Practice overview:
Tax authorities continue to innovate, not only opening more enquiries, but also exploring new types of data-led tax audits. As such, multinational organizations continue to spend more time and resources managing tax controversies in both their local and foreign jurisdictions, with a view to both the financial and reputational aspects of a tax dispute. Tax authorities are sharing information about companies and focusing increasingly not just on the technical merit of a tax position but also on implementation. Research suggests that the average length of a tax audit has risen in recent years.
As a result of these trends, organizations and tax authorities are increasingly taking disputes to court and the past 12 months have seen several significant judgements across the region. Deloitte’s tax controversy teams include former tax authority officials, tax specialists, alternative dispute resolution specialists, and in many countries, tax litigation specialists who can assist multinational businesses at all phases of the tax controversy cycle. In the EMEA region, a strong network has been created that is ready to assist multinational enterprises navigate the various procedures and provide strategic guidance in addition to detailed legal analysis. Deloitte controversy specialists assist clients proactively across pre-dispute, dispute, and litigation matters.
Our key service offerings include:
Pre-controversy audit readiness and data examination
Voluntary disclosures
Negotiated settlements
Litigation, appeals, and settlement
Transfer pricing
Tax controversy software tools and support
Corporate defense
Recent wins:
Corporate defense for a large multinational in the consumer sector against alleged failure to comply with supervisory duties regarding its tax function. The underlying allegations evolved during tax field audits. The defense required combined tax and legal experience and resulted in settlements in favor of the taxpayers.
Represented a major media company in a VAT hearing on the VAT rating for electronic newspapers. The win for the taxpayer could have far-reaching effects on the VAT treatment of a range of digital newspapers and other digital publications, benefiting publishers of all sizes.
Awards and recognition:
2021 International Tax Review (ITR) European Tax Awards:
Deloitte in EMEA won 26 awards, including regional awards: EMEA Tax Firm of the Year and EMEA Tax Compliance & Reporting Firm of the Year for the fifth consecutive year. The network received the EMEA Tax Innovator Firm of the Year for the second consecutive time and was also recognized as the EMEA Tax Technology Provider of the Year.
National Tax awards: Africa, Austria, Belgium, CEE, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, Switzerland
National Transfer Pricing awards: Austria, Baltic States, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Middle East, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland
Impact Deal of the Year: Global Blue – Far Point SPAC
Impact Deal of the Year: Liberty Global/Sunrise Communications Group
Recognized Leaders:
Euromoney and International Tax Review – Expert/Leaders guides:
The following leaders across the EMEA region were recognized for their individual abilities, as well as for their in-depth capabilities, experience, and knowledge:
59 leaders in Euromoney’s 2021 Transfer Pricing Experts Guide
69 leaders in ITR’s 2021 Tax Controversy Leaders Guide
88 leaders in ITR’s 2021 Indirect Tax Leaders Guide
96 leaders in ITR’s 2021 Women in Tax Leaders Guide
2021 ITR Indirect Tax Leader Guides:
A total of 228 leaders from Deloitte were listed from the EMEA region in the Indirect Tax, Tax Controversy and Women in Tax Leaders guides, respectively.
2021 World Tax and World Transfer Pricing tier rankings:
World Tax: Deloitte received 77 tier one and 43 tier two rankings in various practice areas.
World Transfer Pricing: Deloitte received 51 tier one rankings in Transfer Pricing.
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