24. Section 37L of the principal Act is amended —(a) | by deleting “2015” in subsections (1) and (1A)(b) and substituting in each case “2020”; | (b) | by inserting, immediately after the words “an acquisition” in subsection (4)(a) and (c), the words “made during the period from 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2015 (both dates inclusive)”; | (c) | by inserting, immediately after the words “paragraph (c)” in subsection (4)(d), the words “and is before 1 April 2016”; | (d) | by inserting, immediately after subsection (4), the following subsections:“(4A) In this section, and subject to the applicable condition in subsection (4B) being met, each of the following is also a qualifying acquisition of ordinary shares in a target company by an acquiring company or an acquiring subsidiary:(a) | an acquisition made during the period from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2020 (both dates inclusive) that results in the acquiring company and its acquiring subsidiaries owning together in total 20% or more but 50% or less of the total number of ordinary shares in the target company, where —(i) | before the date of the acquisition, such total ownership was less than 20% of the total number of ordinary shares in the target company; and | (ii) | the date of the acquisition does not fall in the same basis period of the acquiring company as the date of the acquisition referred to in paragraph (c); |
| (b) | any other acquisition made during the period from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2020 (both dates inclusive) the date of which falls in the same basis period of the acquiring company as that of the acquisition referred to in paragraph (a); | (c) | an acquisition made during the period from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2020 (both dates inclusive) that results in the acquiring company and its acquiring subsidiaries owning together in total more than 50% of the total number of ordinary shares in the target company where, before the date of the acquisition, such total ownership was 50% or less of the total number of ordinary shares in the target company; | (d) | any other acquisition the date of which falls in the same basis period of the acquiring company as that of the acquisition referred to in paragraph (c); | (e) | an acquisition made on or after 1 April 2015 but before 1 April 2016 that results in the acquiring company and its acquiring subsidiaries owning together in total 75% or more of the total number of ordinary shares in the target company where —(i) | before the date of the acquisition, such total ownership was more than 50% but less than 75% of the total number of ordinary shares in the target company; | (ii) | the date of the acquisition does not fall in the same basis period of the acquiring company as the date of the acquisition referred to in paragraph (c); and | (iii) | before 1 April 2015 and not earlier than 12 months before the acquisition, the acquiring company or its acquiring subsidiary had made an acquisition of ordinary shares of any amount in the target company; |
| (f) | any other acquisition the date of which falls in the same basis period of the acquiring company as that of the acquisition referred to in paragraph (e) and is before 1 April 2016. |
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(4B) In subsection (4A), the conditions are —(a) | in the case of paragraphs (a) and (b) of that subsection, at the end of that basis period of the acquiring company, the total ownership of ordinary shares in the target company referred to in paragraph (a) of that subsection is between 20% and 50% (both inclusive); | (b) | in the case of paragraphs (c) and (d) of that subsection, at the end of that basis period of the acquiring company, the total ownership of ordinary shares in the target company referred to in paragraph (c) of that subsection is more than 50%; | (c) | in the case of paragraphs (e) and (f) of that subsection, at the end of that basis period of the acquiring company, the total ownership of ordinary shares in the target company referred to in paragraph (e) of that subsection is 75% or more.”; |
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| (e) | by deleting subsection (5) and substituting the following subsections:“(5) An acquiring company may elect for its qualifying acquisitions to be, instead of those referred to in the provisions in the first column of the following table, acquisitions —(a) | the dates of which fall within a prescribed period; and | (b) | which include an acquisition referred to in the provisions set out opposite in the second column of the table, |
and the provisions of this section apply to the acquisitions so elected subject to such modifications as may be prescribed: |
