07/12/2019 The Network of Tax Organisations expressed its support to the ATI and discussed possible priorities post-2020 On 4 July 2019, Marcio F. Verdi, Head of Council of the Network of Tax Organisations (NTO) and Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations (CIAT), represented the Network of Tax Organisations in the closing panel of the ATI/ITC Tax and Development Conference 2019 in Berlin. As the commitments to (i) collectively double support to domestic revenue mobilisation, (ii) step up the mobilisation of domestic revenues in partners countries, and (iii) promote and ensure policy coherence for development, set in the context of the Addis Tax Initiative, are meant to be achieved by 2020, the panel explored what could be the new objectives for an agreed period beyond 2020 and the way to get there. Together with Gabriela Hoven, Director General at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Essa Jallow, Deputy Commissioner The Gambia Revenue Authority, Samrita Sidhu, Deputy Director of the Public Finance and Tax (PFT) department at the Department for International Development (DFID), and Marijn Verhoeven, Head of the Global Tax Team and Lead Economist at the World Bank Group, Mr. Verdi discussed possible priorities for the Addis Tax Initiative post-2020. During his interventions, Mr. Verdi emphasised NTO members’ commitment to supporting the collective action of the ATI member countries and supporting organisations to continue the Addis Tax Initiative. He encouraged a stronger focus on the objectives of aid effectiveness and donor coordination, while better taking into consideration the absorption capacities of partner countries, which should notably help avoid duplication and fragmentation in DRM support. In addition, the Network of Tax Organisations was represented at the conference by: Mr. Logan Wort, Executive Secretary of the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), and Raphael Kamoto, Director Strategic Partnerships, Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation at ATAF; Dr. Mohamed Osman Ibrahim Abdalla, Secretary General, Association of Tax Authorities of Islamic Countries (ATAIC); Mr. Alejandro Juarez, Director of Training and Human Capacity Development at CIAT; Mr. Jean-Marc Niel, Secretary General of the Tax Administrators Circle for Reflection and Exchange (CREDAF), and Mr. Ismaila Diallo, Deputy Secretary General of CREDAF; and Ms. Koni Ravono, Head of the Pacific Islands Tax Administrators’ Association (PITAA) Secretariat. In preparation of the ATI/ITC Tax and Development Conference 2019, the Network of Tax Organisations put together a position paper on the role of regional tax organisations in the Addis Tax Initiative post-2020. The position paper can be found here.

CIAT presented its Ethics Toolkit at the ATI/ITC Tax and Development Conference 2019 in Berlin, Germany. The ATI/ITC Tax & Development Conference 2019 offered a chance to exchange on how improving ethics in tax administrations can contribute to Domestic Revenue Mobilisation. After Gayline Vuluku (Assistant Manager, Strategy Innovation and Risk Management, Kenya Revenue Authority) brightly reported on the Kenyan experience, Alejandro Juárez Espindola (Director, Direction on Training and Human Development, CIAT) presented the CIAT Ethics Toolkit, comprising trainings and self-assessment tools for tax administrations officials to improve integrity within government. At the 2019 General Assembly in Cuba, members of Centro Interamericano de Administraciones Tributarias (CIAT) suggested to transform its long-standing committee in an NTO Ethics Committee, thereby opening the platform to tax administrations worldwide. Watch that space and find out more here about CIAT Ethics Toolkit: https://lnkd.in/dwNTNUd.

The first NTO Technical Conference has been announced to take place in October 2020 It’s official: Stefano Gesuelli (Guardia di Finanza) just announced the organisation of the first NTO Technical Conference to take place in Rome in October 2020, during the closing ceremony of the Centro Interamericano de Administraciones Tributarias – CIAT. The Technical Conference of the Network of Tax Organisations will focus on the issue of *Tax & Crime*. It will represent the first event commonly organised by 9 regional and international organisations of tax organisations, representing all together over a hundred countries

Several members of the Network of Tax Organisations participated in the 2019 CIAT Technical Conference, hosted by the Moroccan Revenue Authority on 8-10 October 2019 in Marrakech. On 8-10 October 2019, several members of the Network of Tax Organisations participated in the Technical Conference of the Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations (CIAT), hosted by the Moroccan Revenue Authority, in Marrakech. CIAT Technical Conference focused on the theme of “Tax Administration and Development” and served as an important opportunity for tax administrators to exchange views on issues such as the fight against informality, taxation of the digital economy, tax certainty, and mechanisms to improve compliance. CIAT Executive Secretary and NTO Head of Council Marcio Ferreira Verdi opened the conference with a quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. stating that “taxes are what we pay for a civilized society”. He highlighted the key role that tax administrations play in development, and the importance of taking this role seriously. Frantisek Imrecze, Executive Secretary of Intra-European Organisation of Tax Administrations, introduced the second panel on control and taxation of the digital economy. Reiterating facts from the World Economic Forum, he stated that the total workload performed by machines is expected to increase from 29% in 2018 to 52% by 2022. This raises the question of whether tax administrations are ready to deal with the tax implications of such rapid digitalisation, especially given the current reliance of many revenue collection systems on labour taxes. Following this, an all-African panel on the role of tax administrations in mobilising domestic revenue featured two members of regional tax organisations, Duncan Onduru (CATA) and Babatunde Oladapo (WATAF). The panel discussed the challenges and opportunities for revenue administrations in expanding their responsibilities beyond pure tax collection towards wider tax administration functions. Some of the key recommendations included: allowing governments of developing countries to set their own tax policy priorities, stepping up efforts to widen the tax base, increasing research capabilities to improve policy formulation, as well as organising cross-government tax dialogues to secure political ownership and align short and long-term objectives.  

