New Year’s Message from the Executive Secretary of IOTA

In 2025, the Strategy 2023-2027 was reviewed as a mid-term plan with a new strategic objective focused on the development of the Organisation. This involved enhancing Associate members' involvement in IOTA, attracting new Associate members, strengthening cooperation with Observers, and exploring opportunities for collaboration with institutions involved in research and study fields. This objective aims to bring value to our members.

Budget constraints required us to carry out technical activities under the new Basic Conditions of Funding IOTA Events, which limited attendance at our in-person events to one participant per tax administration. The Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) proposed changes to the contribution system to create a fairer and more balanced model. The new contribution model proposed for 2026 and onwards was based on a membership-wide survey and was approved by the 29th General Assembly. Last year, the financial outcome of the budget was notably positive, thanks to higher-than-expected income and unplanned savings in the Technical Activities Programme due to the limitations on event funding introduced that year.

In October, we celebrated the inaugural Day of Excellence in Taxation—a new tradition recognising a tax office employee who has demonstrated outstanding performance in a tax area aligned with IOTA's Annual Work Programme. This event was initiated by the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary (NTCA) and endorsed at the 29th General Assembly.

The 29th General Assembly, themed "Adaptive and Agile Tax Administration in a Rapidly Changing Environment,” was hosted extensively by the State Tax Service of Azerbaijan in Baku, under the Azerbaijani Presidency. Over 170 delegates attended in person, with more than 70 participating online. Attendees included all 43 IOTA member tax administrations, senior officials, and representatives from partners such as ADB, CIAT, IBFD, IFA, IMF, OECD, and the World Bank, alongside observers, business representatives, tax practitioners, and academics.

Our collaborations with other international organisations, including the OECD, the IMF, CIAT, and NTO, continue to grow on the principles of reciprocity and consistency.

Throughout the year, we organised 21 technical activities, including 8 digital events, 2 case study workshops, 7 forum meetings, 1 international conference, and 2 joint events. Additionally, we undertook 3 project works on topics including tax compliance, digitalisation, emerging technologies, and debt management. The largest technical event was the 6th Annual International Conference in Tallinn, themed “Real-time Economy Development and Tax Administration”. The event was expertly hosted by the Estonian Tax and Customs Board, attended by 115 in-person and 130 online participants. The feedback received was excellent, particularly from members and business attendees.

I am also pleased to announce the addition of one full-time and two part-time International Taxation Experts from our membership—Elena Timofte (Romania), So Young Kim (Norway), and Anders Öbrink (Sweden)—who have joined our Secretariat to strengthen the IOTA Work Programme.

Looking ahead, 2026 will be a landmark year as we celebrate 30 years since IOTA's founding in 1996 by seven Central and Eastern European tax administrations. One of our primary goals will be to further improve efficiency and agility within our Work Programme and peer-to-peer assistance, ensuring the organisation's financial sustainability. The FAC will continue exploring options to enhance revenue, including reviewing financial frameworks and opportunities, and assessing the impact of the financial measures implemented in 2025 on members' engagement.

The road ahead may be challenging, but I am confident that, together as the IOTA community, we will overcome obstacles through commitment, resilience, integrity, and mutual respect. I remain dedicated to managing IOTA transparently and effectively, working closely with the IOTA Presidency, Executive Council, and Members. I invite everyone to participate in upcoming activities and to join us in Budapest for the 30th General Assembly of IOTA and this significant anniversary.

Thank you for your commitment to IOTA. I wish you good health, happiness, and success in 2026.

Alix Perrignon de Troyes
Executive Secretary of IOTA