Features Opening the door to overseas charities Figures obtained by BWB suggest that HMRC continues to take a strict approach towards the recognition of European charities for UK tax relief. Bill Lewis and Lucinda Ellen question attracted criticism in its application to UK-based whether the stiff hinges on what charities, which will generally be subject to regulation by the Charity Commission or the charity regulators appeared to be a closed door policy in Scotland or Northern Ireland. Bill Lewis are easing open Consultant However, when applied to a body based outside the T: 020 7551 7689 The Finance Act 2010 UK, these tests seem reasonable. In particular, the
[email protected] The Finance Act 2010 introduced a new regime for government’s desire to impose a management test can be appreciated: it is understandable that when Bill advises on all aspects charitable tax relief in the UK, allowing organisations of taxation affecting in the European Economic Area (EEA) access to the granting tax reliefs to a body that falls outside the charities, including VAT, tax reliefs available to UK charities and Community UK’s jurisdiction, HMRC would wish to be satisfied PAYE, corporation tax Amateur Sports Clubs. This was a direct response to that the body is run by appropriate people, and is and gift aid. rulings of the European Court of Justice in the cases not a vehicle for fraud. of Stauffer and Persche, which together set out the ‘non-discrimination principle’. In summary, the ‘non- In reality, any attempts by overseas charities to register discrimination principle’ is that an EU member state with HMRC have, until now, been largely unsuccessful.