Page 11 - CEE Tax Guide 2024
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Bosnia and Herzegovina  VAT options in                        Personal income tax / Social security system
            Bosnia and             Applicable / limits         In the FBiH, personal income is taxed at a flat rate of 10%,
            Herzegovina
                                                               and is applicable for active income (e.g. employment,
            Distance selling                No                 assignment fees) and passive income (interest, real estate

 Mazars BH d.o.o.   Call-off stock          ü                  rental, etc.). Dividends are not taxable in the BiH. In the
                                                               FBiH, the lowest permitted monthly salary is BAM 619 (EUR
 Bulevar Meše Selimovića 17a  VAT group registration   No      317) net (for the period 1.1. - 31.12.2024).
 71000 Sarajevo,    Cash accounting – yearly                   In the RS, personal income is taxed at a rate of 8%,
 Bosnia and Herzegovina  amount in EUR (approx.)  No           assignment fees at a rate of 13%, and all other passive
 Phone: (00387) 33 265 800                                     income at a rate of 10% (interest, real estate rental, etc.).
 Fax: (00387) 33 444 951  Import VAT deferment   No            The lowest salary permitted is determined as a net amount;
            Local reverse charge            ü                  for 2024, this amounts to BAM 900 (EUR 460).
            Option for taxation                                In the RS, employees contribute 31% of the gross salary.
                letting of real estate       ü                 In the FBiH, employer contributions are set at 10.5% and
                                                               employee contributions at 31% of the gross salary.
 Corporate taxes and other direct taxes     of M&A transactions. In FBiH, interest expenses taken   supply of used real estate   No
 from related parties are tax deductible in a debt/equity   VAT registration threshold  approx. EUR 51,113/year
 It is important to note that Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)   ratio of 4:1 (thin cap rule). In the RS, interest expenses are
 is divided into three tax jurisdictions: the Federation of BiH   not recognized for the amount of net interest expenses   the conditions and manner in which VAT refunds for
 (FBiH), the Republika Srpska (RS) and Brčko District (BD).   that exceed 30% of the tax base (without financial items).   VAT paid by non-residents in BiH can be claimed (i.e.
 For simplicity’s sake, we will focus on the RS and FBiH.  In the RS, R&D costs are recognized in line with IAS. In the   there is separate form to be completed that must
 CIT is set at a flat rate of 10%. A company in the FBiH/  FBiH and BD, R&D costs are recognized.  be accompanied by supporting documentation (originals
 RS is considered resident if it is registered as a legal   Profit on dividends is not included in the calculation of the   of invoices)).
 entity in the relevant jurisdiction, or in case its activities   tax base. In the FBiH, taxpayers who invest their own   Both custom duties and excise duties on goods imported
 in BiH, qualifies as PE. Losses can be carried forward for   resources in production equipment to a value exceeding   into BiH constitute types of indirect taxation in BiH.
 up to 5 years in all tax jurisdictions. Loss carryback is not   50% of the profit for the current tax period see a reduction
 permitted. There are no special limitations in the case
 in corporate income tax liabilities for 30% of the amount   Wage related taxes in
 for the year of the investment.                             Minimum wage in FBiH      Minimum wage in the RS
 Transfer pricing in Bosnia and Herzegovina  Any taxpayer who invests more than 20 million in BAM   Bosnia and Herzegoniva
 Arm's length principle   ü  Since 1998  (EUR 10.2 million) over five consecutive years (minimum   Exchange rate BAM/EUR                                                     1.95  in EUR  in BAM  in EUR  in BAM
 investment in the first year is equal to 4 million BAM           485          949           688         1.345
 Necessary. Prescribed in the
 Documentation liability  ü  transfer pricing documentation.  (EUR 2.04 million) reduces its CIT liability by 50% of the
 investment in each of the 5 years.  Total wage cost               536     110.50%            688     100.00%
 APA  No  –  The withholding tax rate for dividends amounts to 5%   Employer's SS and other contributions   51  10.50%   -   0.00%
 Annual consolidated group   in the FBiH unless a DTT applies (currently, there are
 Country-by-Country   revenue equal to or exceeding   around 38 active DTT’s). Interests, royalties, and technical   Gross salary   485  110.00%   688  100.00%
 liability  ü  EUR 750 million in the   Employees' contributions   150      31.00%            213      31.00%
 previous year.  fees paid by a BiH company to a foreign company are
 Master file-local file   Deadline 45 FBiH/30 RS days   subject to withholdings at a rate of 10%. In the RS, there   Personal income tax*   18  3.74%   14  2.05%
 (OECD BEPS 13)   ü  from the request made by the tax   is a flat-rate withholding tax (10%) on all payments   Net salary   317  65.26%   460  65.23%
 applicable  administration.  to foreign legal persons in which there is an obligation
 Penalty  to pay withholding tax. The group taxation concept
 RS: EUR 10,226.00-EUR   is allowed in the BiH for a group of resident companies,   Wage related taxes in
 30,678.00 for legal persons and   with a minimum of 90% (FBiH). Moreover, the parent   Bosnia and Herzegovina  Average wage in FBiH  Average wage in the RS
 EUR 2,556.00 – EUR 7,669.00 for   company and its subsidiaries constitute a group
 lack of documentation   ü  responsible person.  Exchange rate BAM/EUR                                                     1.95  in EUR  in BAM  in EUR  in BAM
 FBiH: EUR 1,524.00-EUR 50,867   of companies if they have direct or indirect control over
 for legal persons and EUR   50% or more of the shares or stakes.  1,042     2,037          1,009        1,974
 1,278.00 – EUR 5,113.00 for   In cases of real estate acquisition in the FBiH, the transfer
 responsible person.  Total wage cost                             1,151    110.50%          1,009     100.00%
 tax shortage  No  –  is taxable at the canton level. In the RS, there is no transfer
 Direct or indirect control (25% for   tax, but the owner of the real estate has to pay property tax   Employer's SS and other contributions   109  10.50%   -   0.00%
 FBiH, 25% for RS), or a common   of up to 0.20% of the market value. (Decreased rules for   Gross salary   1,042  110.00%   1,009  100.00%
 > 25%   managing director, or significant   production RE apply).
 Related parties  (25%)  influence on decisions – directly   Employees' contributions   323  31.00%   313  31.00%
 or indirectly in the management,         Personal income tax*      57       5.46%             40       3.95%
 control or capital of the other   VAT and other indirect taxes
 person, etc.  Net salary                                          662      63.54%            657      65.05%
 In FBiH, the safe harbor rate for   The general rate is 17%. There are no reduced rates apart
 support services is 5%. Support   from the 0% rate (mainly for the export of goods). Main   *Tax base differs from the gross salary, deductions apply.
 services include: IT maintenance   VAT-exempt services include banking services, insurance,
 services, accounting and auditing,
 Safe harbors  ü  administration, legal services,   healthcare, etc. Export exemption and exemption for   Pere Mioč
 HR management, training and   deliveries to free zones apply. Specific thresholds are   Partner – Tax Services
 education and tax advisory   as follows.   Mobile: +385 (0)99 736 8746
 services for employees.
 Level of attention paid by Tax   Amendments to the VAT rulebook have been officially   E-mail: pere.mioc@mazars.hr
 Authority   7/10  introduced as of August 2, 2020. The Rulebook prescribes

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