Overview of Exchange of Information on Request
The exchange of information (“EOI”) is the cross-border sharing of information for tax purposes between tax administrations to detect and prevent tax evasion, to ensure the correct application of a jurisdiction’s domestic tax legislation and avoidance of double taxation agreements and to foster domestic tax compliance.
Singapore endorses the internationally agreed Standard of exchange of information for tax purposes (also known as the “EOI Standard”). In April 2013, the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes ("GFTEI") affirmed through a peer review process that Singapore’s EOI regime is in line with the EOI Standard, both in terms of legal framework and implementation.
Singapore’s DTA and EOI Arrangements contain provisions for the exchange of information for tax purposes. Singapore is also a signatory of the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. Singapore’s EOI partners may make a request for information for tax purposes to the Competent Authority, Exchange of Information Branch, International Tax and Relations Division
Singapore's EOI Partners seeking to make an EOI request to Singapore
In assessing whether an EOI request is valid and meets the EOI Standard, IRAS will rely on the Commentary on Article 26 (Exchange of Information) of the OECD Model Tax Convention and the Commentary to the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters on the interpretation and application of the EOI provisions. The Court of Appeal has also laid out the principles for EOI administration in Singapore.
IRAS will render EOI assistance only for clear, specific and legitimate requests that meet the EOI Standard and requirements in the Eighth Schedule of the Singapore Income Tax Act (PDF, 6KB). Persons who are subjects of EOI requests may make representations to IRAS to highlight any issues with specific requests, which IRAS will take into account when evaluating the requests. IRAS will make clarifications as appropriate.
How to make an EOI request to Singapore
Singapore's EOI partners requesting for information will be required to provide information as specified in the Eighth Schedule of the Singapore Income Tax Act (PDF, 6KB) and are encouraged to use Singapore’s EOI format (DOC, 1.3MB) when making the request to ensure information can be provided in a timely manner.
Singapore's EOI partners are strongly encouraged to send their requests to us via email at this link. This will enable us to attend to the requests more promptly. For confidentiality, please encrypt the information request package using Winzip or PGP and provide us with the password in a separate email.