Should Advance Pricing Agreements be Published?

The purpose of this comment is to review the role and function of the advance pricing agreement process, to examine the merits of both sides' arguments in the BNA suit, and to discuss the policy implications should BNA prevail. While advance pricing agreements are not the ultimate solution to transfer pricing disputes and tax jurisdiction issues, they are a dispute resolution tool worth maintaining, at least until Congress or Treasury provides greater guidance in this area. Sufficient legal basis exists for the courts to find against BNA and rule that advance pricing agreements are exempt from publication under IRC § 6103. However, if the courts do not, Congress should step in and make advance pricing agreements exempt for policy reasons.