IN
ŠVICARSKI ZVEZNI SVET
sta se
V ŽELJI po nadaljnjem razvijanju gospodarskih odnosov in krepitvi sodelovanja v davčnih zadevah,
Z NAMENOM, da skleneta konvencijo o odpravi dvojnega obdavčevanja v zvezi z davki od dohodka in premoženja, ne da bi ustvarila možnosti za neobdavčitev ali zmanjšanje obdavčitve z davčnimi utajami ali izogibanjem davkom (vključno z izkoriščanjem ugodnejših mednarodnih sporazumov zaradi pridobitve ugodnosti, ki jih zagotavlja ta konvencija, za posredne koristi rezidentov tretjih držav),
in
Švicarski zvezni svet
sta se ob podpisu Protokola med Vlado Republike Slovenije in Zveznim svetom Švicarske konfederacije o spremembah Konvencije o izogibanju dvojnega obdavčevanja v zvezi z davki na dohodek in premoženje, podpisane v Ljubljani 12. junija 1996, sporazumela o teh določbah, ki so sestavni del konvencije:
1. Pokojninski načrt
Razume se, da izraz »pokojninski načrt«, kakor je uporabljen v konvenciji, pomeni kakršen koli načrt, sklad, fundacijo, skrbniški sklad ali drug dogovor, oblikovan in predpisan v državi pogodbenici, ter na splošno oproščen davka na dohodek v tej državi in v glavnem deluje tako, da upravlja ali zagotavlja pokojnine ali pokojninske prejemke ali pridobiva dohodek v korist enega ali več takih načrtov ter vključuje:
a) v Sloveniji kateri koli pokojninski načrt, ki ga predvidevajo:
i) Zakon o pokojninskem in invalidskem zavarovanju z dne 23. decembra 1999,
ii) Zakon o prvem pokojninskem skladu Republike Slovenije in preoblikovanju pooblaščenih investicijskih družb z dne 28. junija 1999 in
iii) Zakon o kolektivnem dodatnem pokojninskem zavarovanju za javne uslužbence z dne 18. decembra 2003;
b) v Švici kateri koli pokojninski načrt, ki ga predvidevajo:
i) Zvezni zakon o starostnem zavarovanju in zavarovanju za preživele družinske člane z dne 20. decembra 1946,
ii) Zvezni zakon o zavarovanju invalidov z dne 19. junija 1959,
iii) Zvezni zakon o dodatnih pokojninah v zvezi s starostnim zavarovanjem, zavarovanjem za preživele družinske člane in zavarovanjem invalidov z dne 6. oktobra 2006;
iv) Zvezni zakon o starostnem zavarovanju, zavarovanju za preživele družinske člane in zavarovanju invalidov, plačljivih v zvezi z zaposlitvijo ali samozaposlitvijo, z dne 25. junija 1982, vključno z neregistriranimi pokojninskimi načrti, ki nudijo pokojninsko zavarovanje v podjetju, in
v) oblike posameznih priznanih pokojninskih načrtov, primerljive s pokojninskim zavarovanjem v podjetju, v skladu z 82. členom Zveznega zakona o starostnem zavarovanju, zavarovanju za preživele družinske člane in zavarovanju invalidov, plačljivih v zvezi z zaposlitvijo ali samozaposlitvijo, z dne 25. junija 1982,
ter enake ali vsebinsko podobne načrte, ustanovljene v skladu z zakonodajo, sprejeto po dnevu podpisa tega protokola, kakor se dogovorita pristojna organa držav pogodbenic.
2. K 4. členu
V skladu s prvim odstavkom 4. člena se razume in potrdi, da izraz »rezident države pogodbenice« vključuje tudi:
a) organizacijo, ki je ustanovljena in deluje zgolj v verske, dobrodelne, znanstvene, kulturne, športne ali vzgojno-izobraževalne namene (ali v več kakor v enega od teh namenov) in ki je rezident te države v skladu z njenimi zakoni, ne glede na to, da je lahko njen dohodek ali dobiček v celoti ali deloma oproščen davka po domačem pravu te države, in
b) pokojninski načrt, ustanovljen v tej državi.
3. K 7. in 9. členu
Razume se, da je mogoča prilagoditev po tretjem odstavku 7. člena in drugem odstavku 9. člena, če se šteje za upravičeno.
4. K 18. in 19. členu
Razume se, da izraza »pokojnina« in »pokojnine«, uporabljena v 18. oziroma 19. členu, ne zajemata samo rednih izplačil, temveč tudi enkratna izplačila.
