On 25 August, during the Eurasian Week Forum held at EXPO-2017 in Astana, ITIC and the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that establishes a framework for cooperation for research, professional dialogue, and educational exchange.

This MoU supersedes a previous memorandum signed in 2012. It was signed by Timur Zhaksylykov, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Tax Policy and Administration and the EEC’s Minister for Economic and Financial Policy, and Daniel A. Witt, President of ITIC.

The future programs envisioned include workshops and research related to best international practice on customs administration, double taxation, indirect taxation, and taxation of the digital economy.

"In accordance with the new memorandum, we agreed to actively promote the improvement of tax policy and increase the efficiency of the tax administrations of the EEC countries. The main goal of such cooperation is, undoubtedly, to create favorable conditions for conducting business activities in the common Eurasian space,” Timur Zhaksylykov said.

Daniel Witt remarked that the memorandum is “a framework for sharing and connecting best international practices with the EEC. ITIC strives to be the EEC’s window to the world of best international fiscal practices. Tax and customs are key elements for closer economic integration and the enhancement of the Union’s investment climate and competitiveness of each of the Member States.”

The Eurasian Economic Commission featured the signing on its website (in Russian): http://www.eurasiancommission.org/ru/nae/news/Pages/28-08-2017-5.aspx.

Mukhit Akhanov is President of ITIC Kazakhstan.