Taxation
(Companies – Economic Substance) (Jersey) Law 2019
A LAW to make provision for imposing
an economic substance test on Jersey resident companies and for determining
whether the test is met by assessing the extent of certain relevant activities
carried out by such companies and taking appropriate enforcement action.
Commencement [see endnotes]
1 Interpretation[1]
In this Law –
“1961 Law” means the Income Tax (Jersey) Law 1961;
“authorized person” means the Comptroller or any person
authorized by the Comptroller to perform functions under Article 16;
“banking business” means, in respect of a resident
company, a deposit taking business which the resident company must be
registered to carry on under Article 9 of the Banking Business (Jersey) Law 1991;
“business document” means any document –
(a) that
relates to the carrying on of a business, trade, profession or vocation by any
person; and
(b) that
forms part of any record under any enactment;
“business premises” means premises used in connection
with the carrying on of a business, trade, profession or vocation;
“Commission” means a Commission of Appeal constituted
under Article 13(3);
“company” includes, subject to Article 1A, a
limited liability company registered under the Limited Liability Companies (Jersey)
Law 2018;
“competent authority”, in respect of a country or
territory other than Jersey, means the authority designated in or for the
purposes of an approved agreement or an approved obligation within the meaning
of the Taxation (Implementation)
(Jersey) Law 2004;
“Comptroller” means the Comptroller of Taxes;
“connected person” in relation to a resident company,
has the same meaning as in Article 3A of the Income Tax (Jersey) Law 1961;
“core income-generating activity” has the meaning given
by Article 4;
“deposit-taking business” has the meaning in Article 3
of the Banking Business (Jersey)
Law 1991;
“distribution and service centre business” means the
business of either or both of the following –
(a) purchasing
from foreign connected persons –
(i) component parts
or materials for goods, or
(ii) goods
ready for sale; and
reselling such component parts, materials or goods;
(b) providing
services to foreign connected persons in connection with the business,
but does not include any activity included in any other relevant
activity except holding company business;
“finance and leasing business” has the meaning given by
Article 2;
“financial period” has the same meaning as in Article 4A
of the 1961 Law;
“foreign connected person” means a person connected with
a resident company, such person not being resident or regarded as resident in
Jersey;
“fund management business” means –
(a) the
business of being a functionary who –
(i) is required to
hold a permit under the Collective Investment Funds (Jersey)
Law 1988 to carry on that business, and
(ii) is
a manager or an investment manager as referred to in Group 2 in Part 2
of the Schedule to that Law; or
(b) the
business of a person who is required to be registered under the Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998 to carry on fund services
business and is any of the following –
(i) a manager or
investment manager as referred to in Article 2(10)(a) of that Law,
(ii) a
trustee as referred to in Article 2(10)(c) of that Law, except where a
separate manager has been appointed to the unclassified fund or unregulated
fund,
(iii) a
member of a partnership as referred to in Article 2(10)(d) of that Law,
except where a separate manager has been appointed to the unclassified fund or
unregulated fund;
(c) a
person carrying on a business excluded from fund services business under the Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998 by virtue of Article 3
and paragraph 21 of Schedule 2 to that Law, except where a separate
manager has been appointed to the unregulated fund;
(d) the
business of being a person who is the equivalent of a person referred to in
paragraph (b) or (c) in respect of a fund which would be a scheme falling
within the definition of “collective investment fund” in Article 3
of the Collective Investment Funds (Jersey) Law 1988 except that the offer of units in the scheme or arrangement is not
an offer to the public within the meaning of that Article;
“headquarters business” means the business of providing
any of the following services to one or more foreign connected persons of the
resident company –
(a) the
provision of senior management;
(b) the
assumption or control of material risk for activities carried out by, or assets
owned by, any of those connected persons;
(c) the
provision of substantive advice in connection with the assumption or control of
risk referred to in paragraph (b),
but does not include anything falling within the definition of
financing and leasing business, intellectual property holding business,
insurance business, or banking business;
“high risk IP company” is a company which carries on an
intellectual property holding business and –
(a) the
company –
(i) did not create
