INCOME TAXES

Our effective tax rate represents the net effect of the mix of income earned in various tax jurisdictions that are subject to a wide range of income tax rates.

We recognize interest expense and penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense.

For the three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, we recognized the following amounts as income tax-related interest expense and penalties:



	Three Months Ended September 30,
	2013		2012
Interest expense	$	2,328	$	1,854
Penalties expense	238		39
Total	$	2,566	$	1,893

As of September 30, 2013 and June 30, 2013, the following amounts have been accrued on account of income tax-related interest expense and penalties:



	As of September 30, 2013		As of June 30, 2013
Interest expense accrued *	$	19,794	$	18,210
Penalties accrued *	$	6,030	$	6,045


*	These balances have been included within "Long-term income taxes payable" within the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

We believe that it is reasonably possible that the gross unrecognized tax benefits, as of September 30, 2013, could decrease tax expense in the next 12 months by $3.9 million, relating primarily to the expiration of competent authority relief and tax years becoming statute barred for purposes of future tax examinations by local taxing jurisdictions.

Our four most significant tax jurisdictions are Canada, the United States, Luxembourg and Germany. Our tax filings remain subject to examination by applicable tax authorities for a certain length of time following the tax year to which those filings relate. Tax years that remain open to examinations by local taxing authorities vary by jurisdiction up to ten years.

We are subject to tax examinations in all major taxing jurisdictions in which we operate and currently have examinations open in Canada, the United States, France, Spain, Germany, India and the Netherlands. On a quarterly basis we assess the status of these examinations and the potential for adverse outcomes to determine the adequacy of the provision for income and other taxes.

We believe that we have adequately provided for any reasonably foreseeable outcomes related to our tax examinations and that any settlement will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position or results of operations. However, we cannot predict with any level of certainty the exact nature of any future possible settlements.

As at September 30, 2013, we have not provided for additional foreign withholding taxes or deferred income tax liabilities for temporary differences related to the undistributed earnings of our non-Canadian subsidiaries other than certain United States subsidiaries, since such earnings are considered permanently invested in those subsidiaries, or are not subject to withholding taxes. It is not practicable to reasonably estimate the amount of additional deferred income tax liabilities or foreign withholding taxes that may be payable should these earnings be distributed in the future. We do plan to make periodic repatriations that will be subject to withholding taxes from certain United States and Luxembourg subsidiaries and have accrued additional tax cost attributable to these distributions in the amount of $0.9 million (June 30, 2013—$0.4 million).

The effective GAAP tax rate (which is the provision for taxes expressed as a percentage of net income before taxes) decreased to 38.2% for the three months ended September 30, 2013, from 45.5% for the three months ended September 30, 2012, primarily due to a $4.3 million tax expense in Fiscal 2013 related to the impact of adjustments in the United States and Australia upon filing of tax returns. The remainder of the differences are due to normal course movements and non material items.