Regional Tax Forum – Avoidance of Double Taxation
Post-event Statement
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A four-day First Regional Tax Forum was held at ADB Institute (ADBI) from 7 to 10 October 2008 for 20 tax policymakers and tax administrations from 19 developing member countries (DMCs) in the region. It was solely organized by ADBI in collaboration with the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), United Nations, New York; the Amsterdam-based International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation (IBFD); and Tax Bureau of the Ministry of Finance of Japan. It is an annual event and forum among collaborators and tax authorities in the region in the light of the fact that there neither exists international or regional intergovernmental organization on taxation.
The main objectives of the regional tax forum were to (i) provide a capacity building opportunity through the exchange of views, experiences and new knowledge in international tax treaty related issues, and (ii) provide a forum that would encourage mutual understanding and cooperation among tax policymakers and administrations from DMCs in the region. All participants evaluated that the Regional Tax Forum had achieved the objectives according to responses to a questionnaire.
The regional tax forum was opened by Takuji Tanaka, Director, International Tax Policy Division, Tax Bureau, Japan's Ministry of Finance (MOF), and by Worapot Manupipatpong, Director, CBT, ADBI on behalf of ADBI. Teruo Ujiie, Senior Capacity Building Specialist-cum-Forum Coordinator, CBT chaired the sessions, and Mr. Manupipatpong made the closing remarks. Japan's MOF hosted a luncheon for all participants and resource persons.
12 resource speakers made their respective presentations on various topics on international tax treaties and emerging taxation issues. David Partington, Head, Tax Treaty, Transfer Pricing and Financial Transactions Division, Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, OECD, made the keynote speech. OECD provided two resource speakers and 10 other experts from academia, tax practitioners, and the Governments of Japan and Thailand presented on different taxation fields.
An executive summary of proceedings of the First Regional Tax Forum summarizes the presentations.
Paying full attention to ADBI's core themes, this regional tax forum initiative will be organized on a sub-regional basis, focusing on issues relating to international tax treaties in coming years.
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Purpose
To contribute to building capacity in public governance for tax policy and administration
Background
Income tax, for both individuals and corporations, is the largest single tax item in any country. With growing international transactions and cross-border economic activities as well as an advanced information technologies, it becomes more and more difficult and complicated in both quantitative and qualitative terms for tax authorities to document necessary information on income or revenue from domestic and international economic activities for proper collection of income and other related taxes. If two tax authorities in the different jurisdictions collect income taxes from the same income, it causes a double taxation, which works against the globalization trend by shrinking economic activities. To address this issue, countries have increasingly been using international tax treaties to allocate and adjust the taxing rights between the two governments concerned. Concluding an international tax treaty also leads to standardization of tax definitions; reduction of transfer pricing; prevention of tax shopping; and proper taxation for multi-national enterprises. Currently, there are two leading tax treaty models, namely OECD and United Nations Models, which are, to a large extent, identical. In order to secure proper collection of income tax, to align the domestic law and practices with international standards, and to acquire sound knowledge and techniques for tax treaty negotiations, capacity building exercises for senior tax officials on the above subjects and related topics are, therefore, indispensable.
Objectives
- As one of the key measures to avoid double taxation, to provide tax policymakers and administrators with latest knowledge and technical details of two leading international tax treaty models (i.e. OECD and United Nations models) including the design of domestic legislation to accommodate treaty obligations
- To enhance the capacity for negotiation of such treaties on a bilateral basis that will efficiently and effectively avoid double taxation
Outputs
- More than 20 trained government officials responsible for tax policy
- Knowledge and communication network among the participants to share experiences
- Executive summary of proceedings
Participants
Middle- to senior-level government officials in the DMCs who are directly involved in international tax treaty and its related issues
Language
English (no interpretation will be provided)
Cosponsors
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation (IBFD), United Nations, Academics and Government of Japan
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