DTC agreement between Turkey and Switzerland

8/3/2019 DTC agreement between Turkey and Switzerland

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Article 1PERSONS COVERED

This Agreement shall apply to persons who are residents of one or both of the

Contracting States.

Article 2TAXES COVERED

1. This Agreement shall apply to taxes on income imposed on behalf of aContracting State or of its political subdivisions or local authorities, irrespective of themanner in which they are levied.

2. There shall be regarded as taxes on income all ordinary and extraordinary taxesimposed on total income, or on elements of income, including taxes on gains fromthe 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 Agreement shall apply are, in particular:

a) in Switzerland:

the federal, cantonal and communal taxes on income (total income, earnedincome, income from capital, industrial and commercial profits, capital gainsand other items of income)

(hereinafter referred to as "Swiss tax");

b) in Turkey:

i) the income tax;

ii) the corporation tax;

(hereinafter referred to as "Turkish tax").

4. The Agreement shall apply also to any identical or substantially similar taxeswhich are imposed after the date of signature of the Agreement in addition to, or in


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place of, the existing taxes. The competent authorities of the Contracting States shallnotify each other of any substantial changes which have been made in their respective taxation laws.

5. The Agreement shall not apply to taxes levied by either Contracting State onwagering, gambling or lottery winnings.

Article 3GENERAL DEFINITIONS

1. For the purposes of this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires:

a) i) the term "Switzerland" means the Swiss Confederation;

ii) the term "Turkey" means the territory of the Republic of Turkey, theterritorial sea, as well as the maritime areas over which it has exclusive

jurisdiction or sovereign rights for the purposes of exploitation andconservation of natural resources in accordance with international law;

b) the terms "a Contracting State" and "the other Contracting State" meanSwitzerland or Turkey as the context requires;

c) the term "tax" means any tax covered by Article 2 of this Agreement;

d) the term "person" includes an individual, a company and any other body of persons;

e) the term "company" means any body corporate or any entity which is treated

as a body corporate for tax purposes;

f) the term "head office" (registered office) means the head office registeredunder the Swiss Code of Obligations or the legal head office registered under the Turkish Code of Commerce;

g) the term "national" means,

i) any individual possessing the nationality of a Contracting State;


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ii) any legal person, partnership or association deriving its status as such fromthe laws in force in a Contracting State;

h) 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;

i) the term "competent authority" means:

i) in Switzerland, the Director of the Federal Tax Administration or hisauthorised representative;

ii) in Turkey, the Minister of Finance or his authorised representative;

j) the term "international traffic" means any transport by a ship, an aircraft or aroad vehicle operated by an enterprise of a Contracting State, except whenthe ship or the aircraft or road vehicle is operated solely between placessituated in the other Contracting State.

2. As regards the application of the Agreement at any time by a Contracting State,any term not defined therein shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have themeaning that it has at that time under the law of that State for the purposes of thetaxes to which the Agreement applies, any meaning under the applicable tax laws of that State prevailing over a meaning given to the term under other laws of that State.

Article 4RESIDENT

1. For the purposes of this Agreement, the term "resident of a Contracting State"means any person who, under the laws of that State, is liable to tax therein byreason of his domicile, residence, head office (registered office), place of management or any other criterion of a similar nature, and also includes that Stateand any political subdivision or local authority thereof.

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:


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a) he shall be deemed to be a resident only of the State in which he has apermanent home available to him; if he has a permanent home available tohim in both States, he shall be deemed to be a resident only of the State withwhich his personal and economic relations are closer (centre of vital interests);

b) if the State in which he has his centre of vital interests cannot be determined,or if he has not a permanent home available to him in either State, he shall bedeemed to be a resident only 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 bedeemed to be a resident only of the State of which he is a national;

d) if he is a national of both States or of neither of them, the competentauthorities of the Contracting States shall settle the question by mutualagreement.

3. Where by reason of the provisions of paragraph 1 a person other than anindividual is a resident of both Contracting States, then it shall be deemed to be aresident only of the State in which its place of effective management is situated.

