Principal and main purpose tests in tax treaties: a UK tribunal approach

The recent decision in Burlington Loan Management DAC v HMRC shows the difficulty in determining when parties have a main purpose of obtaining the benefit of a double tax treaty and indeed, which parties’ purposes are relevant. Despite the fact that this case was determined on the basis of UK tax case law, it is likely that an international fiscal meaning of “principal purpose” will develop over time. The UK tribunal decision shows the complexity of assessing whose purposes are relevant and what, on the basis of the evidence, those purposes actually were. This raises important considerations for taxpayers determining whether treaty benefits are available.