5. K 18. in 24. členu
V zvezi z 18. in 24. členom se prispevki v pokojninski načrt države pogodbenice, ki jih plača posameznik, ki opravlja storitve v drugi državi pogodbenici, ali so plačani v njegovem imenu zaradi določitve posameznikovega davka, ki se plača, in dobička podjetja, ki se lahko obdavči v tej drugi državi, obravnavajo v tej drugi državi enako ter pod enakimi pogoji in omejitvami kakor prispevki, plačani v pokojninski načrt v tej drugi državi, če posameznik ni bil rezident te druge države in je prispeval v pokojninski načrt, tik preden je začel opravljati storitve v tej drugi državi.
6. K 26. členu
a) Razume se, da se za izmenjavo informacij zaprosi šele potem, ko država pogodbenica prosilka izčrpa vse običajne vire informacij, ki so na voljo po notranjem davčnem postopku.
b) Razume se, da davčni organi države prosilke ob zaprosilu za informacije po 26. členu davčnim organom zaprošene države priskrbijo:
i) informacije o identiteti osebe, ki se zasliši ali preiskuje;
ii) informacije o časovnem obdobju, za katero se zaprosijo podatki;
iii) izjavo o zaprošenih informacijah, vključno z njihovo naravo in obliko, v kateri želi država prosilka prejeti informacije od zaprošene države;
iv) informacijo o davčnem namenu, za katerega se zaprosijo informacije;
v) informacije o imenu in naslovu katere koli osebe, za katero menijo, da bi lahko imela zaprošene informacije, če sta znana.
c) Razume se, da je namen standarda »predvidena pomembnost« zagotoviti izmenjavo podatkov o davčnih zadevah v čim večjem obsegu, hkrati pa razjasniti, da se državi pogodbenici ne smeta ukvarjati z »naključnimi poizvedbami« ali zaprositi za informacije, ki najverjetneje niso pomembne za davčne zadeve določenega davkoplačevalca. Medtem ko pododstavek b vsebuje pomembne postopkovne zahteve, katerih namen je zagotoviti, da ni naključnih poizvedb, vendar se določbe točk i do v pododstavka b vendarle ne smejo razlagati, kot da bi onemogočale učinkovito izmenjavo informacij.
d) Razume se, da 26. člen konvencije ne zahteva, da državi pogodbenici izmenjavata informacije avtomatično ali spontano.
e) Razume se, da pri izmenjavi informacij uporabljajo administrativna postopkovna pravila glede pravic davkoplačevalcev, ki jih imajo v zaprošeni državi pogodbenici. Razume se tudi, da je cilj te določbe zagotoviti davkoplačevalcem pošten postopek in ne preprečiti ali neupravičeno zavlačevati postopka izmenjave informacij.
The Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Swiss Federal Council, desiring to conclude a Convention for the avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes on income and on capital,
Have agreed as follows:
Article1
Personal scope
This Convention shall apply to persons who are residents of one or both of the Contracting States.
Article 2
Taxes covered
(1) This Convention shall apply to taxes on income and on capital imposed on behalf of a Contracting State or of its political subdivisions or local authorities, irrespective of the manner in which they are levied.
(2) There shall be regarded as taxes on income and on capital all taxes imposed on total income, on total capital, or on elements of income or of capital, including taxes on gains from the alienation of movable or immovable property, taxes on the total amounts of wages or salaries paid by enterprises, as well as taxes on capital appreciation.
(3) The existing taxes to which the Convention shall apply are in particular:
a) in Slovenia:
(i) the tax on profits of legal persons;
(ii) the tax on income of individuals, including wages and salaries, income from agricultural activities, income from business, capital gains and income from immovable and movable property;
(iii) the tax on property;
(hereinafter referred to as “Slovenian tax”).
b) in Switzerland:
the federal, cantonal and communal taxes
(i) on income (total income, earned income, income from capital, industrial and commercial profits, capital gains, and other items of income); and
(ii) on capital (total property, movable and immovable property, business assets, paid-up capital and reserves, and other items of capital)
(hereinafter referred to as “Swiss tax”).
(4) The Convention shall apply also to any identical or substantially similar taxes which are imposed after the date of signature of the Convention in addition to, or in place of, the existing taxes. The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall notify each other of significant changes which have been made in their respective taxation laws.
