The 109th meeting of the Executive Council (EC) took place on 11-12 September in Budapest. This was the first Executive Council meeting under the Slovak Presidency of IOTA for the term of 2017-2018 with members of Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Lithuania, Portugal and United Kingdom. During the meeting several issues were addressed and decided aiming at making IOTA more flexible and more dynamic as well as strengthening its role in the European and international tax framework.
President of IOTA, Mr František Imrecze, President of Financial Directorate of Slovakia welcomed Council members and highlighted the focus of the term, the implementation of new IOTA strategy adopted in the General Assembly in June in Kyiv. The Council established its working schedule for 2017 and 2018 and discussed the priorities of this term. EC agreed that apart from strategy implementation, the analysis of the budgetary trend and the review of the internal regulations of the organisation are also important priorities in order to ensure basis for a more efficient IOTA. Council also underlined the importance of enhancing coordination with other international organisations, including the latter into the priorities of this term as it is crucial to make IOTA a reliable partner in the international tax framework.
Secretariat informed the EC on the activities carried out in the past months and about ongoing work program, the plans in the field of communications and publications in the coming months and the financial situation of the organisation. EC welcomed that the work program is different from the previous years as it includes open activities, allowing more opportunities to address the needs and initiatives coming from membership throughout the year, thus contributing to increasing flexibility and giving more value to membership. The EC was also informed about a new proposed IOTA Project on a Knowledge database of international (cross-border) insolvency proceedings.
In the margins of the meeting, a new international contracted expert (employee of IOTA Secretariat) was selected by the Interview Board consisting of IOTA’s President, three EC members (France, Georgia and Germany) and the Executive Secretary of IOTA. The result will be communicated in due course.
After the EC meeting the Presidency met the Secretariat staff and discussed issues related to working processes and the preparation of the 22nd General Assembly of IOTA to be held in June 2018 in Bratislava.