811.512357Shipping/49
The Secretary of State to the Norwegian Minister (Bryn)
Sir: I have the honor to refer to your note of November 26, 1924, concerning the new taxation laws enacted in Norway on August 11, 1924, which, in your opinion, reaffirm the reciprocal exemption of income and excess and war profits taxes in Norway and the United States with regard to income derived from the operation of ships under their respective flags.
It appears from the enclosures transmitted with your note that the Norwegian laws of August 11, 1924, in translation, provide in part as follows:
“Persons, companies and corporations belonging in a foreign country are exempt from taxes on property in and income from ship[s] engaged in traffic on a Norwegian port or between Norwegian ports and from taxes on income arising from the sale of tickets for the transportation of persons out of the kingdom; provided that Norwegian persons, companies and corporations are exempt in the country in question from taxes on corresponding activities. …”5
I have the honor to inform you that it has been held by the appropriate authorities of this Government that the provision of the Norwegian Laws of August 11, 1924, above quoted, satisfies the equivalent exemption provision of Section 213 (b) (8) of the Revenue Act of 1924, and that, therefore, the income of a non-resident alien or foreign corporation, which consists exclusively of earnings derived from the operation of a ship or ships documented under the laws of Norway, is exempt from Federal income taxes imposed by the Revenue Act of 1924.
Accept [etc.]
- Omission indicated in original.↩