OECD recognises demand for more guidance on guarantee fees and dispute resolution in transfer pricing

International Tax Review is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Garden, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2026

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

OECD recognises demand for more guidance on guarantee fees and dispute resolution in transfer pricing

Joe Andrus, head of the OECD’s transfer pricing unit, has told TPWeek that guarantee fees and credit ratings are an important issue for the OECD but it is not possible to say when a formal project on the topic might start until the final intangibles report is released.

oecd150.gif

In a TPWeek poll, 68% of readers said they want the OECD to look at guarantee fees and credit ratings in its next transfer pricing project.

A further 29% think dispute resolution should follow the transfer pricing aspects of intangibles project, which is being carried out by Working Party No 6 (WP6).

Just 3% thought the OECD should look beyond these issues for its next transfer pricing project.

Andrus said both guarantee fees and dispute resolution were both very important and the poll results demonstrate the demand for guidance.

“Unfortunately, the items currently on the plate of WP6 are likely to take some time to work through so there is no specific date by which the guarantee issue will be addressed,” said Andrus.

“We continue to consider what the specific steps may be that should be taken with regard to improving dispute resolution processes,” he added.

In an interview in International Tax Review magazine in April, Marlies de Ruiter, head of the tax treaties, transfer pricing and financial transactions division, spoke enthusiastically about wider dispute resolution work which the OECD will begin soon.

"I have been very involved with the earlier dispute resolution project and I have always been very proud of the work put out by the OECD. There are still some very important policy and implementation issues out there and that's why I am very happy there is going to be a follow up dispute resolution project where I will be involved. I am also very in favour of the work on simplification,” said de Ruiter.

"A lot of dispute cases are based on transfer pricing but the new project would look at the broader issue of dispute resolution in tax. One big question is implementation of guidance and arbitration in treaties and in the day to day work of competent authorities. This topic was the main subject of an OECD roundtable in January,” she said. “The roundtable showed that competent authorities, business and non-OECD countries also think it is an important issue so there is a broad support. The follow up of this roundtable will be that the OECD is going to organise a global forum on dispute resolution."

Considering the OECD was also voted the Leading Force in Global Transfer Pricing by almost 700 TPWeek readers, the expectation for more guidance in these areas will be high.

The most recent TPWeek poll is asking readers which of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) has the most developed transfer pricing regime. Vote on the TPWeek homepage.

more across site & shared bottom lb ros

More from across our site

While it’s great that the OECD is alive to multinationals’ fears of being caught in a compliance trap, the ‘common understanding’ illustrates a worrying lack of readiness
Rising demand for specialist expertise has fuelled the growth in tax partner headcounts, Cain Dwyer found; in other news, Switzerland has been urged to reconsider pillar two
An OECD report on the taxation of the digital economy is expected by the end of 2026, according to the group of nations
Trophy assets are evolving from personal indulgences to structured investments, prompting family offices to prioritise tax efficiency, governance discipline, and cross-border compliance
As demand for complex, cross-border private client counsel spikes, Patrick McCormick sees opportunity in starting from scratch
As part of an exclusive global alliance, KPMG will become one of Anthropic’s ‘preferred consultants’ for private equity
In the second part of this series, the focus shifts to how taxpayers can manage ongoing risks across the lifecycle of cross-border structures
Jurisdictions have moved to ensure that multinationals are not punished for late GIR filings due to a lack of available filing portals or exchange relationships
HMRC’s push for unified tax adviser registration won’t prevent every instance of improper conduct, but it is good for taxpayers and the UK’s reputation
Elsewhere, the UAE’s tax office has issued an update on registration penalties and two firms have been busy making lateral hires
Gift this article