Original acquisitions under: |
| Elected acquisitions to include an acquisition under: |
| subsection (4)(a) and (b), or subsection (4)(c) and (d) |
| | subsection (4A)(c) and (d), or subsection (4A)(e) and (f) |
| subsection (4A)(c) or (e) |
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(5A) The election under subsection (5) may only be made for acquisitions made during the period from 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2016 (both dates inclusive).”; |
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| (f) | by inserting, immediately after the words “subsection (4)(a) or (c)” in subsection (6), the words “or subsection (4A)(c) or (e), as the case may be,”; | (g) | by inserting, immediately after the words “subsections (11)” in subsection (7), the words “, (11A), (11B)”; | (h) | by inserting, immediately after the words “subsection (8)” in subsection (7)(a), the words “for acquisitions referred to in subsection (4), and the amount specified in subsection (8A) for acquisitions referred to in subsection (4A),”; | (i) | by inserting, immediately after the words “subsection (9)” in subsection (7)(b)(i), the words “for acquisitions referred to in subsection (4), and the amount specified in subsection (9A) for acquisitions referred to in subsection (4A),”; | (j) | by inserting, immediately after the words “subsection (10)” in subsection (7)(b)(ii), the words “for acquisitions referred to in subsection (4), and the amount specified in subsection (10A) for acquisitions referred to in subsection (4A),”; | (k) | by inserting, immediately after the words “subsection (7)(a)” in subsection (8), the words “for an acquisition referred to in subsection (4)”; | (l) | by inserting, immediately after subsection (8), the following subsection:“(8A) Subject to subsections (13) and (19), the amount referred to in subsection (7)(a) for an acquisition referred to in subsection (4A) is to be calculated in accordance with the formula | is the capital expenditure to the extent that it is not contingent consideration or, if it is contingent consideration, is incurred in the same basis period of the acquiring company as that in which the date of the acquisition of the shares falls. |
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”; |
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| (m) | by inserting, immediately after the words “subsection (7)(b)(i)” in subsection (9), the words “for an acquisition referred to in subsection (4)”; | (n) | by inserting, immediately after subsection (9), the following subsection:“(9A) Subject to subsections (13) and (19), the amount referred to in subsection (7)(b)(i) for an acquisition referred to in subsection (4A) is to be calculated in accordance with the formula | is the contingent consideration that is incurred in the basis period of the acquiring company for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th year of assessment, whichever is applicable; and |
| | | | (a) | 2 (where the contingent consideration is incurred in the basis period of the acquiring company for the 2nd year of assessment); |
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| | (b) | 3 (where the contingent consideration is incurred in the basis period of the acquiring company for the 3rd year of assessment); or |
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| | (c) | 4 (where the contingent consideration is incurred in the basis period of the acquiring company for the 4th year of assessment), |
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”; |
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| (o) | by inserting, immediately after the words “subsection (7)(b)(ii)” in subsection (10), the words “for an acquisition referred to in subsection (4)”; | (p) | by inserting, immediately after subsection (10), the following subsection:“(10A) Subject to subsections (13) and (19), the amount referred to in subsection (7)(b)(ii) for an acquisition referred to in subsection (4A) is to be calculated in accordance with the formula | is the contingent consideration that is incurred in the basis period of the acquiring company for the 5th year of assessment or the subsequent year of assessment, whichever is applicable. |
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”; |
