On August 26 and 27 of this year in the City of Buenos Aires was held a regional roundtable on international taxation, sponsored by the Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations (CIAT), the Latin American Network on Debt, Development and Rights (LATINDADD), the Tax Justice Network in Latin America and the Caribbean, “Financial Transparency Coalition”, OXFAM and the Federal Public Revenue Administration of Argentina (AFIP).

This activity was attended by officials and representatives from Tax Administrations, Ministries of Finance, international organizations and civil society representatives. Tax Administration Officials from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay were present as well as tax treaties experts from the Ministries of Finance of Argentina and Mexico and representatives of the United Nations (Committee on Fiscal Affairs and International Cooperation DESA-FXD), ECLAC, UNASUR, COSEFIN, “Tax Justice Network” and the Monitoring Group BEPS.

The discussions were held under the rules of “Chatham House” and focused on the vision and perspective of developing countries, particularly those in Latin America and the Caribbean. The BEPS Action Plan, the exchange of information for tax purposes, including the new standard for automatic exchange of information; new developments and experiences to control the transfer pricing aspects of the negotiation and the cost/benefit of tax treaties, tax benefits and tax competition, as well as aspects relating to international tax cooperation were the topics discussed.

This allowed us to know the reality of the countries in the region, with significant asymmetries and in some cases conflicting views, as well as best practices that have been the mutual interests for cooperation between these countries and organizations, with the aim to progress on regional results and towards a harmonized development of tax policies and tax administrations.

The “Round Table” set a precedent which demonstrates the potential and importance of the association of tax administrations, international organizations, regional integration organizations and NGOs to create opportunities for effective and objective discussions.

On the photo appears Gonzalo Arias, Director of International Cooperation and Taxation, during his presentation.

On the photo: View of the participants.