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IMF Seminars, January 1, 1901

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Bibliographic details

• Published: January 1, 1901

Event overview

• The IMF and Japanese Ministry of Finance co-hosted the Sixth IMF-Japan High-Level Tax Conference for Asian Countries on April 7 to 9, 2015 in Tokyo.
• The workshop was financed by the Japan Administered Account for Selected IMF Activities (JSA).
• Conference objectives:
  • Discuss tax policy and tax administration challenges facing Asian countries.
  • Share case studies and practical experiences among participating revenue authorities, academics, and international organizations.
  • Inform IMF-led work for the G20 Development Working Group and related international efforts.

Day One — April 7, 2015: Tax incentives; Improving tax compliance; TADAT

• Opening:
  • Opening Address – Mr. Vitor Gaspar, Director, Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD), IMF.
  • Welcome Address – Mr. Takuji Tanaka, Deputy Director-General for International Tax Policy, Ministry of Finance (MOF), Japan.
• Tax Incentives session: focus and issues
  • Theme: Tax incentives aiming to attract foreign direct investments (FDI) often led to harmful tax competition that reduces tax revenue without creating offsetting benefits to the host country.
  • Purpose: Discuss options for ensuring that any tax incentives offered are efficient and effective; explore case studies presented by participating countries.
  • Presenters included: Mr. Michael Keen; Professor Motohiro Sato; Professor Naoyuki Yoshino and Mr. Victor Pontines; Mr. Astera Primanto Bhakti; Mr. Chudamani Sharma; Dr. Mahbubur Rahman.
  • Panel Moderator: Ms. Soledad Emilia Cruz.
• Improving Tax Compliance — Recent Developments:
  • Theme: Explore experience and evidence on ways revenue administrations can strengthen compliance, including measurement and analysis of “compliance gaps.”
  • Instruments covered: electronic fiscal devices, lotteries, and exchange of information.
  • Presenters included: Mr. Michael Keen; Ms. Debra Adams; Mr. Masaaki Kaizuka; Ms. Quek Puay Kiang.
  • Moderator: Mr. Richard Wong.
• TADAT (Tax Administration Diagnostic Assessment Tool):
  • Purpose: Update participants on the development of TADAT, a tool to help revenue administrations identify strengths and weaknesses in performance as a preliminary to improvement.
  • Planned launch: TADAT is intended for a full launch in November 2015.
  • Presentation by: Mr. Michael Keen.

Day Two — April 8, 2015: Wealth-related taxes; Implementation strategies for tax administration reforms

• Wealth-related Taxes session: focus and issues
  • Theme: Taxes related to wealth (holding and transfer), including inheritance and gift taxes and property taxes; discussion of pros, cons, practicalities, regional practices, and country case studies.
  • Presenters included: Mr. Michael Keen; Mr. Kiyoshi Nakayama; Professor Shigeki Morinobu; Ms. Kim Jacinto-Henares; Mr. Nguyen Van Phung; Ms. Ruzana Jajuri; Ms. Norkhairiah Zainuddin.
  • Moderator: Dr. Warotai Kosolpisitkul.
• Implementation Strategies for Increasing the Impact of Tax Administration Reforms:
  • Theme: Lessons from past technical assistance about requirements for effective management of revenue administration reform programs across administrations at different development stages.
  • Focus: Improving traction with reforms, capacity building, and operationalizing reforms in weak financial, human resource, and technological environments as well as maximizing revenue potential in stronger administrations.
  • Presenters included: Ms. Debra Adams; Dr. Mohd Shukor Mahfar; Mr. Awan Nurmawan Nuh; Mr. Jinliang Yang; Ms. Kim Jacinto-Henares.
  • Moderator: Ms. Debra Adams.

Day Three — April 9, 2015: Challenges in international taxation; Tax treaties; Concluding remarks

• Challenges in International Taxation for Developing Countries:
  • Theme: Update on G20-OECD work on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS); discussion of participant countries’ challenges in international taxation; how IMF and other organizations can help build capacity and effective tax systems and administrations.
  • Opening and welcome addresses by IMF and MOF officials; presentations by OECD and national tax authorities.
  • Presenters included: Mr. Michael Keen; Mr. Asakawa; Mr. Tanaka; Ms. Liz Chien; Mr. Wang Jianfan; Mr. Ashish Kumar; Ms. Saowakon Meesang; Mr. Nakayama.
  • Moderator for panel: Professor Yoshihiro Masui.
  • Panelists included private sector representatives such as Mr. Ichiro Suzuki and Mr. Mikio Yasutake.
• Tax Treaties session: focus and issues
  • Theme: Significant increase in the number of tax treaties in the region and the trade-off between encouraging FDI and the revenue impact of restrictions on source country taxation and treaty shopping.
  • Purpose: Discuss experiences and evidence on effects of tax treaties and identify key tax policy considerations when deciding whether to enter treaty.
  • Presenters included: Mr. Kentaro Ogata; Mr. Kiyoshi Nakayama; Mr. Wong; Mr. Phung; Mr. Ulziisaikhan Dash.
  • Moderator: Dr. Mohd Shukor Mahfar.
• Concluding remarks: Summing-up and Concluding Remarks by Mr. Michael Keen, FAD, IMF.

Key takeaways and policy implications highlighted during the conference

• Tax incentives:
  • Risk: Harmful tax competition can reduce tax revenue without offsetting benefits.
  • Policy implication: Carefully evaluate efficiency and effectiveness before granting incentives; draw on international and regional case studies.
• Tax compliance:
  • Importance of measuring and analyzing “compliance gaps.”
  • Role of technology and innovative instruments (e.g., electronic fiscal devices, lotteries) and exchange of information in strengthening compliance.
• TADAT:
  • Tool intended to help administrations assess performance and identify improvement areas; full launch planned for November 2015.
• Wealth-related taxes:
  • Wide range of instruments (holding, transfer, inheritance, gift, property taxes) each with distinct pros, cons, and implementation challenges.
• Tax administration reform:
  • Effective reform requires tailored management of reform programs, attention to institutional capacity, and strategies to increase traction with technical assistance.
• International taxation and treaties:
  • BEPS developments are central to international tax policy; developing countries face trade-offs when adopting internationally-agreed rules and entering treaties.
  • Capacity building and coordinated support from IMF and other organizations are critical for building effective tax systems and administrations.

Content in this bundle

• Adamspdf (PDF)
• Asakawapdf (PDF)
• Bhaktipdf (PDF)
• Dashpdf (PDF)
• Gasparpdf (PDF)
• Jacintohenares2pdf (PDF)
• Jacintohenarespdf (PDF)
• Jajuripdf (PDF)
• Jianfanpdf (PDF)
• Kaizukapdf (PDF)
• Keen1pdf (PDF)
• Keen2pdf (PDF)
• Keen3pdf (PDF)
• Keenandadamspdf (PDF)
• Keenpdf (PDF)
• Kiangpdf (PDF)
• Kumarpdf (PDF)
• Mahfarpdf (PDF)
• Meesangpdf (PDF)
• Morinobupdf (PDF)
• Nakayama2pdf (PDF)
• Nakayama3pdf (PDF)
• Nuhpdf (PDF)
• Ogatapdf (PDF)
• Rahmanpdf (PDF)
• Satopdf (PDF)
• Sharmapdf (PDF)
• Tanakapdf (PDF)
• Vanphung2pdf (PDF)
• Vanphungpdf (PDF)
• Wongpdf (PDF)
• Yangpdf (PDF)
• Yoshinoandpontinespdf (PDF)
• Zainuddinpdf (PDF)