Fourth OECD Forum on Tax Administration: Cape Town Communique

South Africa hosted the Fourth meeting of the OECD’s Forum on Tax Administration in Cape Town on 10-11 January 2008, bringing together more than 130 participants from around 40 countries.

Tax Commissioners from OECD and non-OECD countries met to discuss how to enhance the relationship between revenue bodies, taxpayers and tax intermediaries.

The meeting, at the Westin Grand Cape Town Arabella Quays, chaired by Pravin Gordhan, the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service and focused on three related issues:

1. New trends in global business and wealth management  and the implications for revenue bodies
2. The conclusions and recommendations of a study on the role of tax intermediaries which was launched at the Seoul meeting in 2006 (see Seoul Declaration).
3. Exploring ways to assist African Tax Administrations to develop their capacity to raise the funds required to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

Below is the list of documents available:

• FTA Cape Town Communique: English, French and Spanish
• Study into the Role of Tax Intermediaries - Final Report (French also available)
• Address by Trevor Manuel, MP, Minister of Finance of the Republic of South Africa
• Opening statement by Pier Carlo Padoan, Deputy Secretary General, OECD

The press conference was held on Friday 11 January 2008 at 12:45 in Cape Town.

Further details can be obtained from Jeffrey Owens (Jeffrey.owens@oecd.org), Lincoln Marais (lamarais@sars.gov.za), Malerato Sekha (msekha@sars.gov.za), Thumida Maistry ( tmaistry2@sars.gov.za),  or Adrian Lackay  (alackay@sars.gov.za).