the intellectual property in an intellectual property asset which it holds for
the purposes of its business,
(ii) acquired
the intellectual property asset –
(A) from a
connected person, or
(B) in
consideration for funding research and development by another person situated
in a country or territory other than Jersey; and
(iii) licences
the intellectual property asset to one or more connected persons or otherwise
generates income from the asset in consequence of activities (such as
facilitating sale agreements) performed by foreign connected persons; or
(b) the
company does not carry out research and development, branding or distribution
as part of its core income-generating activities;
“holding body” has the same meaning as in Article 2
of the Companies (Jersey)
Law 1991;
“holding company” means a resident company
which –
(a) is
a holding body;
(b) has
as its primary function the acquisition and holding of shares or equitable
interests in other companies; and
(c) does
not carry on any commercial activity;
“holding company business” means the business of being a
holding company;
“income” in respect of an intellectual property asset
includes –
(a) royalties;
(b) income
from a franchise agreement; and
(c) income
from licensing the intangible asset;
“insurance business” means, in respect of a resident
company, long-term business or general business within the meaning of Article 1
of the Insurance Business (Jersey)
Law 1996 which the resident company must be authorized to carry on by a
category A permit or category B permit under that Law;
“intellectual property holding business” means the
business of holding intellectual property assets;
“intellectual property asset” means any intellectual
property right in intangible assets, including but not limited to copyright,
patents, trade marks, brand, and technical know-how, from which identifiable
income accrues to the business (such income being separately identifiable from
any income generated from any tangible asset in which the right subsists);
“Minister” means the Minister for Treasury and
Resources;
“registrar of companies” or “registrar” has
the same meaning as in Article 1 of the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991;
“relevant activities” has the meaning given in Article 3;
“resident company” means a company regarded as resident
in Jersey under Article 123 of the 1961 Law or, subject to
Article 1A, a limited liability company registered under the Limited Liability Companies (Jersey)
Law 2018 regarded as resident in Jersey under Article 135E of the 1961 Law;
“ship” has the same meaning as in Article 1 of the Shipping (Jersey) Law 2002 but does not
include –
(a) a
fishing vessel (as defined by that Article);
(b) a
ship to the extent that it is used as a pleasure vessel (as defined by Article 169(6)
of that Law); or
(c) a
small ship (within the meaning of Article 1 of that Law);
“shipping business” means any of the following
activities involving the operation of a ship anywhere in the world other than
solely between Jersey and Guernsey or within the territorial waters of
Jersey –
(a) the
business of transporting, by sea, persons, animals, goods or mail;
(b) the
renting or chartering of ships for the purpose described in paragraph (a);
(c) the
sale of travel tickets or equivalent, and ancillary services connected with the
operation of a ship;
(d) the
use, maintenance or rental of containers, including trailers and other vehicles
or equipment for the transport of containers, used for the transport of
anything by sea;
(e) the
management of the crew of a ship.
1A Application
to limited liability companies[2]
In this Law, when “resident company” applies to a
limited liability company registered under the Limited Liability Companies (Jersey)
Law 2018 –
(a) “board
of directors” or “board” is to be read as
“managers”;
(b) “board
meeting” is to be read as “managers’ meeting”;
(c) “company” –
(i) in Article 3(2)
is to be read as “company or limited liability company”,
(ii) in
the definition of “high risk IP company” in Article 1 and in Article 6(3)
is to be read as including a reference to a limited liability company;
(d) “connected
person” is to be read as if “company” in Article 3A of
the Income Tax (Jersey)
Law 1961 is replaced by “limited liability company”;
(e) “director”
is to be read as “manager” as that term is defined in the Limited Liability Companies (Jersey)
Law 2018;
(f) “directed
and managed” is to be read as “managed”;
(g) “holding
body” is to be read as if as if each reference to “body
corporate” in Article 2 of the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991 is replaced by
“limited liability company” and the reference to “board of
directors” is replaced by “managers” and “shareholders
or” is deleted;
(h) “incorporated”
is to be read as “registered”;
(i) “shares”
is to be read as including “LLC interests”;
(j) paragraph (b)
of the definition “holding company” in Article 1 is to be read as
“has as its primary function the acquisition and holding of LLC interests
or equitable interests in other limited liability companies.