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| (q) | by inserting, immediately after subsection (11), the following subsections:“(11A) The following provisions also apply for the purpose of determining the amount of deductions under subsection (7) to be allowed to the acquiring company for all qualifying acquisitions of ordinary shares in one or more target companies whose dates of acquisition fall within one basis period of the acquiring company:(a) | where the sum of the amounts of “A” referred to in subsection (8A) in respect of all such qualifying acquisitions exceeds $20 million, the amount by which the sum exceeds $20 million is to be disregarded for the purposes of the deduction to be allowed under this section; | (b) | where the sum referred to in paragraph (a) does not exceed $20 million but the sum of the following exceeds $20 million:(i) | the sum referred to in paragraph (a); | (ii) | the sum of all contingent consideration in respect of all such qualifying acquisitions incurred in the basis period of the acquiring company for any year of assessment subsequent to the 1st year of assessment and in any earlier year of assessment other than the 1st year of assessment, |
the amount by which the sum of sub‑paragraphs (i) and (ii) exceeds $20 million is to be disregarded for the purposes of the deduction to be allowed under this section. |
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(11B) Despite subsections (11) and (11A), the following provisions apply in determining the amount of deductions under subsection (7) to be allowed to the acquiring company for all qualifying acquisitions of ordinary shares in target companies whose dates of acquisition fall within one basis period of the acquiring company, if the qualifying acquisitions in that basis period include at least one acquisition referred to in subsection (4)(a) or (c), and at least one acquisition referred to in subsection (4A)(a), (c) or (e):(a) | where the sum of the following exceeds $5 million:(i) | the amount determined by the formula “0.05 × A” in subsection (8) in respect of those acquisitions which are acquisitions referred to in subsection (4); | (ii) | the amount determined by the formula “0.25 × A” in subsection (8A) in respect of those acquisitions which are acquisitions referred to in subsection (4A), |
the excess is to be disregarded for the purposes of the deduction to be allowed under this section; |
| (b) | where the sum referred to in paragraph (a) does not exceed $5 million but the sum of the following exceeds $5 million:(i) | the sum referred to in paragraph (a); | (ii) | the amount determined by the formula “0.05 × B” in subsection (9) in respect of those acquisitions which are acquisitions referred to in subsection (4); | (iii) | the amount determined by the formula “0.25 × B” in subsection (9A) in respect of those acquisitions which are acquisitions referred to in subsection (4A); | (iv) | the amount determined by the formula “0.05 × D” in subsection (10) in respect of those acquisitions which are acquisitions referred to in subsection (4); | (v) | the amount determined by the formula “0.25 × D” in subsection (10A) in respect of those acquisitions which are acquisitions referred to in subsection (4A), |
the excess is to be disregarded for the purposes of the deduction to be allowed under this section.”; |
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| (r) | by deleting the words “subsections (8), (9), (10) and (11)” in subsection (12) and substituting the words “subsections (8), (8A), (9), (9A), (10), (10A), (11), (11A) and (11B)”; | (s) | by deleting the words “Notwithstanding subsections (8), (9) and (10), where any amount of “A”, “B” or “D” referred to in subsections (8), (9) and (10), respectively,” in subsection (13) and substituting the words “Despite subsections (8), (8A), (9), (9A), (10) and (10A), where any amount of “A” referred to in subsection (8) or (8A), “B” referred to in subsection (9) or (9A), or “D” referred to in subsection (10) or (10A),”; | (t) | by deleting subsection (16) and substituting the following subsections:“Conditions for deductions |
(16) A deduction under this section for a qualifying acquisition (called the subject acquisition) may be made to an acquiring company for any year of assessment only if —(a) | where the subject acquisition is one referred to in subsection (4)(a) or (c) or (4A)(c) or (e) —(i) | the acquiring company satisfies the conditions in subsection (16A); | (ii) | where the subject acquisition is made by an acquiring subsidiary, the acquiring subsidiary satisfies the conditions in subsection (16B); | (iii) | where the subject acquisition is made by an acquiring subsidiary and, on the date of the acquisition (being a date on or after 17 February 2012), the acquiring subsidiary is indirectly owned by the acquiring company through one or more intermediate companies, every such intermediate company satisfies the conditions in subsection (16C); and | (iv) | the target company, or a subsidiary that is —(A) | if the date of the subject acquisition is before 17 February 2012, wholly owned by the target company directly; or | (B) | if the date of the subject acquisition is on or after 17 February 2012, wholly owned by the target company whether directly or indirectly, |
