11/03/2011 - The 2011 OECD report "Tackling Aggressive Tax Planning through Improved Transparency and Disclosure" recommends that countries concerned with aggressive tax planning review their disclosure initiatives with a view to evaluating the introduction of those best suited to their particular needs and circumstances. They should also “continue to share experiences on the design and implementation of disclosure initiatives to assist in creating a compliance framework that benefits both governments and taxpayers at large”.

Based on these recommendations, senior officials from more than 20 countries met in London on 10-11 March 2011 to share ideas and experiences regarding disclosure initiatives and other recent developments in the area of anti-avoidance. The meeting was organised by the UK’s HM Revenue & Customs and the OECD.

Commenting on the meeting, the UK Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke MP, stated that “disclosure and transparency lie at the heart of the UK’s efforts to tackle tax avoidance with a view to ensuring that the small minority of taxpayers engaging in tax avoidance are no longer able to shift the burden of taxation onto compliant taxpayers. At the same time, they contribute to provide very much needed early certainty to taxpayers”.

Welcoming the initiative, Jeffrey Owens, Director of the OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, underlined “the importance of countries continuing to share ideas in this area as country experiences show that disclosure initiatives can bring a number of benefits for both governments and taxpayers, such as fewer routine audits, increased transparency and a positive impact on compliance culture in general”.

 

For further information on the report "Tackling Aggressive Tax Planning through Improved Transparency and Disclosure" click here.