On 7 October 2019, the Network of Tax Organisations held its third Executive Council meeting in 2019, ahead of CIAT Technical Conference in Marrakech. The meeting was attended by representatives of ATAF, CATA, CIAT, CREDAF, IOTA, WATAF, and the ITC. Representatives of the Guardia di Finanza and the Knowledge Sharing Platform (KSP) also took part to update NTO Members on NTO-related developments. After defining priorities in pursuing NTO’s institutionalisation, NTO Members agreed on the next steps towards the NTO Technical Conference, scheduled to take place in October 2020 in Rome. NTO Members also discussed the modalities of new NTO products such as a training workshop on tax and crime, a practical guide to regional tax organisations, and establishing a NTO ethics committee. Finally, members explored how the NTO could most effectively use the Knowledge Sharing Platform (KSP) to promote its activities.

NTO, WATAF, and CIAT host two-day virtual workshop Within the framework of the Network of Tax Organisations (NTO), the West African Tax Administrations Forum (WATAF) organised the two-day virtual workshop Digital Economy and Emerging Taxes: Adapting Taxation to the New Economic Landscape, together with the Centro Interamericano de Administraciones Tributarias (CIAT), both members of the global Network. More than 160 participants took part in the online sessions that unfolded on 11 and 12 November, including tax officials from Africa, the Americas, Europe and Asia. The digital economy has become a permanent part of economic activity, and tax administrations can no longer remain passive. Speakers explored several challenges, including the difficulty of measuring revenue losses linked to digital activities, designing digital services taxes, and identifying policy approaches that are realistic and suitable for developing countries. Participants also discussed the increasing relevance of crypto-asset markets and the new policy and administrative demands they create. While countries have different policy options, the most suitable approach depends on national context, administrative capacity, and international commitments.   Across the workshop, speakers stressed that effective digital taxation requires not only legislative updates but also strong capacity building. Regional cooperation through tax organisations and regional bodies was highlighted as a way to increase bargaining power and support shared learning. One session focused on the use of artificial intelligence in compliance and risk analysis. Panellists noted that AI tools can strengthen tax administration, but their use raises challenges related to data protection, taxpayer rights, skills gaps, implementation costs, and outdated regulatory frameworks. Ensuring clear regulation from the outset was identified as key to successful adoption.   The workshop also included a session on cross-border collaboration, with contributions from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), CIAT, Benin, Nigeria, and other administrations. CIAT presented its cooperation model for addressing digital taxation challenges, along with the services it provides to support tax administrations. Benin shared its experience with e-invoicing and how it is helping to increase revenue, while other panellists highlighted opportunities for regional mechanisms to strengthen cooperation and knowledge sharing in digital taxation. The two-day workshop concluded with remarks from Jules Tapsoba, Executive Secretary of WATAF, and Dr. Esther A.P. Koisin, Executive Secretary of CATA and Chair of the NTO Council, who emphasised the value of continued knowledge exchange and coordination in adapting tax systems and tax administrations to the rapidly evolving digital economy. “Navigating the digital tax landscape: e-commerce, sharing platforms, and trade in crypto assets” was the theme of the 3rd NTO Technical Conference, which inspired this two-day virtual workshop. For a deeper dive into the topic, the Conference report is available.  

NTO Council holds latest meeting to advance 2026 planning The Council of the Network of Tax Organisations (NTO) met on 10 November 2025 to review ongoing initiatives and tentative plans for 2026. The Council, composed of five representatives of the NTO signatories and headed by its Chair, oversees the operational management of the Network, supports the General Assembly, and guides the Secretariat in line with the NTO’s objectives and guiding principles. Its current composition, agreed during the 7th NTO General Assembly in Panama City in February 2025, includes the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), the Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators CATA (Chair of the Council), the Centro Interamericano de Administraciones Tributarias (CIAT), the Intra-European Organisation of Tax Administrators (IOTA), and the West African Tax Administration Forum (WATAF). A central point of the meeting was the coordination of the 2026 calendar. Members highlighted the importance of early identification of key activities like NTO members’ technical conferences to avoid overlaps and ensure smoother planning across the Network. As part of this process, CATA indicated its willingness to host the 2026 NTO General Assembly in October 2026 (specific dates and location to be confirmed). From 2026 onwards, the NTO Secretariat will transition to a rotationary structure, with each member organisation hosting the Secretariat for a two-year term. The first rotation will be hosted by CATA. Members discussed the practical steps needed to support this transition and ensure continuity of coordination within the Network, as well as its identity. Further discussions to this end will take place. Next steps include further coordination on members’ internal work plans for 2026 and continued follow-up on arrangements linked to the new strategy 2026-2028 for the global network.