Article 53. Exemption from Taxation

1. Within the scope of its official activities the Bank, its assets, property, and income shall be exempt from all direct taxes.

2. When purchases or services of substantial value and necessary for the exercise of the official activities of the Bank are made or used by the Bank and when the price of such purchases or services includes taxes or duties, the member that has levied the taxes or duties shall, if they are identifiable, take appropriate measures to grant exemption from such taxes or duties or to provide for their reimbursement.

3. Goods imported by the Bank and necessary for the exercise of its official activities shall be exempt from all import duties and taxes, and from all import prohibitions and restrictions. Similarly goods exported by the Bank and necessary for the exercise of its official activities shall be exempt from all export duties and taxes, and from all export prohibitions and restrictions.

4. Goods acquired or imported and exempted under this Article shall not be sold, hired out, lent or given away against payment or free of charge, except in accordance with conditions laid down by the members which have granted exemptions or reimbursements.

5. The provisions of this Article shall not apply to taxes or duties which are no more than charges for public utility services.

6. Directors, Alternate Directors, officers and employees of the Bank shall be subject to an internal effective tax for the benefit of the Bank on salaries and emoluments paid by the Bank, subject to conditions to be laid down and rules to be adopted by the Board of Governors within a period of one year from the date of entry into force of this Agreement. From the date on which this tax is applied, such salaries and emoluments shall be exempt from national income tax. The members may, however, take into account the salaries and emoluments thus exempt when assessing the amount of tax to be applied to income from other sources.

7. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 6 of this Article, a member may deposit, with its instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval, a declaration that such member retains for itself, its political subdivisions or its local authorities the right to tax salaries and emoluments paid by the Bank to citizens or nationals of such member. The Bank shall be exempt from any obligation for the payment, withholding or collection of such taxes. The bank shall not make any reimbursement for such taxes.

8. Paragraph 6 of this Article shall not apply to pensions and annuities paid by the Bank.

9. No tax of any kind shall be levied on any obligation or security issued by the Bank, including any dividend or interest thereon, by whomsoever held:

(i) which discriminates against such obligation or security solely because it is issued by the Bank, or

(ii) if the sole jurisdictional basis for such taxation is the place or currency in which it is issued, made payable or paid, or the location of any office or place of business maintained by the Bank.

10. No tax of any kind shall be levied on any obligation or security guaranteed by the Bank, including any dividend or interest thereon, by whomsoever held:

(i) which discriminates against such obligation or security solely because its guaranteed by the Bank, or

(ii) if the sole jurisdictional basis for such taxation is the location of any office; place of business maintained by the Bank.