2 Meaning
of “finance and leasing business”
(1) In this Law
“finance and leasing business” means the business of providing
credit facilities of any kind for consideration.
(2) For the purposes of
paragraph (1) but without limiting the generality of that
paragraph –
(a) consideration
may include consideration by way of interest;
(b) the
provision of credit may be by way of instalments for which a separate charge is
made and disclosed to the customer in connection with –
(i) the supply of
goods by hire purchase,
(ii) leasing
other than any lease granting an exclusive right to occupy land, or
(iii) conditional
sale or credit sale.
(3) Where an advance or
credit repayable by a customer to a person is assigned to another person, that
other person is deemed to be providing the credit facility for the purposes of
paragraph (1).
(4) Any activity falling
within the definition of “banking business”, “fund management
business” or “insurance business” is excluded from the
definition in paragraph (1).
3 Meaning
of relevant activities
(1) In this Law
“relevant activities” mean any of the following
activities –
(a) banking
business;
(b) insurance
business;
(c) fund
management business;
(d) finance
and leasing business;
(e) headquarters
business;
(f) shipping
business;
(g) holding
company business;
(h) intellectual
property holding business;
(i) distribution
and service centre business.
(2) For the purposes of
paragraph (1)(a), banking business does not include banking business
carried on by a company which the Jersey Financial Services Commission is
satisfied is registered under the Banking Business (Jersey) Law 1991 solely for business
continuity and liable to pay a reduced annual fee accordingly under the
Commission’s published fees under Article 15 of the Financial Services Commission (Jersey)
Law 1998.
(3) For the purposes of
paragraph (1) the following are not relevant activities –
(a) business
conducted by a collective investment fund (as defined in the Collective Investment Funds (Jersey)
Law 1988);
(b) business
conducted by a fund that would be a collective investment fund were it not for
the offer of units in the fund not being considered to be an offer to the
public (as construed in accordance with Article 3 of the Collective Investment Funds (Jersey)
Law 1988).[3]
4 Meaning
of “core income-generating activities”[4]
In this Law “core income-generating activity” includes
any of the following activities –
(a) in respect of banking
business –
(i) raising
funds, managing risk including credit, currency and interest risk,
(ii) taking
hedging positions,
(iii) providing
loans, credit or other financial services to customers,
(iv) managing
capital and preparing reports and returns to the Jersey Financial Services
Commission or any body or entity with equivalent functions relating to the
supervision or regulation of such business;
(b) in respect of insurance
business –
(i) predicting
and calculating risk,
(ii) insuring
or re-insuring against risk and providing insurance business services to
clients;
(c) in respect of fund
management business –
(i) taking
decisions on the holding and selling of investments,
(ii) calculating
risk and reserves,
(iii) taking
decisions on currency or interest fluctuations and hedging positions,
(iv) preparing
reports and returns to investors and the Jersey Financial Services Commission
or any body or entity with equivalent functions relating to the supervision or
regulation of such business;
(d) in respect of finance
and leasing business –
(i) agreeing
funding terms,
(ii) identifying
and acquiring assets to be leased (in the case of leasing),
(iii) setting
the terms and duration of any financing or leasing,
(iv) monitoring
and revising any agreements,
(v) managing
any risks;
(e) in respect of
headquarters business –
(i) taking
relevant management decisions,
(ii) incurring
expenditures on behalf of group entities,
(iii) co-ordinating
group activities;
(f) in respect of
shipping business –
(i) managing
crew (including hiring, paying and overseeing crew members),
(ii) overhauling
and maintaining ships,
(iii) overseeing
and tracking deliveries,
(iv) determining
what goods to order and when to deliver them, organising and overseeing
voyages;
(g) in respect of holding
company business, all activities related to that business;
(h) in respect of
intellectual property holding business –
(i) taking
strategic decisions and managing (as well as bearing) the principal risks
related to development and subsequent exploitation of the intangible asset
generating income,
(ii) taking
the strategic decisions and managing (as well as bearing) the principal risks
relating to acquisition by third parties and subsequent exploitation and
protection of the intangible asset,
(iii) carrying
on the underlying trading activities through which the intangible assets are
exploited leading to the generation of revenue from third parties,
(iv) research
and development, branding or distribution;
(i) in respect of
distribution and service centre business –
(i) transporting
and storing goods, components and materials,
(ii) managing
stocks,
(iii) taking
orders,
(iv) providing
consulting or other administrative services.