5. The Convention shall not apply to taxes withheld at the source on prizes in a lottery.
Article 3
General definitions
(1) For the purposes of this Convention, unless the context otherwise requires:
a) the term “Slovenia” means the territory of the Republic of Slovenia including the sea area, sea-bed and subsoil adjacent to the territorial sea, in which the Republic of Slovenia may exercise its sovereign rights and jurisdiction in accordance with international law and its domestic legislation;
b) the term “Switzerland” means the Swiss Confederation;
c) the term “person” includes an individual, a company and any other body of persons;
d) the term “company” means any body corporate or any entity which is treated as a body corporate for tax purposes;
e) the terms “enterprise of a Contracting State” and “enterprise of the other Contracting State” mean respectively an enterprise carried on by a resident of a Contracting State and an enterprise carried on by a resident of the other Contracting State;
f) the term “international traffic” means any transport by a ship or aircraft operated by an enterprise which has its place of effective management in a Contracting State, except when the ship or aircraft is operated solely between places in the other Contracting State;
g) the term “competent authority” means:
(i) in the case of Slovenia: the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Slovenia or its authorised representative;
(ii) in the case of Switzerland, the Director of the Federal Tax Administration or his authorised representative;
h) the term “national” means:
(i) any individual possessing the nationality of a Contracting State;
(ii) any legal person, partnership or association deriving its status as such from the laws in force in a Contracting State.
(2) As regards the application of the Convention by a Contracting State any term not defined therein shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the meaning which it has under the law of that State concerning the taxes to which the Convention applies.
Article 4
Resident
(1) For the purposes of this Convention, the term “resident of a Contracting State” means any person who, under the laws of that State, is liable to tax therein by reason of his domicile, residence, place of management or any other criterion of a similar nature.
(2) Where by reason of the provisions of paragraph 1 an individual is a resident of both Contracting States, then his status shall be determined as follows:
a) he shall be deemed to be a resident of the State in which he has a permanent home available to him; if he has a permanent home available to him in both States, he shall be deemed to be a resident of the State with which his personal and economic relations are closer (center of vital interests);
b) if the State in which he has his center of vital interests cannot be determined, or if he has not a permanent home available to him in either State, he shall be deemed to be a resident of the State in which he has an habitual abode;
c) if he has an habitual abode in both States or in neither of them, he shall be deemed to be a resident of the State of which he is a national;
d) if he is a national of both States or of neither of them, the competent authorities of the Contracting States shall settle the question by mutual agreement.
(3) Where by reason of the provisions of paragraph 1 a person other than an individual is a resident of both Contracting States, then it shall be deemed to be a resident of the State in which its place of effective management is situated.
Article 5
Permanent establishment
(1) For the purposes of this Convention, the term “permanent establishment” means a fixed place of business through which the business of an enterprise is wholly or partly carried on.
(2) The term “permanent establishment” includes especially:
a) a place of management;
b) a branch;
c) an office;
d) a factory;
e) a workshop, and
f) a mine, an oil or gas well, a quarry or any other place of extraction of natural resources.
(3) A building site or construction or installation project constitutes a permanent establishment only if it lasts more than twelve months.
(4) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Article the term “permanent establishment” shall be deemed not to include:
a) the use of facilities solely for the purpose of storage, display or delivery of goods or merchandise belonging to the enterprise;
b) the maintenance of a stock of goods or merchandise belonging to the enterprise solely for the purpose of storage, display or delivery;
c) the maintenance of a stock of goods or merchandise belonging to the enterprise solely for the purpose of processing by another enterprise;
d) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely for the purpose of purchasing goods or merchandise or of collecting information, for the enterprise;
e) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely for the purpose of advertising, for the supply of information, for scientific research or similar activities which have a preparatory or auxiliary character;
f) the maintenance of a fixed place of business solely for any combination of activities mentioned in sub-paragraphs (a) to (e), provided that the overall activity of the fixed place of business resulting from this combination is of a preparatory or auxiliary character.
(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2, where a person – other than an agent of an independent status to whom paragraph 6 applies – is acting on behalf of an enterprise and has, and habitually exercises, in a Contracting State an authority to conclude contracts in the name of the enterprise, that enterprise shall be deemed to have a permanent establishment in that State in respect of any activities which that person undertakes for the enterprise, unless the activities of such person are limited to those mentioned in paragraph 4 which, if exercised through a fixed place of business, would not make this fixed place of business a permanent establishment under the provisions of that paragraph.
(6) An enterprise shall not be deemed to have a permanent establishment in a Contracting State merely because it carries on business in that State through a broker, general commission agent or any other agent of an independent status, provided that such persons are acting in the ordinary course of their business.
(7) The fact that a company which is a resident of a Contracting State controls or is controlled by a company which is a resident of the other Contracting State or which carries on business in that other State (whether through a permanent establishment or otherwise), shall not of itself constitute either company a permanent establishment of the other.
Article 6
Income from immovable property
(1) Income derived by a resident of a Contracting State from immovable property (including income from agriculture or forestry) situated in the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.