satisfies the conditions in subsection (16D); |
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| (b) | where the subject acquisition is one referred to in subsection (4)(b) or (d) or (4A)(d) or (f) —(i) | the acquiring company satisfies the conditions in subsection (16A); | (ii) | where the subject acquisition is made by an acquiring subsidiary, the acquiring subsidiary satisfies the conditions in subsection (16B); | (iii) | where the subject acquisition is made by an acquiring subsidiary and, on the date of the acquisition (being a date on or after 17 February 2012), the acquiring subsidiary is indirectly owned by the acquiring company through one or more intermediate companies, every such intermediate company satisfies the conditions in subsection (16C); | (iv) | the target company, or a subsidiary that is —(A) | if the date of the acquisition is before 17 February 2012, wholly owned by the target company directly; or | (B) | if the date of the acquisition is on or after 17 February 2012, wholly owned by the target company whether directly or indirectly, |
satisfies the conditions in subsection (16D); and |
| (v) | the conditions in paragraph (a) are also satisfied in relation to —(A) | where the subject acquisition is one referred to in subsection (4)(b), a qualifying acquisition referred to in subsection (4)(a); | (B) | where the subject acquisition is one referred to in subsection (4)(d), a qualifying acquisition referred to in subsection (4)(c); | (C) | where the subject acquisition is one referred to in subsection (4A)(d), a qualifying acquisition referred to in subsection (4A)(c); or | (D) | where the subject acquisition is one referred to in subsection (4A)(f), a qualifying acquisition referred to in subsection (4A)(e); |
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| (c) | where the subject acquisition is one referred to in subsection (4A)(a) —(i) | the acquiring company satisfies the conditions in subsection (16A); | (ii) | where the subject acquisition is made by an acquiring subsidiary, the acquiring subsidiary satisfies the conditions in subsection (16B); | (iii) | where the subject acquisition is made by an acquiring subsidiary and, on the date of the acquisition, the acquiring subsidiary is indirectly owned by the acquiring company through one or more intermediate companies, every such intermediate company satisfies the conditions in subsection (16C); | (iv) | the target company, or a subsidiary that is wholly owned by the target company whether directly or indirectly, satisfies the conditions in subsection (16D); and | (v) | the conditions prescribed under subsection (16E) are satisfied; and |
| (d) | where the subject acquisition is one referred to in subsection (4A)(b) —(i) | the acquiring company satisfies the conditions in subsection (16A); | (ii) | where the subject acquisition is made by an acquiring subsidiary, the acquiring subsidiary satisfies the conditions in subsection (16B); | (iii) | where the subject acquisition is made by an acquiring subsidiary and, on the date of the acquisition, the acquiring subsidiary is indirectly owned by the acquiring company through one or more intermediate companies, every such intermediate company satisfies the conditions in subsection (16C); | (iv) | the target company, or a subsidiary that is wholly owned by the target company whether directly or indirectly, satisfies the conditions in subsection (16D); | (v) | the conditions prescribed under subsection (16E) are satisfied; and | (vi) | the conditions in paragraph (c) are also satisfied in relation to a qualifying acquisition referred to in subsection (4A)(a). |
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(16A) The conditions in subsection (16)(a)(i), (b)(i), (c)(i) and (d)(i) are —(a) | the acquiring company is carrying on a trade or business in Singapore on the date of the acquisition of the shares; | (b) | the acquiring company has in its employment at least 3 local employees at all times during the period of 12 months immediately before that date; | (c) | unless otherwise prescribed under subsection (24), the acquiring company is not connected to the target company for at least 2 years immediately before that date; and | (d) | in a case where the acquiring company is a subsidiary of another company within the meaning of section 5 of the Companies Act (Cap. 50), the acquiring company has a Singapore company as its ultimate holding company on that date. |