Article 5PERMANENT ESTABLISHMENT

1. For the purposes of this Agreement, the term "permanent establishment" meansa 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;


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f) a mine, an oil or gas well, a quarry or any other place of extraction of naturalresources.

3. The term "permanent establishment" also encompasses:

a) a building site, a construction, assembly or installation project or supervisoryactivities in connection therewith but only if such site project or activities lastmore than six months;

b) the furnishing of services, including consultancy services, by an enterprisethrough employees or other personnel engaged by the enterprise for suchpurpose, but only if activities of that nature continue (for the same or aconnected project) within a Contracting State for a period or periodsaggregating more than six months within any twelve-month period.

4. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Article, the term "permanentestablishment" 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 theenterprise solely for the purpose of storage, display or delivery;

c) the maintenance of a stock of goods or merchandise belonging to theenterprise 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 for similar activities which have a preparatory or auxiliary character, for the enterprise;

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 apreparatory or auxiliary character.


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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 onbehalf of an enterprise and has, and habitually exercises, in a Contracting State anauthority 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 activitieswhich that person undertakes for the enterprise, unless the activities of such personare limited to those mentioned in paragraph 4 which, if exercised through a fixedplace of business, would not make this fixed place of business a permanentestablishment under the provisions of that paragraph.

6. An enterprise shall not be deemed to have a permanent establishment in aContracting State merely because it carries on business in that State through abroker, 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 iscontrolled by a company which is a resident of the other Contracting State, or whichcarries on business in that other State (whether through a permanent establishmentor otherwise), shall not of itself constitute either company a permanent establishmentof the other.

Article 6INCOME FROM IMMOVABLE PROPERTY

1. Income derived by a resident of a Contracting State from immovable property(including income from agriculture and forestry) situated in the other ContractingState may be taxed in that other State.

2. The term "immovable property" shall have the meaning which it has under thelaw of the Contracting State in which the property in question is situated. The termshall in any case include property accessory to immovable property, livestock andequipment used in agriculture and forestry, fishing places of every kind, rights towhich the provisions of general law respecting landed property apply, usufruct of immovable property and rights to variable or fixed payments as consideration for theworking of, or the right to work, mineral deposits, sources and other naturalresources; ships, aircraft and road vehicles shall not be regarded as immovable

property.


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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 usedfor the performance of independent personal services.

Article 7BUSINESS PROFITS

1. The profits of an enterprise of a Contracting State shall be taxable only in thatState unless the enterprise carries on business in the other Contracting Statethrough a permanent establishment situated therein. If the enterprise carries onbusiness as aforesaid, the profits of the enterprise may be taxed in the other Statebut 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 ContractingState carries on business in the other Contracting State through a permanentestablishment situated therein, there shall in each Contracting State be attributed tothat permanent establishment the profits which it might be expected to make if itwere a distinct and separate enterprise engaged in the same or similar activitiesunder the same or similar conditions and dealing wholly independently with theenterprise of which it is a permanent establishment.

3. In determining the profits of a permanent establishment, there shall be allowedas deductions expenses which are incurred for the purposes of the permanentestablishment, including executive and general administrative expenses so incurred,whether in the State in which the permanent establishment is situated or elsewhere.

4. No profits shall be attributed to a permanent establishment by reason of themere purchase by that permanent establishment of goods or merchandise for theenterprise.

5. Where profits include items of income which are dealt with separately in other Articles of this Agreement, then the provisions of those Articles shall not be affectedby the provisions of this Article.


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Article 8SHIPPING, AIR AND ROAD TRANSPORT

1. Profits of an enterprise of a Contracting State derived from the operation of

ships, aircraft or road vehicles in international traffic shall be taxable only in thatState.

2. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall also apply to profits from the participation ina pool, a joint business or an international operating agency.

