the other in writing through diplomatic channels of the completion of the procedures required by its legislation for the entry into force of this Agreement. This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of the later of these notifications. The Agreement shall thereupon have effect:

(a) with regard to taxes withheld at source, in respect of amounts paid or credited on or after the first day of January in the calendar year next following that in which the Agreement enters into force; and

(b) with regard to other taxes, in respect of taxable periods beginning on or after the first day of January in the calendar year next following that in which the Agreement enters into force.

ARTICLE 30

Termination

This Agreement shall remain in force until terminated by one of the Contracting States. Either Contracting State may terminate the Agreement, through diplomatic channels, by giving to the other Contracting State written notice of termination at least six months before the end of any calendar year beginning after the expiry of five years from the date of entry into force of the Agreement. In such event, the Agreement shall cease to have effect:

(a) with regard to taxes withheld at source, in respect of amounts paid or credited on or after the first day of January in the calendar year next following that in which such notice is given; and

(b) with regard to other taxes, in respect of taxable periods beginning on or after the first day of January in the calendar year next following that in which such notice is given.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto by their respective Governments, have signed this Agreement.

DONE in duplicate at Dublin this 10th day of March of the year Two Thousand and Eight in the English and Vietnamese languages, both texts being equally authentic.

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND	FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
Brian Cowen	Tran Xuan Ha

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GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Government,

29 October 2008

BRIAN COWEN.

Taoiseach.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

This Order gives the force of law to the Agreement between Ireland and Vietnam for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes and income, which is set out in the Schedule to the Order. The effect of the Agreement is summarised below.

This Agreement with Vietnam, which was signed in Dublin on 10 March 2008, is comprehensive in scope and is based on the OECD Model Convention.

The taxes covered by the Agreement are, for Ireland, Income Tax, Corporation Tax and Capital Gains Tax: for Vietnam, the Personal Income Tax and the Business Income Tax.

The Agreement provides for the allocation of taxing rights between Ireland and Vietnam and for the granting of relief from double taxation with regard to items of income and capital gains which, under the laws of Ireland and the laws of Vietnam, may under the terms of the Agreement be taxed in both countries.

Where both countries continue to have taxing rights, for example in the case of dividend, interest and royalty income, business profits arising through a permanent establishment which a person resident in one country has in the other country, or in the case of capital gains arising from the disposal of immovable property, the Agreement provides that the country of residence of the recipient of the income or gain will give credit against its tax on the income or gains for the tax paid in the other country on the same income or gains. Irish direct investors (i.e. Irish companies holding 10% or more of the shares of the paying company) in receipt of dividends from a Vietnamese company are granted credit for the tax paid by the Vietnamese company on the profits out of which the dividends are paid (known as credit for underlying tax). Vietnam operates a range of fiscal incentives in order to encourage inward investment, which Ireland has agreed to support in the Agreement. Accordingly, Ireland has agreed to give a deemed credit for the Vietnamese tax which would have been paid but for any exemption or reduction of tax granted under incentive provisions in Vietnamese law designed to promote industrial, commercial scientific or educational development in Vietnam. These deeming provisions (known as “tax sparing”) will operate for a period of 10 years from the commencement of the Agreement.

Reduced rates of withholding tax are provided for in the case of dividend, interest, royalty and technical fees income. With respect to dividend income, the Agreement provides for a reduced rate of 5% of the gross dividend where the recipient is a company that owns 70% of the company paying the dividends; and 10% otherwise. Exemption from source state taxation on interest is provided where interest is derived and beneficially owned by the Government of a Contracting State, Central Bank, agency, or statutory body or institution wholly or mainly owned by the Government of a Contracting State; otherwise source country taxation of interest is limited to 10%. In the case of royalties the rate may not exceed 5% where they are paid for the use of or the right to use any patent, design or model, plan, secret formula or process, or for information concerning industrial or scientific experience and a rate of 10% for the use of or the right to use, a trade mark or for information concerning commercial experience; a rate of 15% applies in all other cases. Source state taxation on technical fees is restricted to 7.5%.

The Agreement also provides for safeguarding nationals and enterprises of one country against discriminatory taxation in the other country, for consultation between the competent authorities of the two countries for the purpose of resolving any doubts or difficulties arising as to the interpretation or application of the Agreement and for the exchange of such information between these authorities as is necessary for carrying out the provisions of the Agreement or of the domestic law of either country in relation to the taxes covered by the Agreement.

The Agreement will enter into force when each country notifies the other of the completion of its procedures for bringing the Convention into force. It will thereupon have effect in both countries for tax periods beginning in the following year.