Exchange of information and mutual assistance, and the Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base are among the topical issues which will come under the spotlight at the annual MIM International Taxation Conference, organised by the Malta Institute of Management, on March 25.
Chaired by KPMG tax partner Juanita Brockdorff, the event will focus on the latest developments in European legislation which are of interest to practitioners servicing both local and international business.
Dr Brockdorff told The Times Business the speakers were “handpicked for their academic excellence and their experience in European Union taxation from a professional perspective”.
“The list of names speaks for itself and practitioners in the tax field will surely recognise the speakers who have accepted to attend this event, now in its fifth edition. Each presentation stands on its own merit, as well as fitting with the rest,” she added.
Dr Brockdorff highlighted this year’s keynote presentation, a debate between Prof. Philip Baker of Gray’s Inn Tax Chambers and Prof. Pasquale Pistone, holder of a Jean Monnet ad Personam Chair at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. The experts will trade ideas on exchange of information and taxpayers’ rights.
Following introductions by MIM chairman Reuben Buttigieg and Dr Brockdorff, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech will give an opening address. The event will later hear concluding remarks from Charles Mangion, Labour main spokesman on finance.
There will be presentations by KPMG advisor Antoine Demicoli, Richard Lyal from the European Commission’s Legal Service, Dennis Weber, professor of European tax law at the University of Amsterdam, Paul Farmer, barrister and partner at Dorsey’s of London, Thomas Neale from the European Commission, PricewaterhouseCoopers tax partner Neville Gatt, Ernst and Young director, tax services, Robert Attard, and Daniel Gutmann, professor of tax law at the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne.
The illustrious line-up will showcase a host of important tax issues including developments in the case law of the European Court of Justice on direct taxation, exit taxes and the impact of taxation on cross-border business restructurings, member state defences to EU law challenges to direct tax rules, teleological interpretation of Maltese tax legislation, and borderline issues between legitimate planning and the abuse of international tax law.
Asked to outline the correlation between austerity and taxation in the current economic climate, Dr Brockdorff pointed out that in spite of the differing stances taken by governments, there were some shared priorities.
“While there remains disagreement on the balance of attention between government-sponsored stimulus and reducing fiscal deficits, there seem to be common priorities for national economies: competition for investment to grow the tax base and the need for tax revenues to help pay down deficits,” she said.
Dr Brockdorff explained how national revenue bodies were recognising that corporate income tax was a mobile and volatile source of income as companies globalised and move their operations around the world. In turn, tax authorities were globalising and sharing information and ideas more than ever. The issue will also be the focus on some debate at the conference.
More information on the event and registration forms are available at www.maltamanagement.com.