New Year's Message from the Executive Secretary of IOTA

In 2024, we successfully implemented the first full year of the Strategy for the years 2023-2027.  As planned, the new IOTA web portal went live in January 2024 after testing by the Project Team, the Secretariat, and a small group of IOTA member volunteers. The Executive Council played a full role in IOTA governance, especially in ensuring that the IOTA Work Programme met the needs of the membership, and in relation to IOTA’s ethical and financial approach to working with businesses. This has resulted in the initial development of principles for working with business, based on a clear approval and renewal process for Observer status and a set of ethical rules to be signed by the entity applying to become an IOTA Observer.

Additionally, in line with the Strategy, the Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) was given an initial mandate to develop a medium-term financial sustainability plan covering the years up to 2027. The FAC’s proposals included savings in fixed costs and work programme delivery costs. The package of proposals, after taking into account the Members’ comments, was adopted by the 146th Executive Council in April 2024 and approved, along with the IOTA budget and the 2025 Work Programme, during the Administrative session of the 28^th General Assembly of IOTA in June.

The 28th General Assembly, “Using Data Science to Build Capacity and Enhance Capabilities in Tax Administrations”, was hosted by the Hungarian Presidency in Budapest. This showpiece event was attended by over 180 in-person delegates and over 150 digital participants. The event included attendees from all 43 IOTA member tax administrations, along with high-ranking officials and representatives from our international partner organisations (European Commission DG TAXUD, World Customs Organization, IMF, CREDAF, CIAT), tax practitioners and representatives of the business community and academia. The event also included an exhibition showcasing the innovative use of Big Data, Machine Learning, Applied AI, Generative AI, Data Management, Data Engineering and Databases along with data-driven solutions, business ideas and technologies, presented by advanced and innovative tax administrations and their IT vendors.

We continued to develop our partnerships with other international organisations based on the principles of reciprocity and coherence. In 2024, joint events with OECD took place enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest such as BEPs and an IOTA - Global Forum Training Event on Verifying Compliance with CRS-AEOI Obligations. The latter was the first ever event of this nature. We also continued to work with the Network of Tax Administrations (NTO), establishing workplans and participating in the NTO technical conference.

During the year we successfully organised a total of 19 technical activities: 9 digital events (workshops/webinars), 2 workshops, 6 forums, 1 annual international conference, 1 regional event; and carried out 6 projects as well. The programme was wide-ranging, covering Direct and Indirect Tax compliance issues, digitalisation and new technologies, debt management techniques, right through to areas such as internal and external communications and HR issues. The largest of the technical work programme events was the Annual International Conference, which looked at e-Invoicing and Digital Reporting Implementation, issues and benefits. This was expertly hosted by the Italian Revenue Agency in Rome and attended by 110 in person delegates along with 100 online participants. Feedback from the event was excellent, with the business participants specifically noting the collaborative environment.

Over the coming year, our main challenges will be to reflect on the mid-term Strategy and to continue to look for efficiencies and agility in the Work Programme cycle and peer to peer technical assistance. The Financial Advisory Committee will continue its important work and will be proposing options for enhancing revenue streams, including a review of the current membership contribution system, in order to ensure a sustainable future for the organisation.

Finally, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the whole membership for recognising the changes and improvements made within IOTA during my tenure, by agreeing to the prolongation of my mandate for another 3 years. I am fully committed to continuing to run the Organisation in a smooth and transparent way during this time, working in conjunction with the Presidency, the Executive Members, and the Membership as a whole.

Thank you for your dedication to the Organisation. I wish you all good health, happiness, and success for the New Year.