5 Requirement
to meet economic substance test
(1) Subject to paragraph (8),
a resident company must satisfy the economic substance test in relation to any
relevant activity carried on by it.
(2) A resident company
meets the economic substance test in relation to a relevant activity
if –
(a) the
company is directed and managed in Jersey in relation to that activity;
(b) having
regard to the level of relevant activity carried on in Jersey –
(i) there are an
adequate number of employees in relation to that activity who are physically
present in Jersey (whether or not employed by the resident company or by
another entity and whether on temporary or long-term contracts),
(ii) there
is adequate expenditure incurred in Jersey, and
(iii) there
are adequate physical assets in Jersey;
(c) all
of the company’s core income-generating activities are carried out in
Jersey; and
(d) if
any core income-generating activities are carried out in Jersey for the company
by another entity, the company is able to monitor and control the carrying out
of that activity by the other entity.[5]
(3) The test in paragraph (2)(a)
is satisfied if –
(a) the
company’s board of directors meets in Jersey at an adequate frequency
having regard to the amount of decision-making required at that level;
(b) at
such board meetings described in sub-paragraph (a), there is a quorum of
directors physically present in Jersey;
(c) the
minutes of such board meetings described in sub-paragraph (a) record the
making of strategic decisions of the company at the meeting;
(d) the
directors of the company have the necessary knowledge and expertise to
discharge the duties of the board; and
(e) the
minutes of all board meetings and the records of the company are kept in
Jersey.
(4) The Comptroller may
issue guidance on how the economic substance test may be met, including without
prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any expression used in this
Article for the purpose of that test, including the meaning of
“adequate”.
(5) Regard must be had to
any guidance under paragraph (4) concerning the interpretation of any
expression.
(6) The Comptroller may
revise guidance issued under paragraph (4) from time to time and a
reference to guidance includes a reference to revised guidance.
(7) Guidance issued under
paragraph (4) must be published by the Comptroller in a manner which the
Comptroller considers will bring it to the attention of those most likely to be
affected by it.
(8) A resident company is
not required to meet the economic substance test if it has no gross income in
relation to a relevant activity carried on by it.
5A Requirement
for self-managed fund to meet economic substance test[6]
(1) This
Article –
(a) applies
to a self-managed fund that is a resident company;
(b) applies
to a financial period that commences on or after 1st January 2021; and
(c) has
effect despite Articles 3(3) and 5.
(2) A
self-managed fund must satisfy the economic substance test.
(3) A
self-managed fund meets the economic substance test if –
(a) having
regard to an activity carried on in Jersey –
(i) there are an
adequate number of employees in relation to that activity who are physically
present in Jersey (whether or not employed by the self-managed fund or by
another entity and whether on temporary or long-term contracts),
(ii) there
is adequate expenditure incurred in Jersey, and
(iii) there
are adequate physical assets in Jersey;
(b) all
of the self-managed fund’s core income-generating activities are carried
out in Jersey; and
(c) if
any core income-generating activities are carried out in Jersey for the
self-managed fund by another entity, the self-managed fund is able to monitor
and control the carrying out of that activity by the other entity.
(4) The
Comptroller may issue guidance on how the economic substance test may be met,
including without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any expression
used in this Article for the purpose of that test, including the meaning of
“adequate”.
(5) Regard
must be had to any guidance under paragraph (4) concerning the
interpretation of any expression.
