THE KEITH & EVEN GROUP

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Chinese Travel Info-Tech Company’s TAMS/TOMS Practice and Legal Structure Optimization - 中國旅行科技公司的旅行代理商保證金計畫之實踐及法律結構優化

Director 指揮 : KEITH YUNXI ZHU 朱耘希 | EVEN XIA NI 倪夏

Supervisor 監視 : Oliver Thomas Dalmi 達爾米 托馬斯 奧立佛

Co-Authors 作者 : Yuening Wang, Yifan Ding

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
行政摘要

With TKEG’s local network and global expertise, a Beijing-based company that expanded to Ireland and partnered with EU-based enterprises such as Booking.com. During this project, THE KEITH & EVEN GROUP along with TKEG Expat helped our client, this company expand to the Republic of Ireland and proposed a legal structure optimization plan for the group’s further international practice.
借助奕資的本地網絡和全球專業知識,一家總部位於北京的旅行科技公司,將其業務擴展至愛爾蘭,並與繽客等歐盟企業合作。在此項目過程中,奕資諮詢及奕資環球幫助我們的客戶,該公司向愛爾蘭發展,並且為該集團的日後國際實踐提出了一個法律結構優化方案。


2

Client Group Profile
客戶集團側寫

  1. Summary
    汇总

    A company operating in the realms of technology development, technical services, technical consulting, technology transfer, and computer services is registered in 2014. It is located in Beijing, China. Through our analysis and research, there are unnecessary costs associated with the company’s current operation mode including legal structure, cashflow movement, and tax liabilities. Based on our understanding of The company, we proposed several potential optimization plans for Client Company's legal structure, fund movement, and tax liabilities in order to enhance their business strategies and reduce unnecessary costs.
    客戶公司是一家集技術開發、技術服務、技術咨詢、技術轉讓、計算機系統服務等為一體的公司。 該公司註冊於2014年,總部位於中國北京。通過我們的分析與研究,該公司目前的運營模式,包括客戶公司目前的法律結構,現金流量變動和稅收負債,都存在不必要的成本支出。居於我們對客戶公司的瞭解,為了幫助客戶公司增強其業務戰略和降低不必要的成本支出, 我們分別為客戶公司的法律結構、資金流動、和稅收負債,提出了幾種潛在的優化方案。

  2. Legal Structure
    法律結構

    AA company operating in the realms of technology development, technical services, technical consulting, technology transfer, and computer services. Based on our understanding of Client Compay’s whole legal structure, we have mapped the client company’s Legal Structure as follows:
    一家在技術開發、技術服務、技術咨詢、技術傳輸、機選機系統服務等領域運營的公司。基於我們對客戶公司整個法律結構的理解,我們將客戶公司的法律結構映射如下:

    • Legal Structure Map
      法律結構圖

      • Current legal structure has two levels of shareholders, six in total with three level 1 shareholders and four level 2 shareholders.

        該公司由兩個級別的股東,總共六人, 其中一級股東三人,二級股東四人。

      • The level 1 shareholders are Liu (39.69%), Yuan(41.31%) and “α company” in Tianjin (19%).

        一級股東為劉,持股39.69%、原,持股41.31%、以及位於天津的 “α 公司”,持股19%。

      • Liu has 100% of shares in the client company’s Hong Kong Subsidiary, Ireland Subsidiary, Singapore Subsidiary, and 60% of shares of the client company’s Australia subsidiary.
        劉完全控股客戶公司的香港分公司,愛爾蘭分公司,新加坡分公司,澳大利亞分公司。

      • All level 2 shareholders are from the “α company”. The level 2 shareholders are Fu (31.58%), Li (26.32%), Liu (31.57%), and (10.53%).

        全部二級股東都來自於 “α 公司”,他們為付,持股31.58%、李,持股26.32%、劉,持股31.57% 和徐,持股10.53%。

      • Client company’s Beijing headquarter has invested 100% of its capital at an Aviation Service company in Dalian.