Article 9ASSOCIATED ENTERPRISES

1. Where

a) an enterprise of a Contracting State participates directly or indirectly in themanagement, control or capital of an enterprise of the other Contracting State,or

b) the same persons participate directly or indirectly in the management, controlor 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 intheir commercial or financial relations which differ from those which would be madebetween independent enterprises, then any profits which would, but for thoseconditions, have accrued to one of the enterprises, but, by reason of thoseconditions, have not so accrued, may be included in the profits of that enterprise and

taxed accordingly.

2. Where a Contracting State includes in the profits of an enterprise of that State and taxes accordingly profits on which an enterprise of the other Contracting Statehas been charged to tax in that other State and the profits so included are profitswhich would have accrued to the enterprise of the first-mentioned State if theconditions made between the two enterprises had been those which would havebeen made between independent enterprises, then the competent authorities of the

Contracting States may consult together with a view to reach an agreement on theadjustments of profits. Where the mutual agreement is reached, the ContractingState concerned shall make the appropriate adjustment.


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3. A Contracting State shall not change the profits of an enterprise in thecircumstances referred to in paragraph 1 after the expiry of the time limits provided inits national laws and, in any case, after five years from the end of the year in which

the profits which would be subject to such change would have accrued to anenterprise of that State.

Article 10DIVIDENDS

1. Dividends paid by a company which is a resident of a Contracting State to aresident 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 beneficial owner of the dividends is a resident of the other Contracting State, the tax so charged shall not exceed:

a) in the case of Switzerland:

(i) 5 per cent of the gross amount of the dividends if the beneficial owner isa company (other than a partnership) which holds directly at least 20 per cent of the capital of the company paying the dividends;

(ii) 15 per cent of the gross amount of the dividends in all other cases;

b) in the case of Turkey:

(i) 5 per cent of the gross amount of the dividends if the beneficial owner isa company (other than a partnership) which holds directly at least 20 per cent of the capital of the company paying the dividends provided that a relief from Swiss tax is granted for such dividends by way of an abatement of theprofits tax in proportion corresponding to the ratio between the earningsfrom participations and the total profits or by way of an equivalent relief;

(ii) 15 per cent of the gross amount of the dividends in all other cases.

This paragraph shall not affect the taxation of the company in respect of theprofi ts out of which the dividends are paid.


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The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall by mutual agreement settlethe mode of application of these limitations.

3. The term "dividends" as used in this Article means income from shares,"jouissance" shares or "jouissance" rights, founders' shares or other rights, notbeing debt-claims, participating in profits, as well as income from other corporaterights which is subjected to the same taxation treatment as income from sharesby the laws of the State of which the company making the distribution is aresident.

4. Profi ts of a company of a Contracting State carrying on business in the

other Contracting State through a permanent establishment situated thereinmay, after having been taxed under Article 7, be taxed on the remaining amountin the Contracting State in which the permanent establishment is situated, but thetax so charged shall not exceed ;

a) in the case of Switzerland, 5 per cent of the remaining amount,

b) in the case of Turkey,

(i) 5 per cent of the remaining amount if the profits of the company areexempted from tax in Switzerland;

(ii) 15 per cent of the remaining amount in all other cases.

5. 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 inthe other Contracting State of which the company paying the dividends is aresident through a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs inthat other State independent personal services from a fixed base situated therein,and the holding in respect of which the dividends are paid is effectively connectedwith such permanent establishment or fixed base. In such case the provisions of

Article 7 or Article 14, as the case may be, shall apply.

6. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 4 of this Article, where a companywhich 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 dividendspaid by the company, except insofar as such dividends are paid to a resident of


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that other State or insofar as the holding in respect of which the dividends arepaid is effectively connected with a permanent establishment or a fixedbase situated in that other State, nor subject the company's undistributedprofits 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 suchother State.

Article 11INTEREST

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 itarises and according to the laws of that State, but if the beneficial owner of theinterest is a resident of the other Contracting State, the tax so charged shall notexceed:

a) 5 per cent of the gross amount of the interest paid in respect of a loan or creditmade, guaranteed or insured for the purposes of promoting export by anEximbank or similar institution, the objective of which is to promote the export;

b) 10 per cent of the gross amount of the interest if the interest is derived by abank;

c) 10 per cent of the gross amount of the interest in all other cases.