(2) The term “immovable property” shall have the meaning which it has under the law of the Contracting State in which the property in question is situated. The term shall in any case include property accessory to immovable property, livestock and equipment used in agriculture and forestry, rights to which the provisions of general law respecting landed property apply, usufruct of immovable property and rights to variable or fixed payments as consideration for the working of, or the right to work, mineral deposits, sources and other natural resources; ships, boats and aircraft shall not be regarded as immovable property.
(3) The provisions of paragraph 1 shall apply to income derived from the direct use, letting, or use in any other form of immovable property.
(4) The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 3 shall also apply to the income from immovable property of an enterprise and to income from immovable property used for the performance of independent personal services.
Article 7
Business profits
(1) The profits of an enterprise of a Contracting State shall be taxable only in that State unless the enterprise carries on business in the other Contracting State through a permanent establishment situated therein. If the enterprise carries on business as aforesaid, the profits of the enterprise may be taxed in the other State but only so much of them as is attributable to that permanent establishment.
(2) Subject to the provisions of paragraph 3, where an enterprise of a Contracting State carries on business in the other Contracting State through a permanent establishment situated therein, there shall in each Contracting State be attributed to that permanent establishment the profits which it might be expected to make if it were a distinct and separate enterprise engaged in the same or similar activities under the same or similar conditions and dealing wholly independently with the enterprise of which it is a permanent establishment.
(3) In determining the profits of a permanent establishment, there shall be allowed as deductions expenses which are incurred for the purposes of the permanent establishment, including executive and general administrative expenses so incurred, whether in the State in which the permanent establishment is situated or elsewhere.
(4) Insofar as it has been customary in a Contracting State to determine the profits to be attributed to a permanent establishment on the basis of an apportionment of the total profits of the enterprise to its various parts, nothing in paragraph 2 shall preclude that Contracting State from determining the profits to be taxed by such an apportionment as may be customary; the method of apportionment adopted shall, however, be such that the result shall be in accordance with the principles contained in this Article.
(5) No profits shall be attributed to a permanent establishment by reason of the mere purchase by that permanent establishment of goods or merchandise for the enterprise.
(6) For the purposes of the preceding paragraphs, the profits to be attributed to the permanent establishment shall be determined by the same method year by year unless there is good and sufficient reason to the contrary.
(7) Where profits include items of income which are dealt with separately in other Articles of this Convention, then the provisions of those Articles shall not be affected by the provisions of this Article.
Article 8
Shipping and air transport
(1) Profits from the operation of ships or aircraft in international traffic shall be taxable only in the Contracting State in which the place of effective management of the enterprise is situated.
(2) If the place of effective management of a shipping enterprise is aboard a ship, then it shall be deemed to be situated in the Contracting State in which the home harbour of the ship is situated, or, if there is no such home harbour, in the Contracting State of which the operator of the ship is a resident.
(3) The provisions of paragraph 1 shall also apply to profits from the participation in a pool, a joint business or an international operating agency.
Article 9
Associated enterprises
(1) Where
a) an enterprise of a Contracting State participates directly or indirectly in the management, control or capital of an enterprise of the other Contracting State, or
b) the same persons participate directly or indirectly in the management, control or capital of an enterprise of a Contracting State and an enterprise of the other Contracting State,
and in either case conditions are made or imposed between the two enterprises in their commercial or financial relations which differ from those which would be made between independent enterprises, then any profits which would, but for those conditions, have accrued to one of the enterprises, but by reason of those conditions, have not so accrued, may be included in the profits of that enterprise and taxed accordingly.
(2) Where profits on which an enterprise of a Contracting State has been charged to tax in that State are also included in the profits of an enterprise of the other Contracting State and taxed accordingly, and the profits so included are profits which would have accrued to that enterprise of the other State, if the conditions made between the two enterprises had been those which would have been made between independent enterprises, then the competent authorities of the Contracting States may consult together with a view to reach an agreement on the adjustments of profits in both Contracting States.
(3) A Contracting State shall not change the profits of an enterprise in the circumstances referred to in paragraph 1 after the expiry of the time limits provided in its national laws and, in any case, after five years from the end of the year in which profits would be subject to such change would have accrued to an enterprise of that State. This paragraph shall not apply in the case of fraud or wilful default.
Article 10
Dividends
(1) Dividends paid by a company which is a resident of a Contracting State to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.
(2) However, such dividends may also be taxed in the Contracting State of which the company paying the dividends is a resident and according to the laws of that State, but if the recipient is the beneficial owner of the dividends the tax so charged shall not exceed:
a) 5 per cent of the gross amount of the dividends if the beneficial owner is a company which holds directly at least 25 per cent of the capital of the company paying the dividends;
b) 15 per cent of the gross amount of the dividends in all other cases.