        客戶公司的北京總部對位於大連的一家航空服務公司投資了所有資本。

2

Chinese Travel Info-Tech Company’s EU Practice to Via Ireland
中國旅行科技公司向愛爾蘭發展

TO BE UNCLASSIFIED
等待解密

3

The practice of TAMS (Travel Agent’s Margin Scheme)
旅行代理商保證金計畫 (TAMS) 之實踐

  1. Travel Agent's Margin Scheme (TAMS) in Brief
    旅行代理商保證金計畫簡介

    1. An overview of TAMS
      旅行代理商保證金計畫總結

      Travel Agent's Margin Scheme (TAMS), also known as the Tour Operators' Margin Scheme (TOMS), is a special taxation scheme for travel agents and operators. TAMS is a special scheme for businesses that buy in and resell travel, accommodation, and certain other services as a principal or undisclosed agent (i.e. , acting in your own name). These services include; transport, accommodation, tour guides, etc. bought in by a travel agent from third parties, and are then sold by the travel agent as a package to a traveler. The margin scheme provides an alternative value-added tax (VAT) calculation system, where the VAT is accounted on the travel agent's margin and serves as a simplification measure for VAT calculations (Revenue IE, 2021).旅行社保證金計劃(TAMS),也稱為旅遊經營者的保證金計劃 (TOMS),是一種針對旅行社和經營者的特殊稅收計劃。 TAMS 是一項特殊計劃,適用於作為委託人或未公開代理人(即以您自己的名義行事)購買和轉售旅行、住宿和某些其他服務的企業。這些服務包括;旅行社從第三方購買的交通、住宿、導遊等,然後由旅行社打包出售給旅客。保證金計劃提供了一種替代的增值稅 (VAT) 計算系統,其中增值稅在旅行社的保證金中覈算,並作為增值稅計算的簡化措施(Revenue IE,2021)。

      TAMS is a scheme used within the European Union (EU) states, which enables a travel agent or operator to account for VAT in one of the member states rather than accounting VAT for each provided travel service for every member state the business operates in. Without a scheme like TAMS, the agent would be obligated to register an account for tax for every country the travel agent's services were provided in (Revenue IE, 2021).
      TAMS 是一種在歐盟 (EU) 國家內施行的計劃,它使旅行社或運營商能夠對其中一個成員國的增值稅進行覈算,而不是為企業經營所在的每個成員國提供的每項旅行服務覈算增值稅。 像 TAMS 這樣的計劃,代理商將有義務為旅行社提供服務的每個國家/地區註冊和交稅(Revenue IE,2021)。

    2. Eligible Businesses
      合格企業

      TAMS is an EU compulsory scheme allowing travel agents to account for VAT in one Member State on all the travel services that he or she has supplied. Without such a scheme, a travel agent would be obliged to register an account for tax in each Member State where the services are supplied. The place of supply of margin scheme services is the place where the travel agent has established his or her business or has a fixed establishment from which he or she supplies those services. TAMS 是一項歐盟強制性計劃,允許旅行社為其提供的所有旅行服務在一個成員國繳納增值稅。 如果沒有這樣的計劃,旅行社將有義務在提供服務的每個成員國進行登記和交稅。 提供保證金計劃服務的地點是旅行社設立業務的地點或提供該服務的固定場所。

      The following businesses are eligible for this scheme:
      以下企業有資格參加此計劃:

      1. Travel agents (acting as principal or undisclosed agents who supply travel packages to travelers).
        旅行社(作為委託人)或向旅行者提供旅行套餐的未公開代理人。

      2. Your services must be supplied as a package or one such service is bought in and supplied in isolation.
        您的服務必須作為一攬子服務提供,或者單獨購買和提供一項此類服務。

      3. Other businesses providing supplies such as admission tickets, conferences, catering, training courses, sporting events, hotels, are eligible when they buy in and resell accommodation or passenger transport into a package for the direct benefit of a traveler.
        提供門票、會議、餐飲、培訓課程、體育賽事、酒店等用品的其他企業在購買住宿或客運並將其轉售為一攬子計劃以直接為旅行者帶來利益時,也符合資格。

      4. Travel Agents supplying wholesale travel services to other Agents to be further provided to travelers.
        旅行社向其他旅行社提供批發旅遊服務,以進一步提供給旅行者。

