Customs Tax Cooperation: Exploiting the Potential of New Technologies

Transcription

1 Customs Tax Cooperation: Exploiting the Potential of New Technologies Alicja Majdanska 12 th Annual WCO PICARD Conference Hammamet, Tunisia September 2017

2 Content Different responsibilities common function Potential areas for cooperation Existing solutions New Technologies Policy recommendations 2

3 Different responsibilities but common function

4 Different responsibilities but common function Customs administration Tax administration Revenue administration 4

5 Potential areas for cooperation

6 Potential areas for cooperation Exchange of purchase and sale data / import and export data Price assessment (valuation for customs administrations and transfer pricing for tax administrations) Post-clearance audit Improved comprehensive risk management Effective enforcement of financial and tax crimes 6

7 Potential areas for cooperation: valuation Customs administration objective Ensuring all appropriate elements are included in the customs value Tax administration objective Ensuring the transfer price does not include inappropriate elements Mirror picture? Trade objective To minimise Customs value Trade objective To maximise transfer price (incl. cost of imported goods) to reduce taxable profit 7

8 Selected challenges Legal potential conflict and/or lack of harmonization of respective legal frameworks often limited access to databases (upon request/spontaneous) Operational different interventions strategies various approaches to law enforcement Cultural differences in cultures and philosophies underpinning the two administrations 8

9 Existing solutions

10 Existing solutions Blockchain? Data analytics Information technology Trainings and secondments T E C H N O L O G Y Memorandum of understanding, joint committees, inter-agency working groups Legal gateway for exchange of information 10

11 New Technologies

12 Information technology Key for the purpose of exchange of information between customs and tax administrations: a common/integrated IT systems data warehouse 12

13 Data analytics The application of the scientific method, including statistical analyses, to large amounts of data to uncover valuable information from that data Assists in identifying: patterns/trends compliance and/non-compliance history gaps risks and modus operandi 13

14 Blockchain? Shared, public and trusted ledgers of transactions Decentralization and distribution of ledgers; no master key, no single party retaining control Creation of permanent immutable records in ledgers from the very first transaction in the genesis block Increase in transparency 14

15 Blockchain for customs-tax cooperation? Access to up-to-date and trustworthy data from original sources Easy track of financial flows Paperless track of processes along the supply / value chain Less susceptible to corruption Supply / value chain management Improved audit trail, Revenue collection Exchange of information and electronic certification Compliance management Post clearance audit 15

16 Benefits Automated process for sharing information Reduced risk of fraud Minimised risk of inaccuracies and errors Easier verification of identity Improved organizational and operational efficiency and effectiveness 16

17 Policy Recommendations

18 Policy Recommendations With respect to existing tools: Further exploration of potential ways for customs-tax cooperation via memoranda of understanding, inter-agency working groups, special task forces, trainings, secondments, etc. With respect to information technology and data analytics: Wider application of new technologies in day-to-day customs-tax cooperation With respect to Blockchain: Research on how the distributed ledger technology underlying blockchain could be used to enhance customs-tax cooperation within the existing legal framework and what constraints are imposed by the legal framework supplemented by pilot studies 18

19 Digital Transformation Project A three-year long multi-disciplinary project A cooperation of the WU Global Tax Policy Center, the New Economy Taxation (Singapore) and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) Launched on March 2017 Among research areas: How blockchain can facilitate operations of tax and customs administrations? What are the challenges and how to overcome them? Upcoming meetings: 18 December 2017 in Vienna 22 May 2018 New York 19

20 Mag. Alicja Majdanska Research Associate Institute for Austrian and International Tax Law, WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business) Welthandelsplatz 1, Building D Vienna Austria Tel: 0043 (1)