The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall by mutual agreement settlethe mode of application of these limitations.

3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2, interest shall be exempted fromtax in the Contracting State in which it arises if it is paid to the other ContractingState or the Central Bank of that other State.

4. The term "interest" as used in this Article means income from Government

securities, bonds or debentures, whether or not secured by mortgage and whether or not carrying a right to participate in profits, and debt-claims of every kind as well as


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all other income assimilated to income from money lent by the taxation law of theState in which the income arises.

5. The provisions of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of

the interest, being a resident of one of the Contracting States, carries on business inthe other Contracting State in which the interest arises, through a permanentestablishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personalservices from a fixed base situated therein, and the debt-claim in respect of whichthe 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.

6. Interest shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting State when the payer is aresident of that State. Where, however, the person paying the interest, whether he isa resident of a Contracting State or not, has in a Contracting State a permanentestablishment or a fixed base in connection with which the indebtedness on whichthe interest is paid was incurred, and such interest is borne by such permanentestablishment or fixed base, then such interest shall be deemed to arise in the Statein which the permanent establishment or fixed base is situated.

7. Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficialowner 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 wouldhave 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-mentionedamount. In such case, the excess part of the payments shall remain taxableaccording to the laws of each Contracting State, due regard being had to the other provisions of this Agreement.

Article 12ROYALTIES

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 theyarise and according to the laws of that State, but if the beneficial owner of the


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royalties is a resident of the other Contracting State, the tax so charged shall notexceed 10 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 these limitations.

3. The term "royalties" as used in this Article means payments of any kind receivedas a consideration for the use of, or the right to use, any copyright of literary, artisticor scientific work including cinematograph films and recordings for radio or television,any patent, trade mark, design or model, plan, secret formula or process, or for information concerning industrial, commercial or scientific experience, or for the useof, or the right to use, industrial, commercial, or scientific equipment.

4. The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply if the beneficial owner of the royalties, being a resident of one of the Contracting States, carries on business inthe other Contracting State in which the royalties arise, through a permanentestablishment situated therein, or performs in that other State independent personalservices from a fixed base situated therein, and the right or property in respect of which the royalties are paid is effectively connected with such permanentestablishment or fixed base. In such case the provisions of Article 7 or Article 14, asthe case may be, shall apply.

5. Royalties shall be deemed to arise in a Contracting State when the payer is aresident of that State. Where, however, the person paying the royalties, whether heis a resident of a Contracting State or not, has in a Contracting State a permanentestablishment or a fixed base in connection with which the right or property givingrise to the royalties is effectively connected, and such royalties are borne by suchpermanent establishment or fixed base then such royalties shall be deemed to arisein the Contracting State in which the permanent establishment or fixed base is

situated.

6. Where, by reason of a special relationship between the payer and the beneficialowner 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 theamount 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 tothe 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 beinghad to the other provisions of this Agreement.


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Article 13CAPITAL 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 Statemay be taxed in that other State.

2. Gains from the alienation of movable property forming part of the businessproperty of a permanent establishment which an enterprise of a Contracting Statehas in the other Contracting State, or of movable property pertaining to a fixed baseavailable to a resident of a Contracting State in the other Contracting State for thepurpose of performing independent personal services, including such gains from thealienation 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, aircraft or road vehicles operated ininternational traffic, or movable property pertaining to the operation of such ships,aircraft or road vehicles, shall be taxable only in the Contracting State in which theenterprise is resident.

4. Gains from the alienation of any property other than that referred to inparagraphs 1, 2 and 3 shall be taxable only in the Contracting State of which thealienator is a resident. However, the capital gains mentioned in the foregoingsentence and derived from the other Contracting State, shall be taxable in the other Contracting State if the time period between acquisition and alienation does notexceed one year.