The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall by mutual agreement settle the mode of application of these limitations.
This paragraph shall not affect the taxation of the company in respect of the profits out of which the dividends are paid.
(3) The term “dividends” as used in this Article means income from shares, “jouissance” shares or “jouissance” rights, mining shares, founders’ shares or other rights, not being debt-claims, participating in profits, as well as income from other corporate rights which is subjected to the same taxation treatment as income from shares by the laws of the State of which the company making the distribution is a resident.
(4) The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the dividends, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State of which the company paying the dividends is a resident, through a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personal services from a fixed base situated therein, and the holding in respect of which the dividends are paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment or fixed base. In such case the provisions of Article 7 or Article 14, as the case may be, shall apply.
(5) Where a company which is a resident of a Contracting State derives profits or income from the other Contracting State, that other State may not impose any tax on the dividends paid by the company, except insofar as such dividends are paid to a resident of that other State or insofar as the holding in respect of which the dividends are paid is effectively connected with a permanent establishment or a fixed base situated in that other State, nor subject the company’s undistributed profits to a tax on the company’s undistributed profits, even if the dividends paid or the undistributed profits consist wholly or partly of profits or income arising in such other State.
Article 11
Interest
(1) Interest arising in a Contracting State and paid to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.
(2) However, such interest may also be taxed in the Contracting State in which it arises, and according to the laws of that State, but if the recipient is the beneficial owner of the interest the tax so charged shall not exceed 5 per cent of the gross amount of the interest. The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall by mutual agreement settle the mode of application of this limitation.
(3) The term “interest” as used in this Article means income from debt claims of every kind, whether or not secured by mortgage and whether or not carrying a right to participate in the debtor’s profits, and in particular, income from government securities and income from bonds or debentures, including premiums and prizes attaching to such securities, bonds or debentures. Penalty charges for late payment shall not be regarded as interest for the purpose of this Article.
(4) The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the interest, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State in which the interest arises, through a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personal services from a fixed base situated therein, and the debt claim in respect of which the interest is paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment or fixed base. In such case the provisions of Article 7 or Article 14, as the case may be, shall apply.
(5) Interest shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting State when the payer is that State itself, a political subdivision, a local authority or a resident of that State. Where, however, the person paying the interest, whether he is a resident of a Contracting State or not, has in a Contracting State a permanent establishment or a fixed base in connection with which the indebtedness on which the interest is paid was incurred, and such interest is borne by such permanent establishment or fixed base, then such interest shall be deemed to arise in the State in which the permanent establishment or fixed base is situated.
(6) Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficial owner or between both of them and some other person, the amount of the interest, having regard to the debt claim for which it is paid, exceeds the amount which would have been agreed upon by the payer and the beneficial owner in the absence of such relationship, the provisions of this Article shall apply only to the last-mentioned amount. In such case, the excess part of the payments shall remain taxable according to the laws of each Contracting State, due regard being had to the other provisions of this Convention.
Article 12
Royalties
(1) Royalties arising in a Contracting State and paid to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.
(2) However, such royalties may also be taxed in the Contracting State in which they arise and according to the laws of that State, but if the recipient is the beneficial owner of the royalties the tax so charged shall not exceed 5 per cent of the gross amount of the royalties. The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall by mutual agreement settle the mode of application of this limitation.
(3) The term “royalties” as used in this Article means payments of any kind received as a consideration for the use of, or the right to use, any copyright of literary, artistic or scientific work including cinematograph films, any patent, trade mark, design or model, plan, secret formula or process, or for information concerning industrial, commercial or scientific experience.
(4) The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the royalties, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State in which the royalties arise, through a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personal services from a fixed base situated therein, and the right or property in respect of which the royalties are paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment or fixed base. In such case the provisions of Article 7 or Article 14, as the case may be, shall apply.
(5) Royalties shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting State when the payer is that State itself, a political subdivision, a local authority or a resident of that State. Where, however, the person paying the royalties, whether he is a resident of a Contracting State or not, has in a Contracting State a permanent establishment or a fixed base in connection with which the liability to pay the royalties was incurred, and such royalties are borne by such permanent establishment or fixed base, then such royalties shall be deemed to arise in the State in which the permanent establishment or fixed base is situated.
(6) Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficial owner or between both of them and some other person, the amount of the royalties, having regard to the use, right or information for which they are paid, exceeds the amount which would have been agreed upon by the payer and the beneficial owner in the absence of such relationship, the provisions of this Article shall apply only to the last-mentioned amount. In such case, the excess part of the payments shall remain taxable according to the laws of each Contracting State, due regard being had to the other provisions of this Convention.
