The Stockholm Tax Conference – an international conference on tax capacity-building – got together representatives of governments, agencies, international and regional organisations, civil society and the business sector last week to exchange experiences of tax capacity-building. The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the Swedish Tax Agency organised this international conference with the aim of contributing to strengthening tax administrations across the globe, promoting exchange of experience and feature case studies for mutual learning on successful capacity-building in taxation.
IOTA’s President, Mr František Imrecze, the President of the Financial Administration of Slovakia participated in the breakout session: “The role of regional organisations” where he spoke on IOTA’s work on capacity building. The President highlighted some examples of how the organisation contributed in the past to capacity building and how it will in the future provide technical assistance to its members. When IOTA was established the main aim was to help the 10 candidate countries with accession to the EU by modernising tax administrations and strengthening their administrative capacity - he explained.
Mr Imrecze underlined: nowadays IOTA is engaged in capacity building activities which are helping tax administrations to meet the challenges of the modern era. IOTA is for example assisting its member states in the implementation of the BEPS package. By fostering sharing knowledge and experience of new methodologies for staff training and development, IOTA is helping its members maintain staff with diverse and advanced skill sets. “The impact of digitalisation is one of the most important areas where tax administrations need to change and this will be addressed and deeply discussed in IOTA’s 22nd General Assembly to be held on 25-27 June in Bratislava, Slovakia” – the President explained.