Article 14INDEPENDENT PERSONAL SERVICES

1. Income derived by an individual who is a resident of one of the ContractingStates in respect of professional services or other activities of an independentcharacter shall be taxable only in that State. However such income may also betaxed in the other Contracting State if such services or activities are performed inthat other State and if:

a) he has a fixed base regularly available to him in that other State for thepurpose of performing those services or activities; or


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b) he is present in that other State for the purpose of performing those servicesor activities for a period or periods amounting in the aggregate to 183 days or more in any continuous period of 12 months.

In such circumstances, only so much of the income as is attributable to that fixedbase or is derived from the services or activities performed during his presence inthat other State, as the case may be, may be taxed in that other State.

2. The term "professional services" includes especially independent scientific,literary, artistic, educational or teaching activities as well as the independentactivities of physicians, lawyers, engineers, architects, dentists and accountants, andother activities requiring specific professional skill.

Article 15DEPENDENT PERSONAL SERVICES

1. Subject to the provisions of Articles 16, 18, 19 and 20, salaries, wages and other similar remuneration derived by a resident of a Contracting State in respect of anemployment shall be taxable only in that State unless the employment is exercised inthe other Contracting State. If the employment is so exercised, such remuneration asis derived therefrom may be taxed in that other State.

2. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1, remuneration derived by aresident 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 residentof the other State, and

c) the remuneration is not borne by a permanent establishment or a fixed basewhich the employer has in the other State.

3. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Article, remuneration derived inrespect of an employment exercised aboard a ship, an aircraft or road vehicle


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operated in international traffic, may be taxed in the Contracting State in which theenterprise is resident.

Article 16DIRECTORS' FEES

Directors' fees and other similar payments derived by a resident of a ContractingState in his capacity as a member of the board of directors of a company which is aresident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State.

Article 17ARTISTES AND SPORTSMEN

1. Notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 14 and 15, income derived by aresident of a Contracting State as an entertainer, such as a theatre, motion picture,radio or television artiste, or a musician, or as a sportsman, from his personalactivities 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 asportsman in his capacity as such accrues not to the entertainer or sportsmanhimself 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 theentertainer or sportsman are exercised.

3. The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply to remuneration or profits,salaries, wages and similar income derived from activities performed in a ContractingState by entertainers or sportsmen if their visit to that State is substantially supportedfrom the public funds of the other Contracting State, a political subdivision or a local

authority thereof.

Article 18PENSIONS

1. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 19, pensions and other similar remuneration paid to a resident of a Contracting State in consideration of pastemployment and annuities as defined in paragraph 2 of this Article shall be taxableonly in that State.


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2. The term "annuity" means a stated sum payable periodically at stated timesduring life or during a specified or ascertainable period of time under an obligation tomake the payments in return for adequate and full consideration in money or money's worth.

Article 19GOVERNMENT SERVICES

1. Remuneration, including pensions, paid by, or out of funds created by, aContracting State or a political subdivision or a local authority thereof to an individualin respect of services rendered to that State or subdivision or local authority thereof in the discharge of functions of a governmental nature shall be taxable only in thatState.

2. The provisions of Articles 15, 16, 17 and 18 shall apply to remuneration or pensions in respect of services rendered in connection with any trade or businesscarried on by one of the Contracting States or a political subdivision or a localauthority thereof.

Article 20STUDENTS

1. Payments which a student or business apprentice who is or was immediatelybefore visiting one of the Contracting States a resident of the other Contracting Stateand who is present in the first-mentioned State solely for the purpose of hiseducation 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 notcovered by paragraph 1, a student or business apprentice described in paragraph 1shall, in addition, be entitled during such education or training to the sameexemptions, reliefs or reductions in respect of taxes available to residents of theState which he is visiting.


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Article 21OTHER INCOME

1. Items of income of a resident of a Contracting State, wherever arising, not dealtwith in the foregoing Articles of this Agreement shall be taxable only in that State.

2. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall not apply to income, other than income fromimmovable property as defined in paragraph 2 of Article 6, if the recipient of suchincome, being a resident of a Contracting State, carries on business in the other Contracting State through a permanent establishment situated therein, or performs inthat 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 effectivelyconnected with such permanent establishment or fixed base. In such case theprovisions of Article 7 or Article 14, as the case may be, shall apply.

Article 22ELIMINATION OF DOUBLE TAXATION

1. Double taxation for the residents of Switzerland shall be eliminated as follows:

a) Where a resident of Switzerland derives income which, in accordance with theprovisions of this Agreement, may be taxed in Turkey, Switzerland shall,subject to the provisions of sub-paragraph b), exempt such income from tax butmay, in calculating tax on the remaining income, of that resident, apply the rateof tax which would have been applicable if the exempted income had not beenso exempted; provided however, that such exemption shall apply to gainsreferred to in the second sentence of paragraph 4 of Article 13 only if actual

taxation of such gains in Turkey is demonstrated.

b) Where a resident of Switzerland derives dividends, interest or royalties which,in accordance with the provisions of Articles 10, 11 and 12, may be taxed inTurkey, Switzerland shall allow, upon request, a relief to such resident. Therelief may consist of

i) a deduction from the Swiss tax on the income of that resident of an amount

equal to the tax levied in Turkey in accordance with the provisions of Articles 10, 11 and 12, such deduction shall not, however, exceed that part


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of Swiss tax, as computed before the deduction is given, which isattributable to such items of income which may be taxed in Turkey; or

ii) a lump sum deduction of the Swiss tax determined by standardised formula

which have regard to the general principles of the relief referred to in sub-paragraph (i) above;

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 Turkeyfrom the gross amount of the dividends, interest or royalties.

Switzerland shall determine the applicable relief and regulate the procedure inaccordance with the Swiss provisions relating to the carrying out of internationalconventions of the Swiss Confederation for the avoidance of double taxation.

c) Where a resident of Switzerland derives interest or royalties which, inaccordance with the provisions of Turkish Laws and Decrees, are exempt fromTurkish tax or taxed at a rate lower than the rate provided for in paragraph 2 of

Article 11, or paragraph 2 of Article 12, respectively, then the amount of the taxlevied in Turkey on such interest and royalties shall be deemed to have beenpaid at the rate of;

i) 5% in case of interest payments mentioned in Article 11;

ii) 5% in case of leasing payments and 10% for all other royalties mentioned in Article 12.

The provisions of this sub-paragraph shall apply only for the first 5 years for whichthis Agreement is effective.

2. Double taxation for the residents of Turkey shall be eliminated as follows:

a) Subject to the provisions of the laws of Turkey regarding the allowance as acredit against Turkish tax of tax payable in a territory outside Turkey (as theymay be amended from time to time without changing the general principleshereof), Swiss tax payable under the laws of Switzerland and in accordancewith this Agreement in respect of income (including profits and chargeable

gains) derived by a resident of Turkey from sources within Switzerland shall beallowed as a deduction from the Turkish tax on such income. Such deduction,


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however, shall not exceed the amount of Turkish tax, as computed before thededuction is made, attributable to such income;

b) Where in accordance with any provision of the Agreement income derived by a

resident of Turkey is exempt from tax in Turkey, Turkey may nevertheless, incalculating the amount of tax on the remaining income of such resident, takeinto account the exempted income.

Article 23NON-DISCRIMINATION

1. Nationals of a Contracting State shall not be subjected in the other ContractingState to any taxation or any requirement connected therewith, which is other or moreburdensome than the taxation and connected requirements to which nationals of thatother 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. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 4 of Article 10, the taxation on apermanent 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 thetaxation levied on enterprises of that other State carrying on the same activities.

3. Enterprises of a Contracting State, the capital of which is wholly or partly ownedor controlled, directly or indirectly, by one or more residents of the other ContractingState, shall not be subjected in the first-mentioned State to any taxation or anyrequirement connected therewith which is other or more burdensome than thetaxation and connected requirements to which other similar enterprises of the first-

mentioned State are or may be subjected.