Article 13
Capital gains
(1) Gains derived by a resident of a Contracting State from the alienation of immovable property referred to in Article 6 and situated in the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.
(2) Gains from the alienation of movable property forming part of the business property of a permanent establishment which an enterprise of a Contracting State has in the other Contracting State or of movable property pertaining to a fixed base available to a resident of a Contracting State in the other Contracting State for the purpose of performing independent personal services including such gains from the alienation of such a permanent establishment (alone or with the whole enterprise) or of such fixed base, may be taxed in that other State.
(3) Gains from the alienation of ships or aircraft operated in international traffic, or movable property pertaining to the operation of such ships or aircraft shall be taxable only in the Contracting State in which the place of effective management of the enterprise is situated.
(4) Gains from the alienation of any property other than that referred to in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, shall be taxable only in the Contracting State of which the alienator is a resident.
Article 14
Independent personal services
(1) Income derived by a resident of a Contracting State in respect of professional services or other activities of an independent character shall be taxable only in that State unless he has a fixed base regularly available to him in the other Contracting State for the purpose of performing his activities. If he has such a fixed base, the income may be taxed in the other State but only so much of it as is attributable to that fixed base.
(2) The term “professional services” includes especially independent scientific, literary, artistic, educational or teaching activities as well as the independent activities of physicians, lawyers, engineers, architects, dentists and accountants.
Article 15
Dependent personal services
(1) Subject to the provisions of Articles 16, 18 and 19, salaries, wages and other similar remuneration derived by a resident of a Contracting State in respect of an employment shall be taxable only in that State unless the employment is exercised in the other Contracting State. If the employment is so exercised, such remuneration as is derived therefrom may be taxed in that other State.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1, remuneration derived by a resident of a Contracting State in respect of an employment exercised in the other Contracting State shall be taxable only in the first-mentioned State if:
a) the recipient is present in the other State for a period or periods not exceeding in the aggregate 183 days in the calendar year concerned, and
b) the remuneration is paid by, or on behalf of, an employer who is not a resident of the other State, and
c) the remuneration is not borne by a permanent establishment or a fixed base which the employer has in the other State.
(3) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Article remuneration derived in respect of an employment exercised aboard a ship or aircraft operated in international traffic may be taxed in the Contracting State in which the place of effective management of the enterprise is situated.
Article 16
Directors’ fees
Directors’ fees and other similar payments derived by a resident of a Contracting State in his capacity as a member of the board of directors of a company which is a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.
Article 17
Artistes and sportsmen
(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 14 and 15, income derived by a resident of a Contracting State as an entertainer, such as a theater, motion picture, radio or television artiste, or a musician, or as a sportsman, from his personal activities as such exercised in the other Contracting State, may be taxed in that other State.
(2) Where income in respect of personal activities exercised by an entertainer or a sportsman in his capacity as such accrues not to the entertainer or sportsman himself but to another person, that income may, notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 7, 14 and 15, be taxed in the Contracting State in which the activities of the entertainer or sportsman are exercised.
(3) Paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply to income from activities performed by entertainers or athletes if such income is derived directly or indirectly in a substantial manner from public funds.
Article 18
Pensions
Subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 19, pensions and other similar remuneration paid to a resident of a Contracting State in consideration of past employment shall be taxable only in that State.
Article 19
Government service
(1) a) Remuneration, other than a pension, paid by a Contracting State or a political subdivision or a local authority thereof to an individual in respect of services rendered to that State or subdivision or authority shall be taxable only in that State.
b) However, such remuneration shall be taxable only in the other Contracting State if the services are rendered in that State and the individual is a resident of that State who:
(i) is a national of that State; or
(ii) did not become a resident of that State solely for the purpose of rendering the services.
(2) a) Any pension paid by, or out of funds created by, a Contracting State or a political subdivision or a local authority thereof to an individual in respect of services rendered to that State or subdivision or authority shall be taxable only in that State.
b) However, such pension shall be taxable only in the other Contracting State if the individual is a resident of, and a national of, that State.
(3) The provisions of Articles 15, 16 and 18 shall apply to remuneration and pensions in respect of services rendered in connection with a business carried on by a Contracting State or a political subdivision or a local authority thereof.
Article 20
Students
(1) Payments which a student or business apprentice who is or was immediately before visiting a Contracting State a resident of the other Contracting State and who is present in the first-mentioned State solely for the purpose of his education or training receives for the purpose of his maintenance, education or training shall not be taxed in that State, provided that such payments arise from sources outside that State.
(2) In respect of grants, scholarships and remuneration from employment not covered by paragraph 1, a student or business apprentice described in paragraph 1 shall, in addition, be entitled during such education or training to the same exemptions, reliefs or reductions in respect of taxes available to residents of the State which he is visiting.
