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Building sites and construction and installation projects abroad are a key part of business for international machinery and plant engineering firms. So is the risk of unintentionally establishing a tax-relevant permanent establishment. For the first time since 1999, the new draft Federal Ministry of Finance Circular of 13 February 2026 has updated administrative practice on the concept of permanent establishments, again placing a particular focus on permanent establishments relating to building sites and construction and installation projects. Alongside the familiar duration thresholds and issues of attribution, the draft also shows that permanent establishment risks do not only arise from standard construction and installation activities. Accompanying planning, monitoring, and subsequent services, maintenance or repairs abroad, such as the long-term use of even very small spaces at the customer’s premises (e.g. a locker), may also establish a “general” permanent establishment under Art. 5(1) of the OECD Model Tax Convention. This article presents the main changes and evaluates their significance, particularly to machinery and plant engineering firms. For simplicity, in the following we will often refer simply to construction and installation projects, though building sites are also covered.

Since 1 January 2025, new submission requirements have applied to transfer pricing documentation, in particular with respect to the transaction matrix. The objective was to support a more risk‑based and efficient tax audit process. In practice, however, the local file is often requested almost simultaneously, while the statutory submission deadline remains limited to 30 days. One year after the introduction of the transaction matrix, we take stock of practical experience and outline considerations on how companies can meet deadlines, mitigate surcharge risks and organise evidence retention.

The legislator has amended the transfer pricing documentation obligations, which were tightened at the end of 2022, and brought forward their application significantly. The following article explains what companies should now bear in mind.