Information Regarding the French Financial Transaction Tax
This document is designed to provide an overview of how the French Financial Transaction Tax will be handled by Interactive Brokers.
Effective August 1, 2012, a new tax will be implemented on the purchase of certain French securities.
Tax Rate
The initial announced tax rate was to be 0.10%; however based on updated information the applied tax rate is intended to be 0.20%.
Effective January 1, 2017 the rate will increase from 0.20% to 0.30%.
Scope
The FTT will be applied to shares of companies whose head office is located in France and whose market capitalisation exceeds EUR 1 billion. The French authorities will update a list each December with the names of companies which meet these requirements. At its launch, 109 French companies will fall under the scope of the FTT.
The purchase of a derivative contract is not subject to the FTT; however the acquisition of the underlying stock upon exercise or delivery of the derivative instrument will be subject to FTT. Similarly a convertible instrument will become subject to the FTT upon conversion or exchange into the stock.
American Depsitory Receipts (ADRS) are similarly subject to the FTT however the implementation date has been delayed to December 1, 2012.
Corporate action events which result in the acquisition of a French security subject to the FTT regulation, will have tax applied at the processing date.
Under the present rules, you can trade CFDs on French shares without incurring FTT in the same way as you are able to trade UK share CFDs without incurring stamp duty. All shares affected by the French FTT are available to trade as IB CFDs.
Please click here for for detailed information and frequently asked questions about our CFD offering.
Calculation Method
The legislation allows for the application of FTT based on the daily net purchase per final beneficiary. As an Investment Services Provider (ISP), Interactive Brokers will report FTT to our various clearing agents. As such, transactions will be eligible for netting if the shares settle at the same location. For instance, purchases and sales in France may be netted; however a purchase in France will not be netted against a sale in Germany.