IOTA Leader Promotes Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration on Digital Taxation at Exchange Europe

The digitalization of tax leads a growing number of priority lists this year. Tax administrators, business leaders, technology developers and other tax experts are among those beginning – and/or closely monitoring – digital taxation efforts. The taxation of digital transactions ranks as a top international tax trend in 2018 as well as a major focal point of both the OECD and the European Commission.

That explains why the topic received ample attention at the annual Vertex Exchange Europe Conference that took place recently in Amsterdam. The conference’s theme, “Leading Tax Forward,” was evident throughout discussions that centered on how global tax departments are addressing increased pressure from governments, complex tax compliance requirements, and digital transformation efforts.

Keynote speaker Miguel Silva Pinto, the executive secretary of the Intra-European Organization of Tax Administrations (IOTA), asserted that digital technology affects all aspects of life and business, including tax functions. Silva Pinto was joined on stage by Vertex President and CEO David DeStefano and Director of VAT Danny Vermeiren for a candid discussion that examined the digitalization-related changes within tax administrations, how technology can help businesses stay compliant, and how companies can navigate an increasingly complex tax landscape.

A crucial way for tax functions to sustain compliance and navigate complexity, Silva Pinto noted, is through active participation: “Modernization and digitalization of tax requires active participation and collaboration between stakeholders including tax administrations, businesses, technology developers, and tax intermediaries.”