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(16B) The conditions in subsection (16)(a)(ii), (b)(ii), (c)(ii) and (d)(ii) are —(a) | the acquiring subsidiary does not carry on a trade or business in Singapore or elsewhere on the date of the acquisition of the shares; | (b) | the acquiring subsidiary does not claim any deduction for any capital expenditure or transaction costs under this section for that year of assessment or any stamp duty relief under section 15A of the Stamp Duties Act (Cap. 312); and | (c) | the acquiring subsidiary is on that date wholly owned by the acquiring company —(i) | directly, in the case of subsection (16)(a)(ii) or (b)(ii) where the date of the qualifying acquisition is before 17 February 2012; and | (ii) | whether directly or indirectly, in every other case. |
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(16C) The conditions in subsection (16)(a)(iii), (b)(iii), (c)(iii) and (d)(iii) are —(a) | the intermediate company is wholly owned (whether directly or indirectly) by the acquiring company on the date of the acquisition of the shares; | (b) | the intermediate company is incorporated for the primary purpose of acquiring and holding shares in other companies; | (c) | the intermediate company does not carry on a trade or business in Singapore or elsewhere on that date; and | (d) | the intermediate company does not claim any deduction for any capital expenditure or transaction costs under this section for that year of assessment or any stamp duty relief under section 15A of the Stamp Duties Act. |
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(16D) The conditions in subsection (16)(a)(iv), (b)(iv), (c)(iv) and (d)(iv) are —(a) | the target company or the subsidiary carries on a trade or business in Singapore or elsewhere on the date of the acquisition of the shares; and | (b) | the target company or the subsidiary has in its employment at least 3 employees at all times during the period of 12 months immediately before that date. |
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(16E) For the purposes of subsection (16)(c)(v) and (d)(v), the Minister may by regulations prescribe such conditions as the Minister considers necessary to ensure that the acquiring company or acquiring subsidiary is not merely a passive shareholder of the target company, including requiring the company or subsidiary to exert significant influence (within the meaning of FRS 28, or SFRS for Small Entities, as amended from time to time) over the target company. |
(16F) In subsection (16E) —“FRS 28” means the financial reporting standard known as Financial Reporting Standard 28 (Investments in Associates and Joint Ventures) issued by the Accounting Standards Council under Part III of the Accounting Standards Act (Cap. 2B); |
“SFRS for Small Entities” means the financial reporting standard known as Singapore Financial Reporting Standard for Small Entities made by the Accounting Standards Council under Part III of the Accounting Standards Act.”; |
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| (u) | by inserting, immediately before the word “after” in subsection (17)(a), the words “where the qualifying acquisition is one referred to in subsection (4) or (4A)(c), (d), (e) or (f),”; | (v) | by inserting, immediately after paragraph (a) of subsection (17), the following paragraph:“(aa) | where the qualifying acquisition is one referred to in subsection (4A)(a) or (b), after the date of the acquisition of the shares, the target company issues additional ordinary shares which reduces the total ownership of the acquiring company and its acquiring subsidiaries of the ordinary shares in the target company to less than 20%;”; |
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| (w) | by inserting, immediately after the words “subsection (4)(a) or (b)” in subsection (17)(c), the words “or (4A)(c) or (d)”; | (x) | by inserting, immediately after the words “subsection (4)(c) or (d)” in subsection (17)(d), the words “or (4A)(e) or (f)”; | (y) | by inserting, immediately after paragraph (d) of subsection (17), the following paragraph:“(da) | where the qualifying acquisition is one referred to in subsection (4A)(a) or (b), the acquiring company or the acquiring subsidiary (as the case may be) divests its shares in the target company which reduces the total ownership of the acquiring company and its acquiring subsidiaries of the ordinary shares in the target company to any percentage below 20%, and such divestment occurs in a basis period of the acquiring company other than that for the 1st year of assessment;”; |
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| (z) | by deleting “(10)” in subsection (19)(b) and substituting “(10A)”; | (za) | by deleting the words “subsections (16)(a)(i)(D) and (b)(i)(D)” in subsection (19A) and substituting the words “subsections (16A)(d)”; and | (zb) | by deleting “(16)” in subsection (27) and substituting “(16A)”. |
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