Each free zone has its own framework. Based on these frameworks, the income of the free zone persons will not be subject to corporate tax for a specific period

Free Zones are a crucial part of the UAE economy and have a key role to attract foreign investment that plays a pivotal role in the development of the country. Keeping in view the importance of the free zones special rules have been proposed in the corporate tax (CT) public consultation document for the businesses registered in the free zones (hereinafter referred to as ‘free zones persons’).

Each free zone has its own framework. Based on these frameworks, the income of the free zone persons will not be subject to corporate tax for a specific period. According to the consultation document, the CT regime will honor the tax incentives being offered to the free zone persons subject to the condition that free zone persons maintain adequate substance and comply with all regulatory requirements.

To understand the proposed application of CT on the free zone persons, we have considered all possible options and classified the transactions into the following four categories.

Income from businesses in the rest of the world

It has been proposed in the consultation document that the income earned from transactions with businesses located outside of the UAE will be subject to zero per cent corporate tax. The consultation document is silent about the income earned from transactions with individuals located out of the UAE, which we believe will be subject to the same zero per cent corporate tax.

Income from businesses in the same free zone

The consultation document highlights that the income earned from trading with businesses located in the same free zones will be subject to zero per cent corporate tax. The document is silent about the income earned from transactions with individuals located in the same free zones, which we believe will be subject to the same zero per cent corporate tax, but we will have to wait for the law for further clarification regarding this.

If the free zone person is located in the designated zone for value-added tax (VAT) purposes and selling goods to the mainland person on INCO term where delivery of the goods is being given in the designated zone and the mainland party is clearing the goods in its own import code, still designated zone person can benefit from the zero per cent corporate tax.

Income from the persons in other free zones

The consultation document is clear about the proposed application of the corporate tax on the income earned from persons located in other free zones, and these transactions will be subject to zero per cent corporate tax.

Income from persons on the mainland

Free zone persons may have transactions with persons located on the UAE mainland. It is clearly stated in the consultation document that if the mainland entity and free zone person are part of the same CT group, then income earned by the free zone persons will be subject to zero per cent corporate tax. However, to ensure the CT neutrality of such transactions, payments made to the free zone person by a mainland group company will not be an allowable expense to calculate the taxable profits of the group.

If the mainland business and free zone person are not part of the same CT group, then the legal structure of the free zone person is critical. Like, if the free zone person has a branch on the mainland, then the income of the free zone person will be taxed at the regular CT rate on its mainland sourced income, whilst continuing to benefit from the zero per cent CT rate on its other income. However, if the free zone person has no branch on the mainland, then free zone person can continue to benefit from the zero per cent CT rate of its passive income from mainland persons. The passive income would include interest and royalties, dividends and capital gains from owning shares in mainland UAE companies.

Where a free zone person earns income from the mainland persons which is subject to a zero per cent CT rate, such income would be subject to a withholding tax of zero per cent.

Source:https://www.khaleejtimes.com/finance/how-to-file-an-application-for-corporate-tax-on-free-zones-businesses?_refresh=true