Private ruling: GST and the supply of a going concern
Published: October 2013

Ruling: Q1: Is the grant of the rights and the transfer of associated assets by the entity a GST-free supply of a going concern under section 38-325 of the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 ? | A1: Yes, the grant of the rights and the transfer of associated assets by the entity is a GST-free supply of a going concern under section 38-325 of the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 .

Relevant facts and circumstances: The entity is registered for GST and the recipient is required to be registered for GST. The entity will grant certain rights and sell associated assets to the recipient. The agreement provides the terms of payment and obligations of each party.

Relevant legislative provisions: A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 section 9-20. | A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 section 23-5. | A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 section 38-325.

Reasons for decision: Summary: The supply of a going concern is GST-free under section 38-325 of the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 (GST Act) if certain requirements are met: | Detailed Reasoning - 38-325 Supply of a going concern: (1) The supply of a going concern is GST-free if: (a) the supply is for consideration; and (b) the recipient is registered or required to be registered; and (c) the supplier and the recipient have agreed in writing that the supply is of a going concern. (2) A supply of a going concern is a supply under an arrangement under which: (a) the supplier supplies to the recipient all of the things that are necessary for the continued operation of an enterprise; and (b) the supplier carries on, or will carry on, the enterprise until the day of the supply (whether or not as a part of a larger enterprise carried on by the supplier). Subsection 38-325(2) of the GST Act provides a number of concepts that must be present for there to be a supply of a going concern including: · the supplies are made under an arrangement; and · there is an identified enterprise; and · all of the things that are necessary for the continued operation of the enterprise are supplied; and · the supplier will carry on the enterprise until the day of the supply. | Detailed Reasoning - Arrangement: Goods and Services Tax Ruling GSTR 2002/5 provides the ATO view on the operation of section 38-325 of the GST Act and, at paragraph 16, states: 16. There will be one 'supply of a going concern' when the relevant supply/supplies necessary for the continued operation of an enterprise are made under an arrangement which satisfies paragraphs 38-325(2)(a) and (b)…. As explained in paragraphs 19 and 20 of GSTR 2002/5, an arrangement may be made up of a number of separate but related contracts. The supplies being made by the entity is 'an arrangement' as it relates to a single transaction. | Detailed Reasoning - Enterprise: The term 'enterprise' is defined in section 9-20 of the GST Act and includes activities done in the form of a business or in the form of an adventure or concern in the nature of trade. Although the subject of the supply forms part of the entity's larger enterprise, what is being supplied to the recipient must be an enterprise in itself. Miscellaneous Taxation Ruling MT 2006/1 discusses the meaning of 'enterprise' in detail and, at paragraph 177 and 178 in relation to 'in the form of a business', states: 177. To determine whether an activity, or series of activities, amounts to a business, the activity needs to be considered against the indicators of a business established by case law. 178. TR 97/11 discusses the main indicators of carrying on a business. Based on that discussion some indicators are: · a significant commercial activity; · a purpose and intention of the taxpayer to engage in commercial activity; · an intention to make a profit from the activity; · the activity is or will be profitable; · the recurrent or regular nature of the activity; · the activity is carried on in a similar manner to that of other businesses in the same or similar trade; · activity is systematic, organised and carried on in a businesslike manner and records are kept; · the activities are of a reasonable size and scale; · a business plan exists; · commercial sales of product; and · the entity has relevant knowledge or skill. This is supplemented by paragraph 37 of GSTR 2002/5 which states: 37. The following elements are indicators that part of an enterprise may be carried on 'in the form of' a business: · a degree of autonomy; · a separate management structure; · a system of internal user charging; · a separate budget; and · agreements with internal service providers or external customers. It is accepted that the entity carries on an enterprise in the form of a business in relation to the subject of the transaction. This is because there is a significant commercial activity, is carried on to make profit, is continuously operated, is operated in a businesslike manner, is able to operate reasonably separate to other functions of the entity and has separate records, budget and assets. | Detailed Reasoning - All things necessary: Paragraph 72 of GSTR 2002/5 explains that the term 'necessary' means every core attribute of an enterprise that is essential for its continued operation. It does not mean every conceivable thing which might be used in the enterprise. The entity is providing all things necessary for the continued operation of an enterprise. The entity is required to carry on the enterprise until the day of the supply. | Detailed Reasoning - GST-free: The supply by the entity is GST-free under subsection 38-325(1) of the GST Act provided that it is for consideration, the recipient is registered or required to be registered for GST and both the supplier and recipient agree in writing that that the supply is of a going concern. All of these requirements are satisfied. Therefore, the supply by the entity is a GST-free supply of a going concern.