4. Except where the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 9, paragraph 7 of Article11, or paragraph 6 of Article 12, apply, interest, royalties and other disbursementspaid by an enterprise of a Contracting State to a resident of the other ContractingState shall, for the purpose of determining the taxable profits of such enterprise, bedeductible under the same conditions as if they had been paid to a resident of thefirst-mentioned State.

5. These provisions shall not be construed as obliging a Contracting State to grantto residents of the other Contracting State any personal allowances, reliefs and


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Article 25EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION

1. The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall exchange such

information as is foreseeably relevant for carrying out the provisions of this

Agreement or to the administration or enforcement of the domestic laws concerning

taxes covered by this Agreement insofar as the taxation thereunder is not contrary to

the Agreement. The exchange of information is not restricted by Article 1.

2. Any information received under paragraph 1 by a Contracting State shall be

treated as secret in the same manner as information obtained under the domestic

laws of that State and shall be disclosed only to persons or authorities (including

courts and administrative bodies) concerned with the assessment or collection of, the

enforcement or prosecution in respect of, or the determination of appeals in relation

to the taxes referred to in paragraph 1. Such persons or authorities shall use the

information only for such purposes. They may disclose the information in public courtproceedings or in judicial decisions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, information

received by a Contracting State may be used for other purposes when such

information may be used for such other purposes under the laws of both States and

the competent authority of the supplying State authorises such use.

3. In no case shall the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 be construed so as to

impose on a Contracting State the obligation:

a) to carry out administrative measures at variance with the laws and

administrative practice of that or of the other Contracting State;

b) to supply information which is not obtainable under the laws or in the normal

course of the administration of that or of the other Contracting State;


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c) to supply information which would disclose any trade, business, industrial,

commercial or professional secret or trade process, or information the

disclosure of which would be contrary to public policy (ordre public).

4. If information is requested by a Contracting State in accordance with this Article,

the other Contracting State shall use its information gathering measures to obtain the

requested information, even though that other State may not need such information

for its own tax purposes. The obligation contained in the preceding sentence is

subject to the limitations of paragraph 3 but in no case shall such limitations be

construed to permit a Contracting State to decline to supply information solely

because it has no domestic interest in such information.

5. In no case shall the provisions of paragraph 3 be construed to permit a

Contracting State to decline to supply information solely because the information is

held by a bank, other financial institution, nominee or person acting in an agency or a

fiduciary capacity or because it relates to ownership interests in a person. In order to

obtain such information, the tax authorities of the requested Contracting State shall,

therefore, have the power to enforce the disclosure of information covered by this

paragraph, notwithstanding paragraph 3 or any contrary provisions in its domestic

laws.

Article 26MEMBERS OF DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS AND CONSULAR POSTS

1. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect the fiscal privileges of members of diplomatic missions or consular posts under the general rules of international law or under the provisions of special agreements.

2. 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 ContractingState or in a third State shall be deemed for the purposes of the Agreement to be aresident of the sending State if he is liable in the sending State to the sameobligations in relation to tax on his total income as are residents of that State.


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3. The Agreement shall not apply to international organizations, 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 andnot treated in either Contracting State as residents in respect of taxes on income.

Article 27ENTRY INTO FORCE

1. This Agreement shall be ratified and the instruments of ratification shall beexchanged as soon as possible.

2. The Agreement shall enter into force upon the exchange of instruments of ratification and its provisions shall have effect for taxes with respect to every taxableyear beginning on or after the first day of January of the year following that of entryinto force of the Agreement.

3. The agreement between the Swiss Federal Council and the Government of theRepublic of Turkey for the avoidance of double taxation on income derived from air transport, concluded by exchange of letters dated 29 June 1990, shall be suspendedand shall not have effect as long as the provisions of this Agreement shall beapplicable.

Article 28TERMINATION

This Agreement shall remain in force until terminated by a Contracting State. Either

Contracting State may terminate the Agreement, through diplomatic channels, bygiving notice of termination at least six months before the end of any calendar year.In such event, the Agreement shall cease to have effect for taxes with respect toevery taxable year beginning on or after the first day of January of the year followingthat in which the notice of termination is given.