Article 21
Other income
(1) Items of income of a resident of a Contracting State, wherever arising, not dealt with in the foregoing Articles of this Convention shall be taxable only in that State.
(2) The provisions of paragraph 1 shall not apply to income, other than income from immovable property as defined in paragraph 2 of Article 6, if the recipient of such income, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State through a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personal services from a fixed base situated therein, and the right or property in respect of which the income is paid is effectively connected with such permanent establishment or fixed base. In such case the provisions of Article 7 or Article 14, as the case may be, shall apply.
Article 22
Capital
(1) Capital represented by immovable property referred to in Article 6, owned by a resident of a Contracting State and situated in the other Contracting State, may be taxed in that other State.
(2) Capital represented by movable property forming part of the business property of a permanent establishment which an enterprise of a Contracting State has in the other Contracting State or by movable property pertaining to a fixed base available to a resident of a Contracting State in the other Contracting State for the purpose of performing independent personal services may be taxed in that other State.
(3) Capital represented by ships and aircraft operated in international traffic and by movable property pertaining to the operation of such ships and aircraft shall be taxable only in the Contracting State in which the place of effective management of the enterprise is situated.
(4) All other elements of capital of a resident of a Contracting State shall be taxable only in that State.
Article 23
Elimination of double taxation
(1) In the case of Slovenia, double taxation shall be avoided as follows:
Where a resident of Slovenia derives income or owns capital which, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, may be taxed in Switzerland, Slovenia shall allow:
i) as a deduction from the tax on the income of that resident, an amount equal to the income tax paid in Switzerland;
ii) as a deduction from the tax on the capital of that resident, an amount equal to the capital tax paid in Switzerland.
Such deduction shall in no case exceed that portion of the income tax or capital tax which has been computed before making the deduction which is attributable to the income or the capital, as the case may be, which may be taxed in Switzerland.
(2) In the case of Switzerland, double taxation shall be avoided as follows:
a) Where a resident of Switzerland derives income or owns capital which, in accordance with the provisions of this Conventions, may be taxed in Slovenia, Switzerland shall, subject to the provisions of subparagraph (b), exempt such income or capital from tax but may, in calculating tax on the remaining income or capital of that resident, apply the rate of tax which would have been applicable if the exempted income or capital had not been so exempted.
b) Where a resident of Switzerland derives dividends, interest or royalties which, in accordance with the provisions of Article 10, 11 or 12 may be taxed in Slovenia, Switzerland shall allow, upon request, a relief to such a resident. The relief may consist of:
(i) a deduction from the tax on income of that resident of an amount equal to the tax levied in Slovenia in accordance with the provisions of Articles 10, 11 and 12; such deduction shall not, however, exceed that part of the Swiss tax, as computed before the deduction is given, which is appropriate to the income which may be taxed in Slovenia; or
(ii) a lump sum reduction of the Swiss tax; or
(iii) a partial exemption of such dividends, interest or royalties from Swiss tax, in any case consisting at least of the deduction of the tax levied in Slovenia from the gross amount of the dividends, interest or royalties.
Switzerland shall determine the applicable relief and regulate the procedure in accordance with the Swiss provisions relating to the carrying out of international conventions of the Swiss Confederation for the avoidance of double taxation.
c) A company which is a resident of Switzerland and which derives dividends from a company which is a resident of Slovenia shall be entitled, for the purposes of Swiss tax with respect to such dividends, to the same relief which would be granted to the company if the company paying the dividends were a resident of Switzerland.
Article 24
Non-discrimination
(1) Nationals of a Contracting State shall not be subjected in the other Contracting State to any taxation or any requirement connected therewith, which is other or more burdensome than the taxation and connected requirements to which nationals of that other State in the same circumstances, in particular with respect to residence, are or may be subjected. This provision shall, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 1, also apply to persons who are not residents of one or both of the Contracting States.
(2) The taxation on a permanent establishment which an enterprise of a Contracting State has in the other Contracting State shall not be less favourably levied in that other State than the taxation levied on enterprises of that other State carrying on the same activities. This provision shall not be construed as obliging a Contracting State to grant to residents of the other Contracting State any personal allowances, reliefs and reductions for taxation purposes on account of civil status or family responsibilities which it grants to its own residents.
(3) Except where the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 9, paragraph 6 of Article 11, or paragraph 6 of Article 12 apply, interest, royalties and other disbursements paid by an enterprise of a Contracting State to a resident of the other Contracting State shall, for the purpose of determining the taxable profits of such enterprise, be deductible under the same conditions as if they had been paid to a resident of the first-mentioned State. Similarly, any debts of an enterprise of a Contracting State to a resident of the other Contracting State shall, for the purpose of determining the taxable capital of such enterprise, be deductible under the same conditions as if they had been contracted to a resident of the first-mentioned State.
