Are licensing fees the reason for the bankruptcy?

Are licensing fees the reason for the bankruptcy?

Typically, trademark protection is associated with brand development and the resulting profits. Entitled companies offer a multitude of diverse products on the market, which stand out from the competition due to their registered trademarks. However, the story described below shows that sometimes a trademark and the related tax issues can be the downfall for some companies. The Polish company Famur S.A. experienced the negative consequences associated with trademarks when the Head of the Małopolska Customs and Tax Office in Krakow conducted a customs and tax audit regarding the corporate income tax on income earned in 2013, 2014, and 2015. During the audit, the Head focused on the transaction of transferring trademarks from Famur S.A. to Famur Brand Sp. z o. o. and the conclusion of an agreement for the use of the transferred trademark. Under the agreement, the company using the trademark was obliged to pay license fees for the use of the trademark. These fees were treated by Famur S.A. as deductible expenses, which was challenged by the tax authority. As a result of the audit and the position of the Head of the Małopolska Customs and Tax Office, Famur S.A. was required to pay the outstanding corporate income tax in the amount of PLN 17.7 million. In addition, the company was charged interest in the amount of approximately PLN 4.4 million. Therefore, the total amount of outstanding tax liabilities amounts to PLN 22.2 million.

Table of contents:

Transferring trademark rights and subsequently licensing them.

In response to the audit findings, the company stated that the transaction involving the transfer of trademarks to Famur Brand Sp. z o. o., and the subsequent payment of licensing fees for the use of these trademarks, was in compliance with the applicable laws at the time and was justified from an economic and business perspective for both entities. Interestingly, as indicated by the audited company, the audit report does not contain a substantive justification for this decision, which further disadvantages Famur S.A. According to the official statement, the company will take all legal remedies available to defend its position and the interests of the company.
Analyzing the above situation, one can conclude that, despite the applicable laws and the requirement to interpret ambiguous provisions in favor of taxpayers, the tax authorities are acting to their detriment. The licensing of trademarks is very common nowadays, and licensing fees are largely treated by entrepreneurs as costs incurred in generating income, which, although to a small extent, reduces their tax liabilities to the state.
However, the above situation shows that an audit conducted several years later may result in the imposition of a very high income tax, which, in the case of smaller companies, may lead to their bankruptcy or a significant deterioration of their financial condition. However, this is not the case with Famur S.A., as the company had previously established a reserve fund of PLN 21.2 million to cover any potential public law obligations.

Table of contents:

Tax optimization related to a trademark should only be done with a tax advisor.

Start character scan now

Fill out the form and we will get back to you within the next … with a preliminary quote.

    Jaki znak mamy zbadać?


    Wybierz „znak słowny”, jeżeli chcesz zbadać oznaczenie słowne, i wpisz je w okienku poniżej. Możesz podać tylko jedno oznaczenie.
    Wybierz „znak graficzny lub słowno-graficzny”, jeżeli Twój znak ma określoną postać graficzną. W okienku poniżej wpisz elementy słowne, jeżeli takie pojawiają się na grafice, i dodaj plik zawierający grafikę znaku. Możesz przesłać tylko jeden plik o maksymalnym rozmiarze 1mb.

    Podaj szczegółowo, dla jakich towarów lub usług będzie używany Twój znak. W okienku poniżej wyszukaj odpowiedni termin, a następnie kliknij na niego, by dodać towar lub usługę do listy. Możesz dodać jednocześnie wiele towarów lub usług. Przed przejściem do następnego kroku upewnij się, że na liście znajdują się wszystkie towary lub usługi – później nie będzie można jej zmodyfikować!

    jakich produktów lub usług dotyczy rejestracja