      5. Margin scheme supplies bought in the EU but performed in or outside the EU.
        在歐盟購買但在歐盟內外進行的保證金計劃供應。

    3. Ineligible Businesses
      不合格企業

      1. Travel Agents act as disclosed agents or intermediaries whose commissions are readily identifiable. The regular VAT is taxable on such commission.
        旅行社作為披露的代理人或中介機構,其傭金很容易識別。 常規增值稅應就此類傭金徵稅。

      2. Small businesses with annual turnover below €37,500. For such businesses, there is no obligation to register an account for VAT.
        年營業額低於 37,500 歐元的小型企業。 對於此類企業,沒有義務註冊和繳納增值稅。

      3. Agencies providing an only incidental or one-off supply of margin scheme services (travel, accommodation, etc)
        僅提供附帶或一次性保證金計劃服務(旅行、住宿等)的機構

      4. In-house or agency supplies that aren’t bought in but rather provided from travel agent’s resources.
        內部或代理供應不是購買而是從旅行社資源提供的。

      5. Bought-in purchase of services from outside the EU.
        從歐盟以外購買的服務。

      6. Supplies you make to business customers for subsequent resale by them
        您向商業客戶提供供他們隨後轉售的用品

4

Insufficient Legal Structure Caused High Tax Liability
因無效率的法律結構導致高額稅務責任

Our client, a company operating in the realms of technology development, technical services, technical consulting, technology transfer, and computer services faces challenges in its current legal structure. Based on our understanding of Client Company’s whole legal structure, we summarized the potential problems regarding client company’s current legal structure.
我們的客戶,一家在技術開發、技術服務、技術咨詢、技術傳輸、機選機系統服務等領域運營的公司,目前正面臨著一些關於他們當前法律結構的挑戰。基於我們對客戶公司整個法律結構的理解,我們總結了客戶公司目前法律結構所面臨的潛在問題

  1. Potential Problems Within client company’s Current Legal Structure
    客戶公司現有法律結構之潛在問題

    1. Client Company’s current legal structure has no primary & secondary relations between entities, which has an inconsistent ultimate beneficiary, which results in:
      客戶公司现有的法律结构的實體之間無主次關係,最終受益人不連貫,从而导致:

      • Client Company’s current legal structure is unable to use Group Taxation Scheme in Many Countries
        客戶公司现有的法律结构在很多國家無法使用集團稅務資格

      • Client Company’s current legal structure has very complicated management and power distribution
        客戶公司现有的法律结构有着极为複雜的管理及權利分發

      • Client Company’s current legal structure makes it hard to identify the nature of the group and packaging for potential investors
        客戶公司现有的法律结构對於潛在投資人定位公司及打包公司不友好

    2. Under Client Company’s current legal structure, all ultimate beneficiaries are managed/supervised by Chinese Mainland jurisdiction which has consequences of:
      在客戶公司现有的法律结构下,全體最終受益人都由中國大陸管轄, 从而导致:

      • Ultimate beneficiaries reside in the Chinese mainland may face overseas income tax liabilities
        居住在中國大陸境內之最終受益人可能承擔海外收入之稅收責任

      • Ultimate beneficiaries reside in the Chinese mainland may encounter penalties in China for actions taken by overseas entities
        居住在中国大陆境内的最终受益人可能因境外實體行為受到中國懲罰

      • Ultimate beneficiaty has overseas entrireis such as the Hong Kong Subsidiary, Ireland Subsidiary, Singapore Subsidiary, and the Australia Subsidiary
        最終受益人擁有境外公司包括香港分公司,愛爾蘭分公司,新加坡分公司,澳大利亞分公司

        1. It is hard for Client Company to raise funds overseas for entities located in China
          客戶公司较难為中國境內實體進行海外融資

  2. Client Company’s Current Potential Tax Liabilities
    客戶公司現有潛在稅務責任

    1. Client Company’s Current Tax Liability
      客戶公司現有的稅務責任

      • Corporate Income Tax
        企業所得稅

      • Value-Added Tax
        增值稅

    2. Potential Problems Within Client Company’s Current Tax Liability
      在客戶公司現有稅務責任中潛在問題

      • Exceeded Corporate Income Tax Applicable to All Legal Entities Due To Single-Line Cashflow
        因法律實體間單線資金流所導致企業所得稅適用超額支付