(6) The
Comptroller may revise guidance issued under paragraph (4) from time to
time and a reference to guidance includes a reference to revised guidance.
(7) Guidance
issued under paragraph (4) must be published by the Comptroller in a
manner which the Comptroller considers will bring it to the attention of those
most likely to be affected by it.
(8) In
this Article –
“certified fund”, “collective
investment fund”, “recognized fund” and “unclassified
fund” have the same meanings as in the CIF Law;
“CIF Law” means
the Collective
Investment Funds (Jersey) Law 1988;
“self-managed
fund” means any of the following funds to which a separate manager has
not been appointed –
(a) a
certified fund;
(b) a
collective investment fund;
(c) a
recognized fund;
(d) an
unclassified fund;
(e) a
fund that would be a collective investment fund were it not for the offer of
units in the fund not being considered to be an offer to the public (as
construed in accordance with Article 3 of the CIF Law).
6 Assessment
of whether economic substance test is met
(1) The Comptroller may
determine that a resident company has not met the economic substance test
during any financial period of the company starting on or after
1st January 2019, provided that such determination is made no later
than 6 years after the end of the financial period to which the
determination relates.
(2) Paragraph (1) does
not apply if the Comptroller is not able to make a determination within the
6 year period by reason of any deliberate misrepresentation or negligent
or fraudulent action by the resident company or by any other person.
(3) In relation to a high
risk IP company, for the purposes of paragraph (1) the Comptroller must
determine that the economic substance test is not met during a financial period
unless the company provides sufficient information to satisfy the Comptroller
that the test is met.
7 Requirement
to provide information
(1) A resident company must
provide any information reasonably required by the Comptroller in order to
assist the Comptroller in making a determination under Article 6.
(2) The Comptroller may
serve notice on any person requiring the person to provide, within the period
specified in the notice and at such place as is specified in the notice, such
documents and information as the Comptroller may reasonably require for the
purpose of facilitating the Comptroller’s exercise of functions under
this Law.
8 Exchange
of information to competent authorities
(1) Subject to paragraph (2),
if the Comptroller determines under Article 6 that a resident company has
not met the economic substance test for a financial period, the Comptroller
must provide the information provided under Article 7 relating to that
company for that period to –
(a) the
competent authority of the country or territory in which resides –
(i) a holding body,
(ii) the
ultimate holding body of the resident company, and
(iii) an
ultimate beneficial owner; and
(b) if
the resident company is incorporated outside Jersey, the competent authority of
the country or territory in which the resident company is incorporated.[7]
(2) In respect of a high
risk IP company, regardless of whether or not the Comptroller has made a
determination under Article 6 in respect of it, the Comptroller must
provide the information provided to the Comptroller under Article 7 in
respect of that company for each financial period of the company starting on or
after 1st January 2019 to –
(a) the
competent authority of the country or territory in which resides –
(i) a holding body,
(ii) the
ultimate holding body of the resident company, and
(iii) an
ultimate beneficial owner; and
(b) if
the high risk IP company is incorporated outside Jersey, the competent
authority of the country or territory in which the company is incorporated.[8]
(3) Nothing in this
Article requires the Comptroller to provide information to the competent
authority of a country or territory unless the provision of the information is
permitted under –
(a) a
bilateral agreement made between Jersey and that country or territory; or
(b) the
OECD and Council of Europe (2011), Multilateral Convention on Mutual
Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters: Amended by the 2010 Protocol.[9]
(4) This Article applies despite
any obligation as to confidentiality or other restriction on the disclosure of
information imposed by statute, contract or otherwise.[10]
9 Penalties
where the economic substance test is not met
(1) If the Comptroller
determines under Article 6 that a resident company has failed to meet the
economic substance test for a financial period, the Comptroller must issue a
notice to the company notifying it –
(a) that
the Comptroller has determined that the resident company does not meet the
economic substance test for that period;
(b) of
the reasons for that determination;
(c) of
the amount of penalty imposed on the company under paragraph (2);
(d) of
the date from which the penalty under paragraph (2) is due, being not less
than 28 days after the issue of the notice;
(e) of
what action the Comptroller considers should be taken by the company to meet
the economic substance test; and
(f) of
the company’s right of appeal under Article 12.
