The Global Accounting Alliance and tax
ICAS is a member of the Global Accounting Alliance (GAA) and the GAA Tax Directors Group provides a helpful forum in which to discuss key developments in the respective countries, compare notes and to seek opportunities to share best practice.
Charlotte Barbour outlines their work and invites Members to attend an upcoming GAA tax webinar.
The Global Accounting Alliance
ICAS is a founder member of the Global Accounting Alliance (GAA), which was formed in 2005. Its purpose is to serve the public interest by leading the advancement of a high-quality accounting profession by sharing information and collaborating, among GAA Members, and advocating on international issues important to the profession.
It plays an important role by creating working links among ten leading professional accountancy bodies in major capital markets. Together these ten organisations represent over 1.4 million members in over 180 countries around the globe.
The GAA’s Members include the following professional accountancy bodies:
- Association of International Certified Professional Accountants
- Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand
- Chartered Accountants Ireland
- Chartered Professional Accountants Canada
- Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
- Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland
- Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer in Deutschland e.V.
- Japanese Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- South African Institute of Chartered Accountants
The GAA and tax
The Tax Director Group of the GAA, currently chaired by Brian Keegan of Chartered Accountants Ireland, meets regularly and the pandemic has encouraged more regular meetings – with the desire to understand how our counterparts around the globe are reacting to, and supporting, taxpayers and tax agents. There is also the helpful exchange of information about how the tax authorities have been responding to the pandemic.
The GAA tax directors are aware of how helpful it is to have a wider picture and to be able to compare tax matters with fellow tax directors – these can be in relation to international tax matters but more often than not, they are about the topics and themes that are common in each professional body. For example, there can be comparisons of the different tax authorities’ approach to making tax digital, professional conduct in relation to taxation and tax ethics, or regulating the profession.
It is also noticeable that all jurisdictions face similar pressures and trends in relation to tax collection – as much so during the pandemic as at other times. And in the last 18 months, the Tax Directors Group has discussed how their different jurisdictions have supported those who could not work with furlough schemes or their equivalent. There have also been discussions about hybrid working and, of course, comparing experiences of the extent to which the pandemic is driving the tax authorities towards new and permanent digital processes.
Join the GAA tax webinars
The GAA tax director group is to host two webinars, over two days, which is open to any Member of the GAA professional bodies. The details are noted below – do join the discussions.
Global Accounting Alliance - Tax working group panel discussions
In his capacity as Chair of the Global Accounting Alliance (GAA)’s Tax Working Group, Dr Brian Keegan will be chairing elements of this two-session programme on Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 November 2021.
Join these panel discussions where the GAA tax experts and international Revenue authorities will discuss the ever-changing international tax landscape. The conversation will be opened out to members for contributions and questions.
Session one: Tuesday 23 November | 11:00am-12:30pm
Chair: Ian Kehoe – Editor: The Currency
- Digitalisation of tax administration
- Taxpayer behaviour in the modern economy
- The changing tax landscape and how it will impact Revenue authorities
Session two: Wednesday 24 November | 11:00am-12:30pm
Chair: Brian Keegan – Director: Advocacy and Voice, Chartered Accountants Ireland
- Discussion session for practitioners
- Tax consequences of hybrid working in our different jurisdictions
- Importance of cross-border collaboration for professionals
- The accountant’s role in a changing tax landscape
Join the discussion