UK Finance Act on limitation period for tax recovery infringes EU law

09 January 2015
Author: JHA

On 18 December 2014 the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) handed down its judgment in infringement proceedings brought by the Commission against the UK concerning the effect of section 107 Finance Act 2007 (“FA 2007”). This case concerns the limitation periods for the remedies available under English law for actions for recovery of tax unlawfully levied.

Following the High Court’s decision in Deutsche Morgan Grenfell v IRC in 2003, the UK had enacted legislation (section 320 FA 2004) which restricted the application of the 6 year limitation period in relation to claims for recovery of taxes paid under a mistake of law (Kleinwort Benson claims). The UK government later adopted section 107 FA 2007, which further amended, retrospectively and without transitional arrangements, the limitation period in relation to Kleinwort Benson claims brought against the Revenue under mistake of law.

The Commission began infringement proceedings in October 2009. By its judgment in Test Claimants in the FII GLO in May 2012, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that section 107 FA 2007 was contrary to EU law. The UK subsequently acknowledged that section 107 breached EU law and stated that it would be disapplied each time it proved to be incompatible. However, the Commission was not satisfied with this response and proceeded with the action.

The CJEU gave judgment without an Opinion from the Advocate General. Its decision, unsurprisingly, follows that of the Supreme Court in FII and the CJEU’s own judgment in Case C-362/12 FII (3rd reference). The CJEU found that section 107 FA 2007 breached the EU law principles of effectiveness and protection of legitimate expectations. The UK had failed to uphold its obligation under Article 4(3) TEU to guarantee tax payers the right to a refund of unlawfully levied taxes. Although the UK government had argued that an amendment of section 107 FA 2007 was contemplated, the CJEU rejected this as irrelevant to the situation existing in the UK at the time.

Case C‑640/13 European Commission v United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 18 December 2014

Return to List of Articles by UK Lawyers on Tax Disputes, Tax Litigation, HMRC Tax Appeal Return to Listings
Left Button on Tax Dispute & Tax Litigation Lawyers in London

Our Insights

Insights from UK Tax Dispute Lawyers & HMRC Tax litigation

Armour Veterinary Group v HMRC – Warning for Partnership Personnel Changes?

In this decision, the First-tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber) (“FTT”) dismissed an appeal against discovery assessments which disallowed amortisation relief claimed by the Appellant company for three types of goodwill acquired from a partnership. The decision examined the applicability of each of the circumstances set out in s882 CTA 2009 before concluding none of them had been satisfied. It also provided guidance on the meaning of carrying on a business pursuant to s884 CTA 2009. In rejecting the appeal, the FTT reached a number of key conclusions:

  1. partners can potentially rebut the presumption that individual partners do not own the goodwill of the business (in whole or part) by expressly recording the division in a partnership agreement;
  2. whether a partner is an equity or salaried partner has no bearing on whether they can be treated as carrying on the business for the purpose of s884;
  3. when determining whether and when a partner carries on a business, the FTT will consider, inter alia, (1) if they are in a partnership as per the definition in s1 of the Partnership Act 1890 and (2) their role in the day-to-day running of the practice;
  4. a fundamental aspect of the self-assessment regime is that taxpayers must ensure that they retain adequate records (backed up by an external valuation as relevant in the case of a goodwill transfer) sufficient to support the information provided in their returns, including evidence to support claims made for relief.

Read More
Insights from UK Tax Dispute Lawyers & HMRC Tax litigation

One minute with Helen McGhee

https://www.taxjournal.com/articles/one-minute-with-helen-mcghee-Helen McGhee provides an overview of the “hot topics” currently impacting the world of tax.

Read More

Right Button on Tax Dispute & Tax Litigation Lawyers in London