(2) The amount of penalty referred
to in paragraph (1)(c) is such amount as is determined by the Comptroller
subject to a maximum penalty of £10,000.
(3) If, for the financial
period following a financial period in which a notice was issued under
paragraph (1) (“further financial period”), the Comptroller
determines the resident company has failed to meet the economic substance test,
the Comptroller must issue a further notice to the resident company notifying
it –
(a) that
the Comptroller has determined that the resident company does not meet the
economic substance test for the further financial period;
(b) of
the reasons for the determination;
(c) of
the amount of penalty imposed on the company under paragraph (4) (in
addition to the penalty previously imposed under paragraph (1));
(d) of
the date from which the penalty under paragraph (4) is due, being not less
than 30 days after the issue of the notice;
(e) that
the Comptroller may make a report to the Minister under paragraph (5);
(f) of
what action the Comptroller considers should be taken by the company to meet
the economic substance test; and
(g) of
the company’s right of appeal under Article 12.
(4) The amount of penalty
referred to in paragraph (3)(c) is such amount as is determined by the
Comptroller subject to a maximum penalty of £100,000.
(5) Following the issue of
a notice under paragraph (3), the Comptroller may provide the Minister
with a report of the matters referred to in that notice together with any
additional information (whether or not provided to the Comptroller under
Article 7).
10 Penalties
for failure to provide information or for inaccurate information
(1) A person is liable to a
penalty not exceeding £3,000 if the person fails to provide information
that the person is required to provide under Article 7.
(2) A person is liable to a
penalty not exceeding £3,000 if –
(a) in
complying with a requirement under Article 7 the person provides
inaccurate information; and
(b) condition
A or B is met.
(3) Condition A is
that the person knows of the inaccuracy at the time the information is provided
but does not inform the Comptroller at that time.
(4) Condition B is
that the person –
(a) discovers
the inaccuracy after the information is provided to the Comptroller; and
(b) fails
to take reasonable steps to inform the Comptroller.
(5) Liability to a penalty
under this Article does not arise if the person satisfies the Comptroller or,
(on an appeal under Article 12), the Commission, that there is a
reasonable excuse for the failure.
(6) If a person had a
reasonable excuse for a failure but the excuse has ceased, the person is to be
treated as having continued to have the excuse if the failure is remedied
without unreasonable delay after the excuse has ceased.
11 Imposition
of penalties for failure to provide
information or for inaccurate information
(1) If a person becomes
liable to a penalty under Article 10 the Comptroller may determine the
amount of penalty and impose it on the person.
(2) If the Comptroller
imposes a penalty, the Comptroller must notify the person –
(a) of
the reasons for imposing the penalty;
(b) of
the amount of penalty imposed on the person;
(c) the
date from which the penalty is due, being not less than 28 days after the
issue of the notice; and
(d) of
the person’s right of appeal under Article 12.
(3) A penalty under this
Article may only be imposed within the period of 6 years beginning
with the date on which the person became liable to the penalty and, in the case
of a person liable to a penalty under Article 10(2), within the period of
12 months beginning with the date on which the inaccuracy first came to
the attention of the Comptroller.
12 Right
of appeal against penalty
A person upon whom a penalty is imposed by the Comptroller
may –
(a) appeal against it on
the ground that liability to that penalty does not arise; and
(b) appeal against its
amount.
13 Commission
of Appeal and procedure on appeal against penalty
(1) Notice of an appeal
under Article 12 must be given to the Comptroller –
(a) in
writing; and
(b) before
the end of the period of 30 days beginning with the date on which
notification to the person under Article 9 or 11 was given.
(2) The notice under
paragraph (1) must state the ground of appeal.
(3) The Comptroller shall
notify the Commission of an appeal under Article 12.
