Azeri Minister of Taxes Outlines New Challenges

In a recent article for the Intra-European Organisation of Tax Administrations (IOTA), Azeri Minister of Taxes Fazil Mammadov analyzed the new challenges faced by Azerbaijan’s Tax Service due to sluggish global growth and its negative impact on resource economies. He depicted Azerbaijan’s response in terms of developing a sustainable national economy.

According to Minister Mammadov, new trends in the national economy and the need to build a knowledge-based modern economy have set a new agenda for tax authorities. This agenda requires enhancing the regulatory role of tax policy; creating an affordable, transparent and attractive tax environment; upgrading the tax administration; improving entrepreneurial services; and establishing a modern corporate governance system.

2017 Index of Economic Freedom

On 15 February, the Heritage Foundation published its annual report entitled, 2017 Index of Economic Freedom, comparing the performance of 186 economies. One key factor influencing the conclusions and rankings is the Tax Burden parameter of the Government Size performance measurement criterion.

Uzbekistan Reform Agenda

Investors are showing a renewed interest in the post-Karimov reform agenda in Uzbekistan, the guidelines for which have been detailed by President Mirziyoyev in several recent decrees and the implementing instructions of 14 February 2017. His decree of 7 February “on the Action Strategy for the Further Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan 2017-2021” and the related documents may be accessed here.

Tax Administration Update

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Recognizing that good tax administration leads to good tax policy and better taxpayer/tax collector relations, ITIC continues working with public agencies and private-sector stakeholders to improve understanding, develop capacity-building and help countries achieve their full revenue potential. 

In this context, for the past decade we've cooperated with the Intra-European Organisation of Tax Administrations (IOTA), an international public agency founded in 1996, to ensure that taxpayers remain aware of trends in official thinking and their application to the operational concerns of business, while providing important opportunities for information exchange. 

As evidenced by the latest edition of its IOTA Newsletter and Tax Tribune journal, IOTA has expanded its public information activity in recent years and now covers topical issues (e.g. BEPS Package) of direct relevance to ITIC sponsors.

ITIC has been invited to attend the annual IOTA General Assembly in Kiev in June 2017.