The first Global Conference on Taxation and SDGs convened by the Platform for Collaboration on Tax (PCT) concluded in New York on Friday, 16 February 2018. The PCT brings together the key players in international organizations mandated to work on global tax issues, i.e the IMF, the OECD, the UN  and the World Bank Group (WBG). More than 500 delegates including Ministers of Finance and heads of tax administrations from around the world participated.

The PCT member organizations stressed their continued desire to work together on information sharing, on-the-ground cooperation, enhanced dialogue with stakeholders, as well as further focus and guidance on international tax challenges and initiatives. Civil society organizations and bodies working on tax justice were present in very strong numbers and representations were again made, in both side events and conference sessions, for a global formulary apportionment system and stronger enforcement of tax rules against multinational corporations.

A strong focus was on advocacy by the PCT partners for countries to adopt “Medium Term Revenue Strategies” (MTRS) – a new approach to support countries in reforming their tax systems. Conference sessions also focused on challenges of taxation of the extractive sector, of new forms of doing business in the digital age, fiscal policy for sustainable development and the use of tax measures to improve health and human development. The role of the Action Plan on BEPS and its impact on the SDGs and Illicit Financial Flows was raised repeatedly by both public sector and civil society delegates. Increased scrutiny of tax aspects of international transactions was described by many developing country tax administrations, and expressions of assistance made by development partners.