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IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned duly authorised thereto, have signed this Agreement.

Done in duplicate at Berne, this 18th

day of June 2010, in the French, Turkish, andEnglish languages, all three texts being equally authentic. In case of any divergencebetween the texts, the English text shall prevail.

For the Swiss Federal Council: For the Government of the Republic of Turkey:

Hans-Rudolf MERZMinister of Finance

Mehmet MEKMinister of Finance


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P R O T O C O L

At the moment of signing the Agreement between the Swiss Confederation and theRepublic of Turkey for the avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes onincome, the undersigned have agreed upon the following provisions which shallconstitute an integral part of the Agreement.

1. With reference to Article 4

For the purpose of paragraph 3 of Article 4, "place of effective management" meansthe place where substantial business activities are carried on and the managementand control of the business is exercised.


In respect of paragraph 3 of Article 10, it is understood that the dividends in the caseof Turkey shall also include the income from investment funds and investment trusts.

3. With reference to Article 11, paragraph 2 (c)

Notwithstanding the rate provided for in paragraph 2(c), the Contracting States maylevy, according to their internal law, a tax up to the rate of 15 %.

4. With reference to Articles 12 and 13

In respect of Articles 12 and 13, it is understood that in the case of any paymentreceived as a consideration for the sale of a property covered by paragraph 3 of

Article 12, the provisions of Article 13 shall apply, unless it is proved that thepayment in question is not a payment for genuine alienation of the said property. Insuch case the provisions of Article 12 shall apply.


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5. With reference to Articles 18 and 19

It is understood that the term "pensions" as used in Articles 18 and 19, respectively,does not only cover periodic payments, but also includes lump-sum payments.


a) It is understood that an exchange of information will only be requested once the

requesting Contracting State has exhausted all regular sources of information

available under the internal taxation procedure.

b) It is understood that the tax authorities of the requesting State shall provide thefollowing information to the tax authorities of the requested State when making a

request for information under Article 25 of the Agreement:

(i) the name and address of the person(s) under examination or investigation

and, if available, other particulars facilitating that persons identification,

such as date of birth, marital status, tax identification number;

(ii) the period of time for which the information is requested;

(iii) a statement of the information sought including its nature and the form in

which the requesting State wishes to receive the information from the

requested State;

(iv) the tax purpose for which the information is sought;

(v) the name and address of any person believed to be in possession of the

requested information.

c) It is understood that the standard of foreseeable relevance is intended to

provide for exchange of information in tax matters to the widest possible extent

and, at the same time, to clarify that the Contracting States are not at liberty to

engage in fishing expeditions or to request information that is unlikely to be

relevant to the tax affairs of a given taxpayer. While paragraph 6(b) contains

important procedural requirements that are intended to ensure that fishing

expeditions do not occur, subparagraphs (i) through (v) of paragraph 6(b)

nevertheless are to be interpreted in order not to frustrate effective exchange of

information.


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d) It is further understood that Article 25 of the Agreement shall not commit the

Contracting States to exchange information on an automatic or a spontaneous

basis.

e) It is understood that in case of an exchange of information, the administrative

procedural rules regarding taxpayers rights provided for in the requested

Contracting State remain applicable before the information is transmitted to the

requesting Contracting State. It is further understood that this provision aims at

guaranteeing the taxpayer a fair procedure and not at preventing or unduly

delaying the exchange of information process.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned duly authorised thereto, have signed thisProtocol.

Done in duplicate at Berne, this 18 th day of June 2010, in the French, Turkish, andEnglish languages, all three texts being equally authentic. In case of any divergencebetween the texts, the English text shall prevail.

For the Swiss Federal Council: For the Government of the Republic of Turkey:

Hans-Rudolf MERZMinister of Finance

Mehmet MEKMinister of Finance

Documents

DTC agreement between Turkey and Switzerland