      • Exceeded Withholding Tax Applicable Due To No-Relationship In Between Entities
        因法律實體間無關係所導致超額支付預繳税

      • Lack of Practice of Exemption on Overseas Income Tax
        缺乏海外所得稅豁免之實踐

      • Lack of Practice of Double-Taxation Treaties Between Jurisdictions
        缺乏法律管轄屬地間免除雙重徵稅之實踐

5

Optimization Plan and Benefits
優化方案以及益處

Ideal Legal Structure Map (Planned with condition that no distribution of share would be modified)
理想化法律結構圖(在不變動股本分配的情況下計畫的)

To optimize the legal structure, Client Company implants the VIE structure by establishing its new China Headquatar a domestic wholly-owned subsidiary of its Hong Kong Subsidiary and contract control its Beijing Headquatar and the “α company” in Tianjin.
为优化法律架构,客戶公司植入可變利益實體架构,新建中國總部作为客戶香港公司的境內全资子公司,并通過新建中國總部協議控制其北京總部以及位於天津的“α 公司”。

The levels of shareholders have not changed and their shares to the current Beijing Headquatar remained the same.
在法律結構中,股东级别未发生变化,股東持有的北京總部公司之股份保持不变。

Client Company to incorporate a new legal entity in British Virgin Island to own its another newly incorporated legal entity in Cayman Island where its Cayman Island legal entity owns 100% shares of its Hong Kong legal entity.
客戶公司成立英屬維珍群島公司用來控股新創建的開曼群島公司,其中開曼群島公司拥有客戶香港公司百分之百的股份。

Cliant Company’s newly established China headquatar is a domestic wholly-owned subsidiary of its Hong Kong company. The wholly-owned subsidiary does not actually carry out the main business but controls the business and finance of its current Beijing headquatar, and “α company” in Tianjin through agreement so that it is through agreement Ways to control its Beijing headquatar, to become a variable interest entity of its Hong Kong company. This structural arrangement can transfer the interests of its current Beijing Headquatar. and the “α company” in Tianjin to its Hong Kong legal entity through a structure called Variable Interest Entity (VIE), so that the shareholders of the Hong Kong company can share the profits generated by its Beijing company and the “α company” in Tianjin.
新建中國總部作為其香港公司的境內全資子公司。 該全資子公司不實際開展主營業務,而是通過協議的方式控制其北京總部公司和位於天津的“α 公司”的業務與財務,使而是通過協議的方式控制其北京總部公司成為其香港有限公司的可變利益實體。 這種結構安排可以通過控制協議將其北京總部公司和位於天津的“α 公司”的利益轉移至客戶的香港公司, 使其香港公司的股東實際享有其北京總部公司和位於天津的“α 公司”所產生的利益。

Under the optimized legal framework, Client Company is to establish a legal entity in the Briths Virgin Island as a holding company to establish a legal entity in the Cayman Island. The Cayman Island company fully controls the Hong Kong Company. Other overseas companies including its Ireland subsidiary, Singapore Subsidiary, and Australia Subsidiary are all controlled by its Hong Kong company to satisfy the group taxation mechanism.
在新的法律架構下,客戶創建英屬維真群島公司控股創建開曼群島公司。該開曼群島公司完全控股香港公司。 其他境外公司包括其愛爾蘭分公司, 新加坡分公司,澳大利亞分公司公司,都由其香港公司進行控股,從而滿足集團稅務機制。

Group taxation is a locally incorporated holding company and subsidiary of a 100% owned group may be taxed as one group by giving an irrevocable option for taxation as one fiscal unit.
集團稅務機制是指本地註冊的控股公司和百分之百控股集团的子公司可以通過提供不可撤銷的作為一個財政單位徵稅的選擇權作為一個集團徵稅。

  1. Ideal Legal Structure Benefit Explained
    理想化法律結構益處解釋

    Based on our understanding of Client Company's current legal structure, the reason that we provided the above optimization plan is explained as follows:
    基於我們對客戶公司公司目前的法律架構的理解,我們提供上述優化方案的原因解釋如下:

    1. Client Company could establish primary & secondary relations between entities, consistent ultimate beneficiary
      客戶公司的實體之間可以建立主次關係,使最終受益人連貫

