1. An update on the global professions’ public policy engagement: > Tackling corruption > International tax policy
Amir Ghandar
Deputy Director, Public Policy & Regulation
International Federation of Accountants
September 2018

2. Things to cover today
The global fight against corruption
International tax policy and public trust

4. Why is fighting corruption important (for the profession)?
“Corruption damages citizens’ confidence in governance institutions and their supporting integrity systems, and weakens the rule of law.”
- G20 High Level Principles on Corruption and Growth

5. Recap – impact of accountancy professionals and ethics
Research – overall accountants playing positive role
Professional standards adoption and tackling corruption
Role of government, business, legal frameworks

6. Public policy engagement - what are we trying to achieve?
Sensible policy and regulation
Make a positive difference
Help professional accountants to make a difference
Some live examples – NOCLAR & IPSASs

7. Working with B20 and G20

8. Working with the international legal profession
“We know criminals seek to abuse the services provided by our members to launder the proceeds of corruption and we are committed to ensuring the professions we serve are armed with the tools to thwart this abuse.
We stand united in the fight against corruption in all its forms and are committed to sharing knowledge, skills and intelligence with our fellow professionals and with all agencies fighting this cause.”

9. Some other relevant engagement
Financial Action Taskforce – Risk Based Approach Guidance for Accountants
Transparency International – Accountants, anti-money laundering and NOCLAR

10. International tax policy - context
“Another flaw is that tax sometimes works against other priorities. Policymakers in the rich world worry about growing inequality, which is at its highest level in half a century.”
“Tax systems have also failed to adapt to technological change. The rising importance of intellectual property means that it is almost impossible to pin down where a multinational really makes money.”
“The “solutions” to such problems often only exacerbate the daunting complexity of today’s tax code—and, if lobbies have their way, add extra loopholes too.”

11. International tax policy - context
G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors - July
Support a globally fair, sustainable, and modern international tax system
Worldwide implementation of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting package
Consensus-based solution to address the impacts of digitalization…on the international tax system by 2020

12. What do people really think about the issues?

13. Sneak peak: 2018 Public Trust in Tax Update
8,400
people across G20 countries
Demographic balance based on population per census data

14. Questions?