Direct Tax Avoidance Agreements

Spain

Article 27 : Mutual agreement procedure

1. Where a resident of a Contracting State considers that the actions of one or both of the Contracting States result or will result for him in taxation not in accordance with this Convention, he may, not withstanding the remedies provided by the national laws 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 26, 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 an appropriate 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 not in accordance with the Convention.  Any agreement reached shall be implemented notwithstanding any time limits in the national laws of the Contracting States.

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.  The competent authorities shall also, by mutual agreement, develop appropriate actions, methods and techniques to improve the exchange of information carried out under Article 28 of this 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 it seems advisable in order to reach agreement to have an oral exchange of opinions, such exchange may take place through a Commission consisting of representatives of the competent authorities of the Contracting States.