      1. In a progressive relationship, through a newly established China Headquatar, its Hong Kong Company, Cayman Island Company, and British Virgin Island Company to ensure that the ultimate beneficiary is Liu
        以層層遞進的關係,通過客戶公司中國總部, 香港公司,開曼群島公司,英屬維珍群島公司來確保最終受益人為劉

    2. Client Company could be able to use group taxation schemes in many countries
      客戶公司可以在很多國家可使用集團稅務資格

      1. Now that its newly established China Headquarter has become the domestic wholly-owned subsidiary of its Hong Kong Company, they could be taxed as one group by giving an irrevocable portion for taxation as one fiscal unit.
        理想化法律結構下,客戶新中國總部成為了其香港公司的境內全資子公司,滿足可以作為一個財政單位徵稅的權利。

    3. Client Company could have unified management and power distribution
      客戶公司將擁有統一化的管理及權利分發

      1. Under the optimized legal strucutre, its Hong Kong company manages all non-Chinese entities. and is solely controlled by ultimate beneficiary Liu through the Cayman Island Company and British Virgin Island Company.
        在優化的法律結構下, 客戶香港有限公司管理所有非中國實體。 香港公司由最終受益人劉透過開曼群島公司和英屬維珍群島公司單獨控制。

    4. Client Company could unify the nature of the group and packaging for potential investors
      客戶公司可以統一定位公司及打包給潛在投資者

    5. Hidden ultimate beneficiaries
      關於隱藏最終受益人

      1. The ultimate beneficiary is Liu which is hidden by the British Virgin Island Company and Cayman Island Company
        最終受益人劉可以通過英屬維珍群島公司和開曼群島公司來隱藏

    6. BVI and Cayman layers prevent ultimate beneficiaries from being exposed to tax liabilities and potential declaration
      英屬維珍群島及開曼群島之夾層可避免最終受益人可能承擔海外收入之稅收責任

    7. BVI and Cayman layers prevent ultimate beneficiaries from being exposed to penalties in China for actions taken by overseas entities
      英屬維珍群島及開曼群島之夾層可避免最終受益人可能因境外實體行為收到中國懲罰

    8. Easier to raise funds and IPO for Chinese entities using VIE structure
      透過可變利益實體更便利地為中國境內實體進行海外融資或首次公開招股

      1. This structural arrangement can transfer the interests of the Beijing Headquarter. and the “α company” in Tianjin to its Hong Kong Company through a control agreement, so that the shareholders of the Hong Kong Company can share the profits generated by its Beijing Headquarter. and the “α company” in Tianjin.
        這種結構安排可以通過控制協議將其北京總部公司和位於天津的“α 公司”的利益轉移至其香港公司, 使客戶香港公司的股東實際享有其北京總部公司和位於天津的“α 公司”所產生的利益。

  2. Tax Benefits Explained
    稅務益處解釋

    Based on our understanding of Client Company’s current tax liabilities, The optimization plan and its reasons are provided as follows:
    基於我們對客戶公司目前的稅務責任的理解,我們提供以下優化方案及其原因:

    1. Client Company could reduce tax payable via issuing dividends to group members
      客戶公司可以通過向集團成員公司發放分紅來減少稅務應付帳款

    2. Client Company could reduce corporate income tax payable by increasing the portion of overseas incomes in jurisdictions that enjoy exemption
      客戶公司可以通过增加在享受海外收入免徵稅之司法管轄屬地法律實體之海外收入比例以達到減少企業所得稅應付帳款之目的

    3. Client Company could reduce corporate income tax payable by increasing spendings via leasing intellectual properties and trademarks to subsidiaries
      客戶公司可以通过向子公司租賃知識產權及商標以增加帳目支出來達到減少企業所得稅應付帳款之目的

    4. Client Company could become eligible for double-taxation treaties between jurisdictions by establishing affiliation relationship between legal entitie
      客戶公司可以通過建立法律實體之間從屬關係以達到可使用法律管轄屬地間免除雙重徵稅條約之目的

    5. Client Company could have reasonable tax avoidance by moving to headquarter to the BVI and The Cayman Island
      客戶公司可以通过轉移集團總部至英屬維珍群島和開曼群島來使避稅合理化


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