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Welcome !

This intensive programme of EUCOTAX (European Universities COoperating on TAXes) is based on the desire of the participating universities (Barcelona, Budapest, Leuven, London, Paris, Rome, Uppsala, Tilburg, Osnabrück, Vienna and Washington) to set up a permanent structure in order to stimulate the instruction in and research on European aspects of Tax law. In this programme both students and researches contribute.

Therefore, this programme provides for both an intensive instructional part as well as a joint scientific publication by the researches. The European Union has awarded to the Eucotax-Wintercourse in 1994/1995, 1995/1996, 1996/1997, 1997/1998, 1998/1999, 1999/2000, 2000/2001, 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 an Eurasmus subvension, which emphasizes the European Dimension of the project.

The subject area of the Wintercourse has always been "The European Harmonization of Tax Law". Each year there is a different theme that will be explored and studied. This year the main theme is "The Limits to Tax Planning, Minimizing Taxes and Corporate Social Responsibility". The seminar will be held in Barcelona from 14 to 23 April 2009, this is where the students and researchers will interact and discuss the various subparts of this main theme:

1. General anti-avoidance rules and doctriness (E.g., sham transactions, abuse of law, abuse de droit, fraus legi, substance over form);
2. Anti-base erosion rules (E.g., earnings stripping rules, limitation of interest deductions and exit taxes (personal and corporate income tax));
3. Treaty shopping (E.g., limitation on benefits, beneficial owner, rent a star company, real estate company);
4. Anti-deferral rules (E.g., CFC/subpart-F rules, switch-over clauses);
5. Implementation of EC Directives' anti-avoidance rules (a. Parent-Subsidiary Directive, b. Merger Directive, c. Interest & Royalty Directive, d. Interest on Savings Directive*);
6. Disclosure rules (E.g., disclosure of tax risks (including, ethical issues, disclosure of tax claims in financial accounts, disclosure of aggressive tax planning structures to the tax administration), money laundering, burden of proof, patented tax planning structures).

* US students will focus on the anti-avoidance rules of the directives and the implementation of US federal anti-avoidance rules in state taxes.