Azerbaijan to lead IOTA in 2024-2025

Azerbaijan has been elected to lead the Intra-European Organization of Tax Administrations (IOTA) for the 2024-2025 term, Report informs, citing the State Tax Service under Azerbaijan’s Economy Ministry.

During the administrative session of IOTA's 28th General Assembly held in Budapest, Hungary, the current IOTA President, Ferenc Vágujhelyi, who also serves as the President of Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Administration (NTCA), presented the achievements and results of his 2023-2024 presidency. The assembly then approved documents outlining IOTA's current and medium-term activities through a voting process.

The administrative session elected Orkhan Nazarli, the Chairman of Azerbaijan's State Tax Service, as the IOTA President for the 2024-2025 term. The members of the IOTA Executive Council for the same period were also selected, with representation from Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Switzerland, and Sweden. As the presiding country, Azerbaijan's State Tax Service will chair the Executive Council.

In his speech, Orkhan Nazarli discussed modern trends and challenges in the international tax system, as well as the priority development directions for tax administration in the medium term. He emphasized that tax administration is a dynamic field requiring high competence, awareness, and strategic approaches.

Nazarli noted the transformation observed in tax systems in recent years due to globalization and digitalization, which necessitates the organization of a perfect and modern tax system and strengthening cooperation among tax administrations to respond to challenges.

Nazarli highlighted that this will be the first time the State Tax Service of Azerbaijan will serve as IOTA's president and shared their plans for the upcoming term. He stressed the importance of closely monitoring modern trends for the application of effective mechanisms by tax administrations and the focus on realizing the goals set in IOTA's 2023-2027 strategy. Strengthening the Assembly's potential and increasing its opportunities will be among the main priorities.

The next IOTA General Assembly will be held in Azerbaijan, and Nazarli invited all participants to actively engage in the upcoming events.

As a symbolic gesture, the IOTA flag, representing the organization's presidency, was handed over to Orkhan Nazarli by Ferenc Vágujhelyi.