(4) Enterprises of a Contracting State, the capital of which is wholly or partly owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by one or more residents of the other Contracting State, shall not be subjected in the first-mentioned State to any taxation or any requirement connected therewith which is other or more burdensome than the taxation and connected requirements to which other similar enterprises of the first-mentioned State are or may be subjected.
(5) The provisions of this Article shall, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 2, apply to taxes of every kind and description.
Article 25
Mutual agreement procedure
(1) Where a person considers that the actions of one or both of the Contracting States result or will result for him in taxation not in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, he may, irrespective of the remedies provided by the domestic law of those States, present his case to the competent authority of the Contracting State of which he is a resident or, if his case comes under paragraph 1 of Article 24, to that of the Contracting State of which he is a national. The case must be presented within three years from the first notification of the action resulting in taxation not in accordance with the provisions of the Convention.
(2) The competent authority shall endeavour, if the objection appears to it to be justified and if it is not itself able to arrive at a satisfactory solution, to resolve the case by mutual agreement with the competent authority of the other Contracting State, with a view to the avoidance of taxation which is not in accordance with the Convention.
(3) The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall endeavour to resolve by mutual agreement any difficulties or doubts arising as to the interpretation or application of the Convention. They may also consult together for the elimination of double taxation in cases not provided for in the Convention.
(4) The competent authorities of the Contracting States may communicate with each other directly for the purpose of reaching an agreement in the sense of the preceding paragraphs. When necessary for reaching an agreement the competent authorities of the Contracting States may meet and have an oral exchange of opinions.
Article 26
Exchange of information
(1) The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall exchange such information (being information which is at their disposal under their respective taxation laws in the normal course of administration) as is necessary for carrying out the provisions of this Convention in relation to the taxes which are the subject of the Convention. Any information so exchanged shall be treated as secret and shall not be disclosed to any persons other than those concerned with the assessment and collection of the taxes which are the subject of the Convention. No information as aforesaid shall be exchanged which would disclose any trade, business, banking, industrial or professional secret or trade process.
(2) In no case shall the provisions of this Article be construed as imposing upon either Contracting State the obligation to carry out administrative measures at variance with the regulations and practice of either Contracting State or which would be contrary to its sovereignty, security or public policy (ordre public) or to supply particulars which are not procurable under its own laws or those of the State making the application.
Article 27
Diplomatic agents and consular officers
(1) Nothing in this Convention shall affect the fiscal privileges of diplomatic agents or consular officers under the general rules of international law or under the provisions of special agreements.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 4, an individual who is a member of a diplomatic mission, consular post or permanent mission of a Contracting State which is situated in the other Contracting State or in a third State shall be deemed, for the purposes of this Convention, to be a resident of the sending State if:
a) in accordance with international law he is not liable to tax in the receiving Contracting State in respect of income from sources outside that State or on capital situated outside that State and
b) he is liable in the sending State to the same obligations in relation to tax on his total income or on capital as are residents of that State.
(3) The Convention shall not apply to international organisations, to organs or officials thereof and to persons who are members of a diplomatic mission, consular post or permanent mission of a third State, being present in a Contracting State and not treated in either Contracting State as residents in respect of taxes on income or on capital.
Article 28
Entry into force
(1) This Convention shall be ratified and the instruments of ratification shall be exchanged at Bern as soon as possible.
(2) The Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the third month next following that in which the exchange of instruments of ratification takes place and its provisions shall have effect in respect of taxes on income and on capital for any fiscal year beginning after December 31 in the calendar year in which the exchange of instruments of ratification takes place.
(3) On the date of entry into force of this Convention the Agreement between Yugoslavia and Switzerland on bilateral abolition of taxation of enterprises executing naval or air transport concluded with exchange of notes in Belgrade on 4 November and 29 December 1964 shall, in relation between the Republic of Slovenia and Switzerland, be terminated.
Article 29
Termination
This Convention shall remain in force until terminated by a Contracting State. Either Contracting State may terminate the Convention, through diplomatic channels, by giving notice of termination at least six months before the end of any calendar year. In such event, the Convention shall cease to have effect in respect of taxes on income and on capital for any fiscal year beginning on or after the first day of January in the calendar year next following that in which such notice has been given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, duly authorized thereto, have signed this Convention.
DONE in duplicate at Ljubljana this 12 June 1996, in the Slovenian, German and English languages, all the texts being equally authentic. In case there is any divergence of interpretation between the Slovenian and the German texts, the English text shall prevail.
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