To support the efforts of the Central American and Caribbean countries for achieving an effective tax information exchange, several international organizations and initiatives and tax administrations successfully held a workshop in the State of Florida, U.S.A., on July 24 to 26.

As a result of joint efforts by CIAT, IDB, World Bank, Global Forum, Guardia di Finanza of Italy and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, a workshop on tax information exchange was held on July 24 to 26 in the City of Plantation, for providing assistance and promoting the discussion of this issue among Central American and Caribbean countries that are undertaking initial actions in this area.

As evidenced in the extensive agenda, the three days of the workshop were devoted to the discussion of theoretical aspects dealing with the necessary legal framework for an effective exchange of information, interpretation criteria to be considered according to international standards, the methodologies commonly accepted for information exchange, as well as practical aspects based on the experiences of tax administrations of developed countries, and other countries that have achieved good results (Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Panama and Jamaica) even though they have only recently begun information exchange.

Likewise, the IRS, host and leader of this initiative, submitted case studies based on said institution’s daily practice situations that were solved by the participants within the framework of a group activity. Said panel was most useful for participants in the workshop to improve the quality of their information requests, as well as to become aware of the most common mistakes they may fall into, when making such requests.

As a result of this workshop, the participants agreed on the need for the international community to continue its cooperation efforts for assisting the countries that have opted for an effective information exchange, and for which purpose it is essential to count on the collaboration of the tax administrations of countries with significant experience on the subject, as well as international organizations involved in this issue.

It was thus made known that CIAT is available to evaluate and coordinate, through the Directorate of International Cooperation and Taxation (Mr. Gonzalo Arias at garias@ciat.org) actions for assisting the member countries and that on September 3 to 7 of the current year, in coordination with OECD, Global Forum, U.S. IRS, SAT of Mexico, AEAT of Spain and Guardia di Finanza of Italy, a theoretical and practical activity on tax information exchange will be held at the OECD’s Multilateral Tax Center in Mexico.

See technical agenda and documentation.

Participants of the workshop on effective implementation of tax EoI – CIAT/IRS USA				Gonzalo Arias – CIAT
Duncan Nicol – Cayman Islands		Donald Godfrey – OECD		Steffano Gesuelli – Italy
Leticia Arias – Panama		Komal Mohindra – World Bank		Fernando Velayos – IDB