TPED and WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business) Associate Professor Matthias Petutschnig launch the “Comparability Research Project (2018-2019)”. The project aims at identifying solutions to cope with the lack of comparables in emerging economies and developing countries.
The absence of domestic comparables has been pointed out by the Platform for Cooperation on Tax (IMF, OECD, UN, WBG ) as one of the major obstacle to apply the arm’s length principle in emerging economies and developing countries. In its Toolkit for Addressing Difficulties in Accessing Comparables Data for Transfer Pricing Analyses, the multilateral bodies call for additional economic research, notably in the field of comparability adjustments.
The Comparability Research Project was launched in this context and aims at identifying solutions that are economically correct and practical / easy to implement. It contains three phases:
- Phase 1 involves the publication of a comprehensive literature review on comparability adjustments (Summer 2018),
- Phase 2 involves the preparation of specific case studies, and application of comparability adjustments, and the publication of conclusions of the cases. (end 2018)
- Phase 3 involves final conclusions on the feasibility and reliability of adjusting foreign comparables to be used in a domestic context (2019).
The Comparability Research project involves presentations at conferences, seminars, workshops, as well as various discussions/exchanges with stakeholders (tax authorities, multilateral institutions, companies).
The Comparability Research Project involves from WU Matthias Petutschnig and Stéphanie Chroustovsky; from TPED Sébastien Gonnet, Ednaldo Silva, Martin Zagler, Emily Muyaa, Bert Steens, Romero J.S. Tavares, and Christof Beuselinck.