Case C-613/16: Request for a preliminary ruling from the Finanzgericht Köln (Germany) lodged on 28 November 2016 — Juhler Holding A/S v Bundeszentralamt für Steuern
Date: 2016-11-28
Institutions: Court of Justice
Subjects: capital gains tax, holding company, nationality of legal persons, parent company, tax exemption, tax law








C_2017104EN.01002501.xml










3.4.2017   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 104/25





Request for a preliminary ruling from the Finanzgericht Köln (Germany) lodged on 28 November 2016 — Juhler Holding A/S v Bundeszentralamt für Steuern
(Case C-613/16)
(2017/C 104/37)
Language of the case: German

Referring court

Finanzgericht Köln

Parties to the main proceedings


Applicant: Juhler Holding A/S

Defendant: Bundeszentralamt für Steuern

Questions referred







1.


Does Article 43 EC, in conjunction with Article 48 EC, (now Article 49 TFEU, in conjunction with Article 54 TFEU) preclude national tax legislation, such as that at issue in the main proceedings, which denies relief from capital gains tax on distributions of profits made to a non-resident parent company which, within a group of undertakings actively trading in the Member State in which the parent company is established, is permanently spun off as a holding company,
to the extent that persons have holdings in it who would not be entitled to the refund or exemption if they earned the income directly, and






(1)


there are no economic or other substantial reasons for the involvement of the non-resident parent company, or










(2)


the non-resident parent company does not earn more than 10 % of its entire gross income for the financial year in question from its own economic activity (there being no such activity, inter alia, if the foreign company earns its gross income from the management of assets), or










(3)


the non-resident parent company does not take part in general economic commerce with a business establishment suitably equipped for its business purpose, whereas resident holding companies are granted relief from capital gains tax without regard to the aforementioned requirements?














2.


Does Article 5(1), in conjunction with Article 1(2), of Directive 90/435/EEC (1) preclude national tax legislation, such as that at issue in the main proceedings, which denies relief from capital gains tax on distributions of profits made to a non-resident parent company which, within a group of undertakings actively trading in the Member State in which the parent company is established, is permanently spun off as a holding company,
to the extent that persons have holdings in it who would not be entitled to the refund or exemption if they earned the income directly, and






(1)


there are no economic or other substantial reasons for the involvement of the non-resident parent company, or










(2)


the non-resident parent company does not earn more than 10 % of its entire gross income for the financial year in question from its own economic activity (there being no such activity, inter alia, if the foreign company earns its gross income from the management of assets), or










(3)


the non-resident parent company does not take part in general economic commerce with a business establishment suitably equipped for its business purpose, whereas resident holding companies are granted relief from capital gains tax without regard to the aforementioned requirements?










(1)  Council Directive 90/435/EEC of 23 July 1990 on the common system of taxation applicable in the case of parent companies and subsidiaries of different Member States (OJ 1990 L 225, p. 6).