*The press release is also available in Arabic.

 

According to the Nur-Sultan Action Plan (2022-2024), the BRITACOM has organized three Tax Administration Theme Day events since 2022, with the theme of Better Connection for a Better Future, to improve communication between tax administrations and business, and to facilitate and liberalize trade and investment at large. In the mid-May of 2023, the fourth Tax Administration Theme Day Event, featuring a virtual seminar and a dedicated webpage with an online exhibition, commences as the opening one of a trio scheduled for 2023, to spotlight the tax administration in the Middle East. (Click to see details: https://www.britacom.org/zt/ThemeDay/FourthEVENT/)

 

 

Warmed up by the online exhibition, the virtual seminar of the fourth event is co-hosted by the tax administrations of Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates on May 18, 2023, with representatives from businesses, BRITACOM Council Member Tax Administrations, Observers, and members of the Advisory Board in attendance.

 

 

The seminar consists of keynote presentations, remarks, and Q&A sessions. Mr. Wassal Almalki, General Manager of International Relations and Treaties of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) of Saudi Arabia, opens the keynote session by a substantive introduction to a variety of aspects of Saudi Arabian tax practices and taxpayer services, followed by an introduction by Mr. Morteza Mollanazar, Deputy Director General of Presidency and International Affairs of the Iranian National Tax Administration (INTA), to tax system, tax reforms, dispute resolution and tax incentives in Iran. After that, Ms. Sara AlHabshi, Director of Tax Compliance and Enforcement of the Federal Tax Authority (FTA), briefs on the tax policies, tax administration, and taxpayer services in the United Arab Emirates. At the second session, Mr. Daniel A. Witt, President of the International Tax and Investment Center, shares his observations on building partnership between taxpayers and tax authorities through a pre-recorded video. At the Q&A session, participants had extensive exchanges with speakers on topics ranging from tax environment, dispute resolution, and business-readiness.

 

The dedicated webpage with online exhibition is released at https://www.britacom.org/zt/ThemeDay/FourthEVENT/, showcasing tax system, tax response to COVID-19, tax procedures of these three countries in the form of videos and booklets, which are closely relevant to foreign-invested enterprises and has attracted a lot of attention from BRITACOM parties and enterprises.

 

This is the first Tax Administration Theme Day event this year, the successful conclusion of which has promoted unimpeded dialogues between tax authorities and business, enhanced trust and understanding among BRITACOM parties, and provided an opportune platform for joint development. In the rest of 2023, the BRITAOCM will host another two Theme Day events respectively in the third and fourth quarter, continuing to establish itself as a multilateral cooperative platform and a champion of growth-friendly tax environment.