Regional tax collectors to brainstorm challenges amidst Covid-19

November 10, 2020 in Business, Finance, Policy by Editor

Participants will share views on transit declarations procedures right from the point of entry to the destinations. This will assist to eliminate dumping and transit diversions.

Regional tax collectors are scheduled to hold virtual talks on Wednesday, November 11 amid reduced returns as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic that has disrupted economic activities across the East African Community (EAC).

Under the theme, ‘Rethink, Restart and Reinvent: Our Road to Recovery’, the 48^th East African Revenue Authorities Commissioners General’s (EARACGs) meeting will discuss experiences and address challenges facing tax administrations in the region.

The  talks will also focus on lessons learnt by the EAC Partner States during the pandemic, and the innovative approaches that will shore up revenue in the region.

According to a release, other key highlights of the meeting will include responses to Commissioners General’s (CGs’) directives during the 47^th meeting, for the period January to June 2020, emerging issues within the Customs union, cooperation with international actors in international taxation, and induction of new CGs into the forum.

Important areas for discussion will include feedback on review of performance of the Single Customs Territory (SCT) for the whole value chain of imports and transit goods by analyzing transit declarations right from the point of entry to the destinations. This will assist to eliminate dumping and transit diversions.

The meeting will also receive feedback on the progress on achieving a joint approach to the development of the Data Governance Policy to promote the usage of data for decision-making.

The EARACGs meeting is expected to among other discuss the modalities of how to collaborate with the EAC Secretariat to establish a Committee on Tax Affairs at the East African Community (EAC), where tax administration matters of domestic taxes, ICT and other administrative issues not related to Customs can be deliberated, among others.

The meeting comes amidst resilience test, with most countries having registered an economic slowdown due to significant scaling down of business activities attributed to COVID-19 cases reported in the region.

The meeting will be attended by among other KRA leadership led by the Commissioners General, Office Burundais des Recettes (OBR) Commissioners General, Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) Commissioners General, South Sudan National Revenue Authority (SSNRA) Commissioners General, Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) Commissioners General, and Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Commissioners General.

Other delegates will include representatives from a select number of observers and partners including the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat and African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) as well as JICA.