(4) A Commission of Appeal
shall be constituted for the purpose of hearing an appeal under Article 12
as it would be constituted from the Commissioners of Appeal appointed under
Article 10(1) of the 1961 Law for the purpose of hearing appeals
under the 1961 Law.
(5) On an appeal under
Article 12(a), the Commission may confirm or cancel the penalty.
(6) On an appeal under
Article 12(b), the Commission may –
(a) confirm
the penalty; or
(b) substitute
another amount for the penalty which the Comptroller would have power to
impose.
(7) Subject to this Article
and Article 14, the provisions of Part 6 of the 1961 Law
shall have effect in relation to appeals under Article 12 as they have
effect in relation to an appeal against an assessment to income tax.
14 Enforcement
of penalties
(1) A penalty under this
Law must be paid before the end of the period of 30 days beginning with
the date mentioned in paragraph (2).
(2) That date is the later
of –
(a) the
date from which the penalty is due under Article 9(1)(d), (3)(d)
or 11(2)(c); or
(b) if
notice of appeal under Article 12 is given, the date on which the appeal
is finally determined or withdrawn.
(3) A penalty under this
Law may be enforced as if it were income tax charged in an assessment and due
and payable.
15 Disclosure
of information and confidentiality[11]
(1) A
person must not disclose information obtained under this Law
unless –
(a) the
disclosure is expressly required by this Law;
(b) every
person to whom the information relates consents to the disclosure;
(c) the disclosure
is made for the purpose of any civil proceedings (whether or not in Jersey),
including any investigation as to whether to institute any civil proceedings,
relating to a matter in respect of which the Comptroller has functions under a
Law;
(d) the
disclosure is made for the purpose of investigating whether or not an offence
has been committed (whether or not in Jersey), or for the institution of, or
otherwise for the purpose of, any criminal proceedings (whether or not in
Jersey);
(e) the
disclosure –
(i) is of statistical
information only,
(ii) is
made to an administration of the States for which a Minister has
responsibility, and
(iii) is
made for the purpose of assisting in the development of public policy; or
(f) the
disclosure is of statistical information only and is made to an international
body for the purpose of monitoring the implementation of this Law.
(2) A
person who discloses information to the Comptroller in accordance with this Law
does not breach –
(a) any
obligation of confidentiality in relation to the information disclosed; or
(b) any
other restriction on the access to or disclosure of the information accessed.
16 Power
to enter business premises and examine business documents
(1) An authorized person
may examine and take copies of any business document that is located on
business premises.
(2) The power under
paragraph (1) may be exercised only for the purpose of investigating any
issue relating to compliance with any provision of this Law.
(3) An authorized person
may at any reasonable hour enter business premises for the purpose of
exercising the power under paragraph (1).
(4) An authorized person
may by notice require any person to produce any specified business document at
the business premises where the business document is located for the purpose of
enabling the authorized person to exercise the power under paragraph (1)
in relation to that document.
17 Obstructing
an authorized person
(1) A person is guilty of
an offence if, without reasonable excuse, the person –
(a) obstructs
an authorized person in the exercise of the authorized person’s powers
under Article 16; or
(b) fails
to provide such reasonable assistance as an authorized person may require when
the authorized person is exercising his or her powers under Article 16.
(2) A person who
intentionally alters, suppresses or destroys any business document that has
been specified in a notice under Article 7(2) is guilty of an offence.
(3) A person who is guilty
of an offence under paragraph (1) is liable to imprisonment for a term of
6 months and to a fine.
(4) A person who is guilty
of an offence under paragraph (2) is liable to imprisonment for a term of
2 years and to a fine.
18 Regulations
and consequential amendments
(1) The States may by
Regulations amend –
(a) any
of the definitions in Articles 1 to 4;
(b) Articles 9
to 14 (penalties).
(2) Regulations under this
Article may include such consequential, incidental, supplementary and savings
provisions as the States think necessary or expedient, including provisions
which amend any other enactment.
19 Citation
This Law may be cited as the Taxation (Companies –
Economic Substance) (Jersey) Law 2019.